It was sad news that Washington Developments and, therefore, Woodham Golf Club had been placed in the hands of administrators. Woodham Golf Course is an excellent course and facility for Newton Aycliffe. It was particularly sad news for me because I was one of the first members of the course when it was called Rushyford Golf Club and over the years I was pleased to serve the Club as Vice-Captain, Captain, Secretary and Chairman. My late wife and I had many happy memories of our time there and we made many friends. Unfortunately many of those friends are no longer with us.
I was not surprised that the Club was in financial difficulties as it is obvious to anyone who has looked at the current situation regarding golf courses that many have financial problems, owing to a decline in the number of people playing golf and poor weather conditions over the past four years. Some golf courses are closing and others are struggling.
One only has to look at the situation at the nearby Darlington Courses. Blackwell Grange and Stressholme Courses are having to amalgamate at Stressholme, and Blackwell Grange is to be used for housing developments.
In his letter on the subject, Bob Taylor, criticised the Town Council on a number of issues relating to the development. I will try to address these.
1. The Council did not listen to the residents of Woodham.
I, together with other Councillors and Officers attended the consultation and presentation by Washington Developments over a long weekend at the Club House. During that weekend I spoke with numerous residents and golf members about the proposals and the vast majority were in favour of the development. The survey returns that visitors filled in also reflected this majority view.
2. Councils and planners never check to see if funding is in place for a development.
It does not matter if the development is an extension to a house or a large industrial development, for example Hitachi. The funding cannot be taken into consideration as it is not a ‘Planning’ matter. Yes, we knew that Washington Developments was an Irish based Company, had completed a number of projects in the North East and in other parts of Europe.
3. Bob Taylor also believes that the Town Council was instrumental in planning permission for the project being approved.
Yes the Town Council are consulted on planning matters but only consulted and does not given the final approval. Once a plan goes out to consultation it is extremely rare that the planning officers recommendations are not implemented.
4. That Councillors changed their minds to support the developers plans.
I agree. When the plans were first discussed I was the Councillor who, not only spoke against the plan, but voted against it. I did so for three reasons:-
• Access to the C35 road.
• Nearness to a major gas pipeline.
• The public bridleway going through the hotel.
All three issues were addressed to my satisfaction so when the plan was next considered I voted in favour of the proposal.
5. Will the Town Council buy the Course.
The answer to that is no. Both the capital cost to buy the course and the revenue cost in running the course will be too high. I have no doubt that the land will be offered for sale with the outline planning approval for 50 houses, a 72 bedroom hotel, and a new golf club house. Potential buyers will soon realise that the original initiative and provision of the Peterlee and Aycliffe Development Corporation was for the course to comprise of 27 holes. Those who have played the course and who know the area well will realise that only about half of the area is used for golf. At some time in the future the remaining half will be ripe for development.
Another reason the Town Council would not buy the course is that we already have our own 18 hole course at School Aycliffe together with a 16 bay driving range.
6. Will the Golf Course at Woodham last.
In the short term I would say yes. I will be most surprised if restrictive covenants on the future usage of the course were not implemented at the time of the sale by the Development Corporation. Covenants can be renegotiated and bought out, and at the present time development planners are instructed, by the Secretary of State for the Environment, to presume in favour of developments for housing. So who knows!
Bob Fleming, Leader, Great Aycliffe Town Council
