Golf course sold for £39 million to property developer

A golf course in Manchester is to be sold to a property developer for nearly £40 million, and is likely to be converted into nearly 700 homes.

Bellway Homes has agreed to buy Brackley Golf Course for £39.3 million on December 1, according to Manchester Evening News.

The Salford venue, which hasn’t had golf played on it since 2016, is part-owned by Salford council, which will pocket £18.5 million from the sale – the biggest single capital receipt in its 47-year history.

The council, which decided to sell the site for housing in 2018, also granted planning permission for the building of 677 houses on the golf course in 2019.

Salford council assistant director Peter Openshaw said the new homes – ranging from two-bed semis to four-bed detached dwellings – will be ‘higher value’ than originally envisaged.

He said: “Whilst there’s no obligation from a planning perspective to provide affordable housing, they’ve said they will sit down with us to see what’s possible.

“It’s not factored into their plans at the moment, but they are willing to talk on a no-commitment basis to us.”

Salford mayor Paul Dennett said: “It is unfortunate that outline planning consent has already been granted on this, but it’s reassuring that the developer is up for having that conversation with us about affordable housing.

“Hopefully we’ll get somewhere there to further improve all of the metrics you’ve just shared with us.

“As you know, I’m one of those people who likes to have my cake and eat it.”

The local authority is expecting to make more than £1.1 million a year in council tax from the new properties together with £4.5 million through the New Homes Bonus.

The agreement to sell the land includes a condition which allows the council to buy back the land if Bellway does not build the homes according to the plans.

The house-builder is in the process of becoming a Real Living Wage employer and plans to pay all of its contractors the Real Living Wage within three years, it says.

The development would be made up of 36 flats, 76 two-bed and 250 three-bed semi-detached houses, with a further 217 three-bed and 111 four-bed detached dwellings.

Amendments must be made to the plans to allow for the extra 13 homes to be built but work is expected to start on site towards the beginning of the new year.