Work starts today on JCB’s £30m corporate golf course
DIGGING machine manufacturer JCB has announced that work to develop a £30m golf course next to its headquarters in Rocester will start today.
The proposals are for an 18-hole, 7,150 yards, par 72 championship golf course centre on 240 acres of countryside to the south of its HQ.
When completed, it is expected that up to 100 people will be employed in ground care and hospitality roles.
Today will see the start of earthmoving works on the site.
JCB first announced its proposals back in January and they were green lighted by East Staffordshire Borough Council planning chiefs in July.
Once complete, the golf course will be made available mainly to JCB’s network of 770 global dealers. It will be used to drive business growth, helping to build relationships with new customers and strengthen relationships with existing customers.
It is estimated that play will start on the course in 2018.
The course will be designed by European Golf Design – the golf course design company of IMG and the European Tour – best known for the 2010 course at Celtic Manor in Wales, host of the 2010 Ryder Cup.
It will be built to tour-quality standard and could potentially host a major tour event, attracting competitors and spectators from all over the world.
The plans have been conceived by JCB chairman Lord Bamford and follow an announcement last December that JCB will invest £150m to build two new factories in Staffordshire and significantly increase production to meet an anticipated growth in demand for its products.
At the heart of the golf development is Woodseat Hall, an 18th Century mansion currently in ruins, but which will have a new lease of life under plans to renovate it as the course clubhouse, complete with a new luxury spa, leisure facility and five-star hotel-style accommodation.
