New plans lodged for £11m redevelopment of golf club site in Belford

Fresh plans for an £11m redevelopment in a north Northumberland village have been submitted.
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An outline application has been lodged by Moorlands Holdings (NE) Ltd for a housing, leisure and retail development at Belford Golf Club.

It is a scaled-back version of a £12m application refused by Northumberland County Council last year.

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Club owners David and Michael Ratliff want to build 21 new homes – nine detached homes and 12 bungalows – around the nine-hole course. The previous application proposed 37 homes.

Belford Golf Club.Belford Golf Club.
Belford Golf Club.

Plans for a farm shop, retail units, offices, sports pitch, two tennis courts, an extended clubhouse, new driving range, bowling green, play park, mother and toddler facilities and micro-brewery are all retained in the new application.

David said: “We are pleased to resubmit via our planning consultant scaled down proposals for development of land next to the golf club.

“For everyone, the last two-plus years has been grim.

“However we have worked well with a raft of specialists to produce a scheme for the benefit of all-particularly the village and surrounding hamlets.

Belford Golf Club.Belford Golf Club.
Belford Golf Club.
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“The population of the village and neighbourhood is in fact similar to Wooler and Rothbury but we have seen a decline from 17 shops to three and virtually no sporting facilities compared with these towns.

“The new scheme takes on board public consultation and survey reports and individual conversations with residents and visitors.

“Some 50 permanent jobs, ideally for local residents, will be created.

“We are optimistic and hopeful that the amended scheme gains approval.”

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The new application has already attracted criticism on a village social media page.

The previous application attracted more than 30 objections with concerns about over-development, road safety, loss of wildlife habitat, flooding and the impact on village infrastructure.

Objections were also lodged by Historic England and The Gardens Trust about the impact on the the Grade I listed Belford Hall.

But there were also 17 letters of support welcoming the proposed new retail and leisure offer.

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It was refused by planners under delegated powers due to its potential impact on the local landscape, historic environment and natural beauty of the local area and insufficient information supplied on ecological, archaeological and flooding matters and the issue of affordable housing.