The council has approved plans for a new golf centre at Down Grange, enhancing local sports facilities and community engagement.
Basingstoke: So, the council just gave the green light for a new golf centre at Down Grange. They’re planning to build a pitch and putt course, plus some extra parking and admin spaces. Sounds pretty cool, right?
They’re even thinking about adding a modern driving range and an adventure golf course if everything goes smoothly with the planning permissions. It’s all about making the place more fun for everyone.
At the Cabinet meeting, Councillor Kerry Morrow talked about how important it is to keep these golf facilities available for the community. He mentioned that they’ve been looking into ways to protect and relocate the golf activities on council land. It’s all part of their plan to boost leisure options for residents.
He also said they want to engage with the community and local sports clubs to get their input on the designs. It’s nice to see them wanting to involve everyone in the process.
But not everyone is on board. Labour councillor Andy McCormick raised some concerns about traffic. He pointed out that there were issues with traffic in the past when they were considering housing developments in the same area. He’s wondering what’s changed now.
He also brought up safety worries about the junction on the A30 that people use to get to the site. It’s a valid point, and you can’t blame him for being cautious.
In response, council leader Paul Harvey argued that a golf facility wouldn’t create as much traffic as housing or a football ground would. It’s a fair argument, but it’s always good to keep an eye on these things.
On top of that, the council has set aside £1 million in their budget for 2027/28 to help fund these new facilities. They’re also looking to improve the existing sports infrastructure at Down Grange, which is great news for the community.
