Sussex golf club set to be converted into 3,000 homes
By Alistair Dunsmuir
Members of a golf club that is set to be concreted over so thousands of homes can be built are battling to save their club.
Horsham District Council has said it wants to build at least 3,000 homes on Ifield Golf Club, and Homes England has said the golf course is surplus to requirements and other golf facilities in the area are able to cope with any future demand.
However, Denis Taylor, a member of Ifield Golf Club for more than 50 years, said there was a danger of people being ‘hoodwinked’ by the evidence pack for the council’s plan, and that the fees charged by neighbouring venues were far higher than Ifield’s. He added that many users of Ifield GC live locally to the venue and if they play at other clubs it will increase their carbon footprint.
He said the strategic policy was ‘not clearly written and unambiguous.’
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He said: “Ifield should be retained because of its availability to a wide section of the community.”
He said the demand for golf in the area is increasing but other nearby golf clubs charged high fees which “would be out of reach by most Ifield members.”
“For these facilities to outweigh the loss of Ifield Golf course they would require a substantial import of visitors,” he added. “Getting them there goes against the philosophy of the new neighbourhood being self-contained with a 15 minute walking or cycling journey time.”
Ifield Golf Club, he said, was currently easily accessible and was also the only golf club in the area which people could travel to by car, bicycle, foot, bus or train.
By Alistair Dunsmuir
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Custodian Golf are the only specialists in this field, and their guarantee is about “putting back better”.
There’s lots of facilities that are tired, underinvested and not relevant for the emerging golf market. The monies created by a development like this could build ten phenomenal golf facilities that would provide a vital step in tech, short form and relaxed golf facilities that the upcoming NTG’s will need….⛳️♥️⛳️
Sounds harsh, but the industry has way too many courses. A 10-20% reduction in numbers, will mean the middle tier clubs will start to thrive again. It’s scary how badly some clubs are run, but they simply dont have the footfall and revenues to improve.
There is no such thing as “industry in Golf” – this so called prat named Membershiip manager ought to go out and see the real world – Every single course in the world has its own identity and for prats like this to say a 20% reduction in golf clubs is all right should go and talk to all those who rely on those 20% for their only availability to play our wonderful game – twat!
If the land was to be provided for green space at no cost to anyone would this type of article even be written?
Golf is not a cheap pastime if you consider membership fees and equipment, etc – would the same complaints be made if the land was converted to public space or (as an example) football pitches for use by the entire community?
Another question to be considered – is there a shortage of affordable homes in the area? ♂️
Unfortunately becoming more common. Councils and Companies selling off vast land. Happening at my old club. Terrible state of affairs.
Are the council sorting the inferstructure before selling the land, (roads,doctors ,shops etc.)
The area is already a dense residential zone, 3000 additional homes will put immense pressure on schools, water, and road infrastructure. Converting an average of GBP2000 council tax is an easy 6 million to council coffers – entire project should be shelved.