Golf club told it can erect netting

A golf club in Wales has been told it can put up netting to protect local people and a children’s play area from stray balls.

Residents fear a new tee location under construction could add to the problems.

Conwy councillors have approved North Wales Golf Club’s application for specialist netting along a 30m (98ft) boundary.

They voted in favour, despite council officers recommending the application should be refused because the netting would be visually damaging.

Councillor Stephen Price said without health and safety measures like netting, property could be damaged and children and older people could be hit, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Another councillor, Trystan Lewis, said it was “frightening” that “the houses are so close to the golf course”.

“If I lived in that area, if my children were playing in the park or in the garden, I would be frightened to know that these balls could swerve to the left.”

Planning officers had said the plans were inappropriate in a designated special landscape area and were against green belt and green wedge policies aimed to provide accessible habitat for different species.

According to the council, the golf club does not have planning permission for netting already in place, and some repairs to existing netting are also needed.

The new fence will be constructed from three steel support posts with netting between, fixed to horizontal wires.

But the matter will return to the planning committee next month where the decision will have to be reaffirmed, due to councillors going against officers’ advice.