Homes plan for Birmingham golf club

A Birmingham golf club is looking to sustain its long-term future by selling off land for new housing.

Harborne Golf Club has applied to Birmingham City Council for planning permission to build the homes on land off Freda Grove.

The near-one acre plot adjoins a private access drive at the back of properties fronting Northfield Road and the rear gardens of homes in Wyckham Close.

It is thought the plot can support 10 two and a half storey properties, with the majority of them facing west.

Details of the scheme have been outlined in a design and access statement supporting the application, prepared by Gould Singleton Architects.

The land is considered unsuitable for golf course use and its use for housing would help secure the future of the golf course.

With membership churn and other factors, the club said it was becoming increasingly more difficult to make the operation viable.

The design and access statement says: “With external pressures it is becoming more and more difficult to plan and budget accordingly and with ever increasing staff costs, maintenance costs, course repairs and plant and machinery, even with a turnover of just under £1m the golf club finds itself in a difficult situation financially each year.

“The potential revenue from either sales or rental of the new residential units will provide much-needed guaranteed income to the golf club over the coming decades.”

Proceeds from the sale of the land will be used to carry out improvements to the golf club and fund a much-needed storage facility for the club’s plant and machinery.

In addition, a planning statement prepared by Kemp & Kemp states: “Improvements made to the club and its facilities will in turn make the golf course more appealing and attract new members and other people to make use of those facilities, including retaining existing and providing future new jobs for local people.”

It also states that the new homes would help meet local demand.