Draft Black Country Plan

Support

Representation ID: 15817

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Oxley Park Golf Club

Re: Wolverhampton Housing Allocations on Oxley Park Golf Course.
Site References: WOH261,268,269,270 / WTNH
Oxley Park Golf Club has proposed these 4 small sites for allocation for housing in the BCP. In considering the merits of these sites, the following must be born in mind:
1. The 4 small sites in total amount to 1% of the total open green belt land managed by the Club, the rest of which we wish to remain under green belt protection. So the proposal is very modest.
2. The generation of revenue from the release of 1% of our land for development is critical to the ability of the club to continue as a viable business in the long term over the plan period until 2039. The critical question to be asked is: "Does releasing this land for potential development improve the prospect of the remaining 99% of the Golf Club's land continuing under it's present beneficial use for the environment, amenity value and jobs?" The answer is clearly "Yes".
3. Golf club finances are generally precarious. The long term survival of the club cannot be taken for granted. The Club has been loss making over the past 3 years with net current assets now down to zero save for a temporary Government-backed Covid loan which has to be repaid within 5 years. New inflationary pressures on wages, fuel etc will only exacerbate the situation. Oxley Park is owned by its individual members and does not have the deep financial pockets of a private owner to fall back on. Two other courses clubs close to the Wolverhampton area have closed in the past two years (Patsull Park GC and Bramhall GC), a third appears close to closure (Worfield GC) and another was recently saved only by selling a small plot for housing development (Dudley GC).
4. The Club's land has been subject to an environmental survey which confirmed that there was ample scope for mitigation for green belt loss to be provided on the remaining 99% of land it owns. The whole course was recommended for SLINC status. The existing environmental benefits of the whole course and adjoining land owned by the Club would be under threat in the long term from development if the Club was forced to cease trading. The whole of two closed former golf courses - Bramhall in Sandwell and Reedswood in Walsall - are now proposed for housing development within the new BCP. The same fate must not befall a closed Oxley Park in a future BCP and the release of a minimal amount of land for future housing is proposed only to avert the prospect.
5. The wider course also has amenity value to the several thousand annual visitors and members who play golf on the course and enjoy access to a "green oasis" in the heart of Wolverhampton. Over 20 people also have jobs at the Club, maintaining the course or in the clubhouse and shop. Again this would be lost if the course closed in the future.