Golf club replies to critics of new ‘family’ venture

THE manager of the Reading Golf Club has hit back at criticism of a new venture in Chalkhouse Green.

The club has applied for planning permission for a wooden “lodge” to serve a new nine-hole course at Fairways Family Golf, off Tanners Lane, which also offers foot and disc golf.

It comes two months after the club merged with Caversham Heath Golf Club and relocated from Emmer Green to Mapledurham to become The Caversham.

Residents have opposed plans to replace the old “halfway house” — a converted container on a brick-faced raised concrete slab — with a pre-fabricated wooden building with the appearance of a timber-framed lodge.

They say Tanners Lane is too narrow and that the 20 car parking spaces at the new golf centre are “inadequate”.

The new building would have a kitchen, office and storage space and the club says this would offer better café and toilet facilities to visitors. General manager Gary Stangoe said traffic would be controlled as the tee times are staggered and have to be booked.

He said: “I appreciate people might be concerned when they hear about a planning application being submitted as part of our work to deliver new facilities at Emmer Green.

“To be clear, what we are asking South Oxfordshire District Council for is a relatively small extension of the footprint of an existing building, so we have the administration and toilet facilities needed to support our excellent new offering.

“With an outside seating area and fun and physical activities available at a relatively low cost, we think this will bring lots of health and wellbeing benefits to the local community. We already have a number of customers who walk to use the facility and in time we that walkways and cycleways will allow access to Fairways from the planned country park area.

“Although parking is limited and bookings through our website are essential, the volume of use is being controlled by a careful managed tee-time system, which in turn allows users ample time and space to enjoy the facility without ever feeling rushed and, importantly these days, not being overcrowded.”

Mr Stangoe said Fairways had proved popular since it opened.

“I am absolutely thrilled at the response we have enjoyed,” he said. “To see people of all ages and backgrounds enjoying our new facilities has been a joy and I am proud of what Reading Golf Club is delivering for the local community.

“Contrary to some claims, we have always believed that a sustainable legacy means finding a future on the South Oxfordshire part of our land and we are very proud of the facility.”

But Paul Bardos, of Balmore Drive, Caversham, said: “Access for pedestrians and cyclists is dangerous along Tanners Lane, which does not have the capacity to sustain any significant increase in road traffic generated by this development.”

Graham Farrington, of Kidmore End Road, said: “It is a change of use from a tea hut to accommodate the golfers that used the course previously to a completely new commercial venture aimed at attracting numerous customers.”

Helen Lambert, chairwoman of Caversham and District Residents’ Association, said the golf centre would be a more intensive use of the land and would cause a “significant” increase in traffic through the narrow lanes.

The application is due to be decided by the district council by July 14.

The club has also applied to Reading Borough Council for permission for 257 homes on another part of the old course, prompting more than 3,000 objections.

This application is due to be considered on July 21.