Petition in support of proposals at golf club

Nearly 100 people have signed a petition in favour of a controversial scheme to build 11 holiday lodges at Rothbury Golf Club.
Rothbury Golf ClubRothbury Golf Club
Rothbury Golf Club

Northumberland Estates is behind the plan, near Whitton, which has attracted both supporters and objectors.

In a bid to encourage the decision-makers to approve the scheme, members of the village golf club have recently signed a petition.

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They say that the scheme will make a significant contribution to the area and provide a much-needed boost in revenue to the club, which has recently recruited PGA professional Paul Stancliffe.

The petition states: ‘The development of the lodges will be an important contribution to the local economy. The objective is to attract holiday visitors to Rothbury. Even at half occupancy over one year, that would be 300 couples/families that spend, on average, £500 per week while on holiday.

‘The lodges would provide a much-needed boost in revenue to the golf club in its efforts to sustain its business and would also provide additional opportunities for employment if arrangements were made with Northumberland Estates for joint management of this development.

‘Marketing of the holiday lodges, to include golf packages, will make the accommodation attractive even outside of the usual UK holiday season.

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‘Rothbury, Coquetdale and Northumberland generally relies very heavily on visitors for revenue from trade and employment. This application could make a significant contribution to the area.’

The scheme had been recommended for approval at a recent meeting of the county council’s planning committee, but members voted to go on a site visit first.

The application, resubmitted in December after an initial bid for 21 lodges was withdrawn, has sparked more than 80 objections, but 46 letters of support were submitted just before the hearing.

At the meeting, objector Alan Winlow said that the plan ‘threatens harm to the local area’, while Colin Barnes, from the Northumberland Estates, said that ‘it’s essential to sustain the golf club’.

The application is back up at the planning committee on Tuesday.