This week we have reported the benefits places like Oxford North Golf Club has on its members both physically and mentally.
Could this be described as “an act of wanton environmental vandalism”?
Of course, it’s well reported the Labour government has ramped up housebuilding.
For the Cherwell District Council area specifically, the proposed target has been set at 1,095 new homes annually – up from the current target of 706 homes a year.
So clearly, these extra houses have to go somewhere. What planners must weigh up is the benefits of more housing against the benefits of well-used amenities like golf clubs.
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North Oxford Golf Club is a huge site at 70 acres and has around 450 members.
So its closure on October 31 next year will impact lots of people.
Some will simply move to other golf clubs, but others will stop playing golf altogether which could have a serious impact on their mental wellbeing.
Of course 1,000 new homes will benefit more people, but there are always questions raised about the suitability of sites and why they were chosen.
The independent charity Age UK Oxfordshire told us the loss of green spaces like golf clubs can lead to increased isolation and a decline in physical and mental well-being for local people.
This is a familiar story across the country. Take Winchester for example.
South Winchester Golf Club has been earmarked for a new community which includes 1,000 homes.
Its position is slightly different because a developer has already come forward with a scheme, however the members don’t have to vacate it until 2026.
On sites like this, the environmental impact is always raised.
Many developers’ favourite phrase is ‘biodiversity net gain’, which basically means if they remove 1,000 trees from an area and plant 1,500, there will be a gain of 50 per cent.
However some trees removed will be ancient with new ones taking many years to grow.
Clearly building new houses is important, but it’s also vital that the golf club members have new facilities to go to.
North Oxford Golf Club is more than 100 years old. In 2018, the club published data on the number of years its members had been there for.
At that time, five people had been there for more than 51 years. That is a staggering amount of time. For those people, they would have countless great memories of events at the club.
So despite the need for housing, the impact these plans have on everyone has to be considered.
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About the author
Toby is a senior reporter who has a particular interest in covering planning and local government.
He joined in September 2024 having been a reporter at the Hampshire Chronicle for three years.
Toby studied at the University of Brighton and can be found on X through the handle @JournoToby