Issue - meetings

Construction of a golf pod practice facility, including 10no. covered practice bays with an outfield fully enclosed with ball stop netting suspended from purpose-built supports; and associated regrading of land at Rickmansworth Municipal Golf Club, Moor Lane, Rickmansworth.

Recommendation: that planning permission be granted, subject to the completion of a section 106 agreement securing Biodiversity Net Gain monitoring and planning conditions.

The application was for construction of a golf pod practice facility, including 10no. covered practice bays with an outfield fully enclosed with ball stop netting suspended from purpose-built supports; and associated regrading of land at Rickmansworth Municipal Golf Club, Moor Lane, Rickmansworth.

The Planning Officer reported that the recommendation to approve the application was subject to a S106 agreement to secure a Biodiversity Net Gain monitoring fee.  The proposal comprised the creation of a new hole at the far end of the course and would involve minor landscaping works; these works would require the temporary closure of the par 3 course.

The proposal was before the Committee as the application site was on council-owned land.

Committee Members asked questions about the detail of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included the following:

·        The golf pods would be fully enclosed, with netting surrounding the facility and were of a type which was in common usage;

·        The proposal would include shrub planting as part of the biodiversity net gain, and three new trees;

·        Ongoing maintenance of the pods was not a planning matter; however, it would be in the applicant’s interest to ensure that the facility was well-maintained, both in order to encourage its continued use and also for health and safety reasons;

·        The proposal would have clear benefits in terms of promoting an active leisure opportunity which also inclusive, and this outweighed the identified harm.  It would also help to ensure the continued financial viability of the facility from the applicant’s perspective;

·        Officers were asked to amend the wording of Condition 10 to require the applicant to apply for planning permission if any external lighting were needed, given the setting of the site location and concern for local wildlife.

Councillor Whately-Smith moved, and Councillor Merali seconded, approval of the application subject to completion of the S106 agreement, planning conditions and amendment to Condition 10 as outlined above.  On being put to the vote this was agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED: that planning permission be granted subject to the completion of a section 106 agreement securing Biodiversity Net Gain monitoring, planning conditions, and amendment to condition 10 as outlined above.