Verdict in on new 'first-class' facilities for Wearside Golf Club after dozens of objections

The latest meeting of Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee discussed the application for land at Wearside Golf Club near Offerton Village.

Proposals were submitted earlier this year by the club to create a new driving range and shelter, a new ‘short course putting green’, and a new car park area.

The proposed site is a rectangular parcel to the south of the main golf course and clubhouse, opposite Coxgreen Road.

Planning documents said the land has most recently been used as a “practice facility and comprises a series of short holes, modified grassland and mature boundary vegetation.”

The plans aim to “deliver a first-class practice and driving range facility/golfing academy” for both club members and the “wider golfing community”, which would “provide a facility that will be unmatched anywhere in the local area.”

Councillors at the latest meeting of the city council’s planning and highways committee (on Monday, November 24) agreed to approve the application, in line with recommendations from local authority officers.

Speaking at the meeting, Steve Belchamber from the golf club had explained how the development would provide additional facilities at the site, noting they believe they have “addressed every issue” with their application.

He said: “It’s Wearside’s intention to create a facility on our land which would be open not only to the members of the club but the general public too.

“At present the field is under utilised by the membership and not open to the public at all.

“It is anticipated that if the driving range goes ahead there will be about 20% usage by the members of the club and 80% by the wider public, as indicated in other driving ranges in the area.”

He added “there will be some disruption during the construction stage, as there is with all new developments” and they have “kept in close contact” with businesses nearby about the plans.

The meeting also heard “very detailed” traffic management plans will be in place during the development.

During a council public consultation exercise on the plans, the application sparked opposition from residents with concerns raised about the impact on wildlife habitats, increased traffic, impact on local leisure activities and more.

In total 49 objections were lodged voicing worries around highway safety and potential impacts on horse riders, walkers and cyclists during the construction phase, as well as impacts on the local environment.

Meanwhile 18 representations of support were submitted to the council praising the scheme and outlining its benefits.

At the planning meeting one resident spoke in objection to the proposals, raising concerns over highway suitability and the narrow roads, “blind bends” and “steep bank” which HGVs would have to navigate during the construction period, which are “hazardous in the winter.”

He added there have been “several accidents within the last 18 months”, while he also raised concerns around potential drainage issues.

However a report from the city council’s planning department, in recommending the plans for approval, noted the proposals were “acceptable in terms of the planning balance.”

They also made the case that “very special circumstances” exist to outweigh any harm to the Green Belt where the land is located.

The report read: “Overall, officers consider that there are very special circumstances which would weigh strongly in favour of the proposals, which outweigh the harm and which are necessary to justify the development in the Green Belt.

“The benefits relate to the social, economic and environmental benefits.”

It was noted that the governing body for amateur golf England Golf had “advised that facilities such as these are crucial to support the development of the game” and that “they can have health and wellbeing benefits.”

As the development is located within the Green Belt, the application is to be referred to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for a final decision following the approval from councillors.

It is also subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement “to secure the biodiversity net gain monitoring fee.”

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