Inspector rejects appeal over holiday park at golf club

The controversial proposals for Henlle Park Golf Club in Gobowen have twice been refused by Shropshire Council on the grounds that the development would harm the local landscape and heritage assets.

The Planning Inspectorate has now backed the authority’s decision, and dismissed an appeal by Coppergreen Leisure Resorts and golf club owner, Ralph Tomley, who were bidding to have the refusal overturned.

Under the £10 million scheme, the course – which closed to the public last year – would be reduced from 18 holes to nine to make way for the cabins. Guests would have access to the remaining nine-hole course.

A decision notice from government-appointed inspector Tom Bristow noted the site’s proximity to three sections of Wat’s Dyke which are scheduled monuments, and a number of Grade II listed buildings including Henlle Hall, Preeshenlle Farmhouse and Preeshenlle Old Hall.

Mr Bristow acknowledged that the holiday park would “essentially work with the contours of the land and existing landscape features”, and would be softened by “extensive landscaping”.

However he continued: “Nevertheless the proposal would diverge from prevailing landscape character by introducing significant built development.

“The extensive planting proposed would also diverge from landscape character and the existing nature of the site, limiting an appreciation thereof as much as screening some of the development proposed.

“I therefore do not agree that the effect of the proposal would become slightly beneficial over time.”

The notice says the golf club has operated at a loss since 2011 with the exception of 2017, but adds that the evidence provided by the applicants to support this was “extremely limited”.

Mr Bristow said: “In short the evidence before me falls short of demonstrating that the use of the site as a golf club is inherently unviable.”

The plans were scaled back after an earlier application for 120 cabins on the site was also rejected, with both applications drawing hundreds of objections from locals over traffic, road safety and the impact on nearby historic sites.

The applicants said the new holiday park would create more than 50 jobs.