MEDIA RELEASE
September 12th 2013
Golf Course options underway
Work on exploring 12 options for the future of Tamworth Golf Course is now well underway.
In June, Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet agreed to look at 12 potential options (please see footnote) for the future of the golf course. This followed the decision to take over the management of the golf course for a two-year period.
Focus groups involving members of the public and golfers have now taken place - with more planned for later in the year. Assessments of each of the long-listed options are being carried out and views of professionals are being sought on the feasibility of future developments.
The Council is speaking to golf management companies and development companies about the feasibility of the various options.
Evidence from this work will be fed into a report, which takes all the options into account. Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet will then shortlist the options to take forward and investigate them further.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Daniel Cook said: “Each of the 12 options is being given equal weight and consideration, with no preferred choice at this point in the process.
“We took the decision earlier this year to take over the running of Tamworth Golf Course for a two year period, while we considered a number of options for its future.
“When we took over the management we agreed to look at a number of options and I said I would keep people up to date on progress. Work is now underway on ensuring we have all the information we need to understand these options in more detail.”
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Golf Course options ….2
Cllr Cook added: “The Council has now carried out focus groups with the public, taken advice from professionals and is taking advice on the option for future development. We will be speaking to housing developers to see if it could be an option to develop the course, but this is not at present the decision - in fact, we do not even know if that is feasible.
“It is still essential that we look at all options available and based on the information we then have, to take a decision that works for the whole of Tamworth, as we have a responsibility to all council tax payers.
“I would like to reiterate that no decision has been taken at this time. Cabinet will draw up a shortlist from the 12 options, which we will then look at in more detail.”
Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet is likely to make a decision on the shortlist in October this year. More work will then be carried out on these options before any final decision is taken.
A number of improvements to the course have now been carried out, including work to improve the quality of the fairways and bunkers. The greens are to be renovated and improved in the autumn.
A recent customer survey indicated that course users are pleased with these improvements, but wanted to see work done to the greens as a priority.
Use of the course has been steady, with promotions and marketing are helping to pull in new customers – however, hitting the income targets continues to be challenging.
The 12 options for consideration are:
· Retention of 18-hole golf course
· Retention of 18-hole golf course, plus development of clubhouse, gym and other leisure facilities
· Retention of back nine holes, disposal of front nine for development
· Retention of back nine holes, development of clubhouse, gym and other leisure facilities, disposal of front nine for development
· Retention of front nine holes, disposal of back nine for development
· Retention of front nine holes, development of clubhouse, gym and other leisure facilities, disposal of back nine for development
· Retention of 18-hole golf course, remodelling and disposal of part of the site
· Retention of 18-hole golf course, part disposal of site and purchase of additional land at eastern boundary
· Complete disposal of site, with the money generate spent on regeneration and other priorities
Management options
· Continued in-house management of golf course
· Management of course leased to external company
· Setting up of social enterprise to manage the course
Contact Natalie Missenden: on 01827 709572 or by email
Jane Eason: 01827 709571 or email
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