The recent easing of lockdown by the Government enabled golf clubs in England to resume the playing of golf as from Wednesday 13 May 2020 and so Reading Golf Club (RGC) have now closed the course to local residents for walks and exercise so that golf can resume safely.
We have noticed an increased interest in the future of the Reading Golf Club from local residents many of whom have been walking on the Emmer Green course and have realised what a loss it will be if the land is developed for housing.
What is the current situation?
When communicating with local residents we are aware that there is a lot of misunderstanding as to what is actually happening regarding the Reading Golf Club land so we thought it would be useful to everyone to clarify the current situation as of May 2020.
The Reading Golf Club (RGC) land has not been sold
RGC have entered into a 10 year agreement with Fairfax Properties Ltd. giving them the rights to apply for planning permission on the whole of the course and if approved for any part of the land, to broker the sale to a house builder
RGC have received a £6 million advance from Fairfax which will be repaid together with interest if all or part of the course is sold raising sufficient proceeds
No planning applications have yet been made to either Reading Borough Council (RBC) or South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC)
The RBC Local Plan for the period to 2036 was approved in November 2019 and includes a small area of land (3.75ha) for between 90 and 130 homes together with a provision for healthcare, a replacement clubhouse and subject to the future provision of golf on the remainder of the golf club land.
The SODC Emerging Local Plan is presently under examination by a Government Inspector and the plan does not include any provision for homes to be built on the RGC land within SODC
Although RGC submitted a request to SODC to include their land in the SODC Local Plan this was rejected by the Council after full consideration
RGC have not disclosed any plan to maintain the land when the course is closed to golf in March 2021
RGC are in the process of preparing a planning application to build 275 homes on the whole of the land within RBC which is an increase of 25 from the plans on show at the public engagement on 11 February 2020 and more than double the maximum number specified in the Reading Borough Council Adopted Local Plan
Get Involved
It is far from certain what the future holds for the RGC land in Emmer Green so please share this update with your family, neighbours and friends in the local community because with continued support from everyone in the community we will be able to put forward a strong opposition to the development once a planning application has been made.
Click here to subscribe to our mailing list →
