Popular golf club near Mendip Hills set to become major leisure hub with new lodgings and activities approved.
Local council members support the plan. They think it will create jobs and boost the area. The 18-hole golf course will stay the same, but they’ll build a fun putting course for families.
An outdoor gym is planned, and four pickleball courts are also in the works. Plus, they are adding a kids’ play area and cabana. Eco-cabins (48) and lodges (9) are planned.
The lodges will replace some caravan spots. They’ll fix up the clubhouse and driving range. A new building for maintenance will be constructed, and the old one becomes an indoor pickleball court.
They are adding 89 parking spots, including six for people with disabilities. This project should create 26 full-time jobs and may also make 42 part-time jobs.
Someone from Ston Easton Parish Council isn’t happy. They think building a “holiday park” is wrong and worry about noise from traffic and activities. Footpaths connect nearby villages and woodlands.
Construction will change the landscape forever, and they’ll lose valuable green space, she said. It will only benefit those who can afford the golf club.
Another councillor disagrees, thinking it will create needed jobs. He said Farrington Golf Club is a vital local part and hopes the investment secures its future. He sees the club as protecting green spaces.
Housing growth demands more jobs, according to him. A golfer thinks it is a great plan. The new owners want a long-term future and he likes their experience and motivation.
He thinks they have integrity and are friendly. One council member is unsure and worries about trucks on Marsh Lane. But, he sees the benefits of new jobs.
There’s lots of development happening nearby. A company won an appeal for new homes nearby. Other developments are already being built and one company wants to build even more homes.
Another council member supports development. She wants to show Somerset is open for business. Many people support the plan online, she mentioned. In the end, the committee approved the plans with a vote of eight to four.