Council pledge over golf course

Shrewsbury's public golf course will not be sold until a new one has been built, borough councillors have agreed.

But the council has insisted no decision has yet been taken to close the existing course at Meole Brace - a full feasibility study will now be undertaken by Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council into golf provision in the town.

It will look at whether it would be best to relocate Meole Brace Golf Course and establish a new site on the outskirts of town.

In an apparent change of approach, the council has now agreed that it "could" be its intention to relocate the golf course, rather than it "would" be, as the report to the cabinet meeting originally stated.

At a meeting last night, councillors agreed a motion stating "a new public golf course will be up and running before any development to the Meole Brace Golf Course".

It is planning to hold preliminary talks with any groups interested in modernising its golf provision, at Meole Brace or elsewhere.

Councillor Charles Armstrong said: "We are saying it is something that needs to be looked at. We have had an approach from a range of people asking if they could improve facilities. It would be foolhardy to rule anything in or out."

He said the authority needed to undertake the study because of a downturn in golf. The course was not breaking even, he added.

Councillor Armstrong did not rule out part of the course, near Oteley Road, being sold for housing development. He said: "The reality is we need more afford- able housing. We are running out of brownfield sites."

The idea to sell the course has attracted criticism. At last night's meeting Councillor David Roberts said: "It would take a lot of convincing to get me to vote to sell this for housing."

Councillor Mansel Williams said the original report, recommending the council "would" sell the course, had been "hair raising".

And Selby Martin, from the Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England told the meeting it was concerned about any future development.

Belle Vue residents said they were angry at plans to sell the course, as it was a "haven for walkers and wildlife".

By Steve Todd