A planning inspector has dismissed proposals to replace a golf range with homes
Kearsley: So, there was this plan to tear down a golf driving range and put up some bungalows instead. But guess what? A planning inspector said no way! They were looking to replace the old driving range and clubhouse on Moss Lane with seven three-bedroom homes.
The driving range shut down last year, and Bolton Council had already turned down the idea back in May. They were worried it would mess with the green belt’s openness, which is pretty important.
But the applicant, M Warburton, wasn’t ready to give up. They appealed, and the case went to a government inspector. In December, the inspector agreed with the council’s decision to reject the plans.
Interestingly, the documents backing the proposal did recognize how crucial it is to keep green belt land intact. The applicant claimed their plan would take up less space than the driving range and would be smaller overall.
They argued that this would lessen the impact on the landscape. But the inspector pointed out that the proposed homes would actually spread out more than the current setup, which didn’t sit well with them.
In the end, the inspector decided that building those seven homes would really change the area and dismissed the appeal. So, for now, the green belt remains untouched!
