Royal County Down Golf Club planning £2m shed extension

Royal County Down Golf Club planning £2m shed extension

26 July 2023

PLANS for a £2m investment to extend a greenkeeper’s shed at Newcastle’s Royal County Down golf club will be discussed by local planners today.

Despite some objections from several residents whose homes are adjacent to the world famous links course, planners are approving the major investment.

The ‘delegated’ status of the Royal County Down’s application allows for planning officials to approve the plans without the need for councillors to make a decision.

The proposed extension to the existing greenkeeper’s shed will see it extended by 730 square metres and to a maximum ridge height of six metres. Adjacent land will be reprofiled alongside the erection of boundary fencing and gates.

Royal County Down officials say the proposal will “transform” the club’s facilities and “significantly enhance” the quality of the working environment for green-keeping staff. They say the extended shed will allow for new purpose-built green-keeping machinery.

Planning papers made public ahead of today’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Planning Committee confirm the shed extension will be finished with corrugated wall cladding, roller doors, pvc windows, aluminium rain water goods. The new extension will also be fitted with photovoltaic panels.

The extended area will house machinery and vehicles with changing, toilets, washing and canteen facilities for staff.

Objections have been raised by neighbouring residents in Merrion Avenue which borders the course in relation to potential increases in noise and traffic, as well as loss of screening from the course due to the cutting down of mature conifer trees.

However, representatives from the council’s environmental health department have visited the site and raised no objection.

The planning papers state that no additional vehicles are to be housed in the new greenkeeper’s shed, with the southern entrance of the golf course closed in future with all traffic entering and leaving via a new entrance at the northern side.

In addition, a new planting scheme is also set to provide screening between the course and neighbouring properties.

The planning papers say while it is acknowledged that a number of trees will be removed to facilitate the proposed shed, the landscape management plan confirms the building will be screened by a new hedgerow comprising Scots and Black pine trees.

Planners say the proposed extension will have “no unacceptable impact on the amenities of people living nearby” despite their concerns in relation to increased noise, traffic and operating hours.

“The extension is proposed to ensure a more efficient storage of the 

machinery vehicles as conditions are currently very cramped,” the papers confirm.

“It is anticipated therefore that there will not be additional noise for 

maintenance machinery and vehicles and mitigating measures have been put forward to ensure the works respect the neighbouring properties by starting engines together, rather than intermittently throughout the morning, particularly during the construction phase.”

In relation to operating hours and suggestions by some residents that greenskeepers sometimes start work at 5am, planners say this has been queried and they have been informed that normally, greenskeepers are on site around one hour before tee-off times between 6am and 6.30am in the summer months and 7am in the winter.

Planners say it is acknowledged that on occasion, greenkeeping staff may arrive earlier when a tournament is scheduled.

They say that on balance and after taking all the information into account, it is concluded that the proposal would not cause “demonstrable harm” to interests of acknowledged importance and it is acceptable to prevailing policy documents”.

A resident opposed to the said their objection centred on “noise and disturbance due to significant working changes” at the site, expressing concern about proposed changes to staff parking arrangements.