What's your opinion on the recent outline planning permission being granted at Maidenhead Golf Club?
It has generated much debate over the years and finally, probably 10 years from the initial space being considered as part of the search for more housing in RBWM, it got the outline planning granted for 1500 homes last Thursday and made the headlines again!
I am, of course as an Architect, pro-development but I am also a golfer! I am not a member of any club, but I do enjoy a game of golf.
With the increasing pressure on local authorities to find space to build new homes, large chunks of land where only a disproportionately small number of users benefit from it, become an easy target. When I say easy, 10 years lead time is not for the faint-hearted and requires deep pockets.
I work with the smaller developers and individual applicants and they all find the process, long-winded and protracted. I have an example of a client right now, who already had planning permission for a single unit, but we have made changes under material amendment, which should have taken only 8 weeks. Only yesterday on the day of the decision, I was on a call with the planning officer who has now pushed for an 8-week extension! The frustration this causes for everyone concerned, the client, the builder, the suppliers, and me, is unacceptable, but this continues to happen regularly.
What can leisure facilities do to diversify their offering?
But the issue that sits behind Golf Clubs is far more interesting and it amplifies how many clubs haven’t been able to adapt and keep up with the changes in how people play, dare I say it, the older members have probably been the reason for the demise of many of these golf clubs, with their inability to attract new players into their facilities.
As you know, interest in golf has exploded over the years, I don’t know many people who haven’t spent a fantastic afternoon or evening at a Top Golf Venue, where how well you play, what clubs you use, or how long it takes you, isn’t an issue. It’s a fun, family and friends social venue. I have watched local clubs adapt, like Golf Plex in Binfield, which now offers, Adventure Golf, Top Tracer Range, Footgolf, PadelStars as well as a Golf Simulator and café and bar.
Golf simulation has also exploded in city bars and venues, creating a space for young and old players to practice their skills in a high-tech space, we have seen this locally with MGM (My Golf Matters in Wokingham)
I recently spent a fascinating morning with Liam Murray from Seamless Integration, we visited Habitech Limited in Basingstoke to review some of the innovations in Smart Home Systems and I asked the host if he felt Golf Simulators would become a feature in modern larger homes.
AI and the revolution in technology are impacting every industry and although golf will hopefully always have spaces to enjoy a game outdoors, without investment in the facilities and a drive for additional use, they will remain a target for development.
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