By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
A Cotswold golf club redevelopment will help fix an “eyesore” parking problem on a popular beauty spot, developers say.
Cotswold Hub Ltd has been granted permission for a new clubhouse, restaurant, larger car park and wider access road along with sheltered outdoor seating at Cleeve Hill Golf Club.
The proposals, which also include new changing rooms, toilets and pro golf shop, were referred to Tewkesbury Borough Council’s planning committee because the council owns the site but has leased it to the applicant for 125 years.
Cotswold Hub also owns the former Malvern View care home to the southwest of the site where planning permission was recently granted to turn it into a rural hotel to support the golf club.
Officers recommended approving the clubhouse revamp scheme and this was endorsed by all councillors.
John Hinnett, a planning consultant speaking on behalf of the applicant, told the planning committee on February 17 that the scheme was the culmination of several years’ work since the Cotswold Hub took on the lease in 2021.
“In taking on the lease, the hub has at all stages been fully aware of their responsibility in taking on the redevelopment and running of the golf club,” he said.
“They very much see themselves as custodians of the facility and have asked me to point out that since taking on the lease they have not taken any income from it.
“Any profit has been reinvested directly back into the running of the club.”
He said the responses they have had to the plans have been positive and there are no objections from technical consultees.
They have also worked with the Cotswold National Landscape to address their concern of potential light spillage from windows and they do not object to the plans, he said.
“Once completed, the golf club will offer a modern fit-for-purpose first-class new golfing facility,” he said.
“But it would provide wider amenities for the whole community such as a new restaurant, cafe where cyclists, walkers and riders can meet up and enjoy Cleeve Hill.
“This was always the Cotswold Hub’s vision and very much reflects the council’s aspirations for the facility to become a hub that is open to all.”
He said all the dead and diseased trees on Wickfield Lane would be replaced with a new native species hedge.
And the car park extension will help resolve the current “eyesore” parking problem along the lane and verges, he added.
Councillor Mel Gore (C, Isbourne) asked what would happen with visitor parking while construction is under way.
“There are already verges that are just mud piles at the moment down there,” she said.
“I can only see it getting worse. We need to ensure that there is some more parking provided other than the other Cleeve HIll parking separate to the golf club.”
Cllr Mary Jordan (LD, Churchdown St John’s) raised concerns over the “industrial” look of the proposed roofing and the lack of solar panels included in the current scheme.
Officers said the development would allow the applicant to install solar panels and batteries at later date.
Cllr Jim Mason (C, Winchcombe) said the proposals would lessen the impact on the landscape as the new building would be lower than the current one.
He proposed going with the officer’s recommendation to grant permission and said the plans have been “a long time coming” as the original building was built in the 1920s.
“It’s a very old, inefficient building,” he said.
The committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposals.