Councillors have approved plans by Rudding Park Hotel and Spa near Harrogate to a build a new golf clubhouse, family hub and four tennis courts and reinstate a walled garden.
North Yorkshire Council’s strategic planning committee met in Northallerton this morning to consider the application, which the resort said will result in an additional 75 full-time jobs and lead to an extra £14.3 million being spent in the local area every year.
Planning documents said the current clubhouse was originally built as a temporary facility but had outgrown its useful life and “considerably discredits the course”.
The new two-storey building will include swimming pools, restaurants, a gym and changing rooms.
How the new clubhouse will look.
Another visual of the new clubhouse.
Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park, told councillors the scheme would secure the future of the business.
He said:
“As owners, this application presents our family’s commitment to securing the long-term future of the site. The plans have been subject to much discussion with officers and consultees. It presents a unique opportunity to build on our past successes and provide high-quality facilities.”
The buildings will be constructed to the BREEAM ‘excellent’ environmental standard to put them in the top 10% of new buildings in the country.
Andy Brown, the Green Party councillor for Aire Valley, praised the scheme’s eco credentials.
He said:
“All too often we see developers pay lip service to biodiversity, sustainability and good design. I looked at this with a critical eye on those issues and was happy with what I saw.”
Green belt concerns
Rudding Park is a sprawling 300-acre estate three miles south of Harrogate. But because it sits on green belt land, planning policy only permits development in “very special circumstances”.
Neil Swannick, the Labour councillor for Whitby Streonshalh, said the positives did not outweigh the harm of building on the green belt.
He said:
“The economic benefits for the area are substantial, I recognise that, but will I support the building of a county club on the green belt? No, I won’t.”
However, Andrew Lee, the Conservatives and Independents group councillor for Appleton Roebuck and Church Fenton, argued the strict tests for building on green belt had been met.
He said:
“Yes, it’s in the green built but Rudding Park is an important local site and they’ve demonstrated a commitment to sustainable development.
“The economic benefits mean more jobs for the local area, a £14m additional boost to local economy and securing the site for future generations and users. Taking all those things into account, I’m comfortable that the impact on the green built has been sufficiently mitigated.”
Councillors voted to approve the application with conditions by 12 votes to 1.
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Last chance for Knaresborough Golf Club’s incredible taster offer
This story is sponsored by Knaresborough Golf Club.
One of the Harrogate district’s best golf clubs is urging newcomers to take up its winter taster membership before an expected influx of new members in the spring.
Throughout the winter, Knaresborough Golf Club has been offering a discounted membership rate which is now £125 from February until the end of March.
Anyone taking up the offer who then renews their membership in April, gets the fee discounted from their annual subscription.
The club has three tiers of membership – Gold, Silver and Bronze – which determine when members may play.
For example, the Bronze annual membership which allows play seven days a week after 12.30pm starts at just £270 for 19 to 23 year olds!
Club general manager Jason Thornton said:
“We always see a spike in new members in the spring, so now is a good time come along before the rush – the offer only lasts a few more weeks.
“Golf is seeing renewed interest from female members, and we’ve also been getting more enquiries from younger people interested in playing.
“There’s been a real upswing in people joining since the end of lockdown – it’s a great way of exercising and socialising in a socially-distanced way.”
The club has three tiers of membership – Gold, Silver and Bronze – which determine when members may play.
Knaresborough Golf Club was founded in 1920 and for over 100 years has remained true to the original aim of a club run on “modest, unpretentious lines and devoid of class and clique distinction”.
Its vibrant clubhouse hosts regular events, such as tribute nights, quizzes and games, and diners are drawn by the popular Sunday carveries and “Around the World” evenings, where members get a restaurant passport and “travel the world” through food.
Jason said:
“It’s notoriously difficult to get catering right at clubhouses, but now that we have, we are absolutely delighted. Our catering team, led by Gavin and Amie Farrar, do a fantastic job.”
Get that hole in one feeling with the membership taster offer.
Knaresborough Golf Club has recently been carrying out improvements to both its clubhouse and course – which includes one of the longest holes in Europe – all with sustainability in mind.
Single-use plastics are being phased out, new wildflower meadows will allow insect and bird life to flourish, and the club is working towards GEO certification, putting its environmental and social responsibility on a par with world-famous courses such as Gleneagles and St Andrews.
Jason said:
“We’ve got a stunning course, a fabulous clubhouse, and a range of affordable membership options.
“Whether you’re brand-new to the game or already smitten by it, the offer at Knaresborough Golf Club isn’t matched by any other club in the area.”
Find out more:
If you’d like to try out Knaresborough Golf Club’s Winter Taster membership offer, or if you’re interested in annual membership options, visit the club’s website at www.knaresboroughgolfclub.co.uk or call 01423 862690.
Harrogate Town plans new clubhouse at stadium
Harrogate Town is planning a new clubhouse at the EnvioVent Stadium on Wetherby Road
The club has submitted a planning application to build the two-storey facility in the north-west corner of the ground.
It would be used to serve fans refreshments on match days and include an upper floor area for supporters to gather.
Officials at the club said in planning documents the facility is needed because the ground currently has no “enclosed spectator facilities”, apart from pay and go refreshment kiosks.
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It would also be needed for the club to meet its English Football League membership criteria, which requires all member clubs to provide refreshment facilities for home and away fans in separate areas of the ground.
A planning statement submitted by the club to Harrogate Borough Council said:
“The club’s ongoing success means that match days attract more spectators.
“The new spectator facility will not only allow the club to meet its EFL membership requirements, but will also improve the match day experience for the club’s growing fanbase.”
Town have had a successful few years on the pitch, including a historic promotion to the English Football League in 2020.
The club has already seen a number of developments approved by the council since promotion, including a new ticket office and turnstiles at the EnviroVent Stadium which were backed by the council in April 2021.
Bilton bowling club to open new clubhouseBilton Dragon Bowling Club is due to open a new clubhouse next Sunday.
The crown green bowls club was founded in 1909 and has members aged 14 to 93. The club plays on a green behind the Co-op on Skipton Road.
Its first clubhouse was a wooden pavilion erected in 1910 at a cost of £17 and 10 shillings.
The new one has been funded by a £20,000 grant from Sport England and fundraising by members.
The club had hoped to open it last year but it was delayed due to covid.
Players at the club.
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Mayor of Harrogate Trevor Chapman will be there today to cut the ribbon.
The club is also looking for new members. If you’re interested in playing or have any questions, email the club’s chairman Trevor Whincup here or call John Archer on 07715030832.
Mr Whincup said:
Sicklinghall cricket club plans new clubhouse after arson attack“Bowls is perceived to be an older person’s sport, but we have members of all ages. It’s good exercise and it’s a good game.”
Sicklinghall Cricket Club has submitted plans to build a new clubhouse and scoreboard after an arson attack destroyed their previous building.
The club has been using temporary shipping containers since the fire in 2016 while fundraising for a replacement clubhouse. A JustGiving campaign raised over £6,500.
The club, which is between Wetherby and Kirkby Overblow, has played in the village since 1925 and is currently in the top tier of the Leeds and Wetherby Cricket League.
It has submitted plans to Harrogate Borough Council for a clubhouse with home and away changing rooms, kitchen, storage facility, toilet and scorer’s box. The club says it could be used for other community or sports events.
The club is within walking distance of Sicklinghall and the application could provide sports facilities for local children.
Read more:
An image of the fire in 2016
Harrogate Rugby Club reopens clubhouse doors
Harrogate RUFC welcomed back familiar faces and reopened its club house doors.
It was the “first time the club house opened since lockdown” and players and supporters enjoyed a BBQ and a long-awaited pint. Food was enjoyed outside and a one-way system was adopted through the clubhouse.
As well as this, the rugby club launched its “Ride to Rudding” scheme, which was originally due to have started before lockdown. The initiative encourages people to cycle to the club rather than drive.
Andy Annat provided the BBQ for the reopening of the clubhouse.
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Mike Cowling, commercial chairman for Harrogate RUFC told The Stray Ferret:
“We were always planning to launch the scheme officially, but lockdown delayed that. This is the start of something going forward, we had about a dozen people ride to the event at the weekend which is great.”
The club was given a small transport grant from Harrogate Borough Council which allowed it to install a bike shelter to further encourage players and supporters to cycle to the club.
In order to encourage more people to cycle, the club held a free prize draw for all those who arrived on bikes across the weekend. The winner was Woody Auld who plays for the U10’s.