A South Liverpool golf club hopes to press on with upgrades despite its plans to develop a new hotel being compared to a train station.
In December, proposals for a 66-bed hotel above the remains of a listed building at Allerton Manor golf club were rejected after councillors compared them to Milton Keynes train station. Now, Allerton Golf Trading Ltd, which has operated the club since it took over from Liverpool Council nine years ago, has set out plans to undertake works to and within the existing golf course.
Proposals include building of a part subterranean pavilion incorporating a shop and golf related facilities with associated enclosed refuse area, extension to elevated terrace and installation of retractable roof over layout adventure golf course and practice putting green, reconfigure golf course to form a single 18 hole golf course, creation and retention of new tees and greens, and the layout of a new ornamental lake and balancing pond.
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A new greenkeepers yard with associated buildings and storage containers would also be incorporated alongside the reconfiguring and expansion of car parking across the site. Planning permission was granted initially in February 2020, but following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, it became “self-evident that elements within the consented approval are now financially and operationally unviable” according to a planning document submitted by architects Brock Carmichael on behalf of the club.
Issues included the large subterranean basement to the clubhouse becoming expensive and technically difficult to construct while an adventure golf course between the 18th green and clubhouse was obstructive to views and potentially dangerous for children using the adventure golf course. The start and finish of the 18 hole course were too far away from the clubhouse and required crossing a road.
The golf course could not be split into two 9-hole loops. A planning statement submitted by Roman Sumner planning consultancy said the proposed works are intended to deliver “significant improvements to the playability, attractiveness, accessibility (for all) and safety of the course, and to introduce fit for purpose, exciting, state-of-the-art golf-related activities, the intent being to transform the club and course into one of the best municipal golfing facilities in the UK.”
Around £15m of private investment is being pumped in to deliver the works, subject to Liverpool Council’s planning committee giving the go-ahead. The statement said 150 construction related jobs would be created as a result.
Should councillors sign off the plans, at a date yet to be confirmed, the work is expected to take around four years across the entire site. Last month, the club’s plans for a glass fronted hotel on the site were shunned by the planning committee, with one councillor describing it as “a big glass box” stuck on to the Grade II facade, adding “it looks like Milton Keynes train station to me.” Committee chair, Cllr Tony Concepcion, said while Liverpool welcomes investments and developments across the city, “this one doesn’t meet the requirements” and moved it be rejected.
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