Goosnargh holiday retreat plans inch forward
Preston-based GHV is asking the public for feedback on its plans to create a luxury tourism complex with 130 lodges and other facilities at a site near Inglewhite.
A public consultation has launched today on the proposed £7m Goosnargh Holiday Retreat, which would be built on 64 acres of derelict land that used to house a pay-and-play golf course near the Forest of Bowland.
The golf course off Inglewhite Road closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, and GHV wants to transform it into a holiday retreat with 97 woodland lodges, 30 lakeside lodges, 33 caravan pitches, 30 tent pitches, and nine glamping pods or chalets.
There would also be a small bar and restaurant, a number of work ‘pods’ for local businesses and longer-stay guests, a social hub for the site, and other tourism and leisure infrastructure that could include an indoor heated pool, tennis courts, games room, and spa.
“Our vision is to regenerate the derelict golf course into an upmarket holiday retreat, tucked discreetly into its landscape in a low-density, high-value project,” developer GHV’s consultation states.
“This is a unique opportunity to use a derelict site for the wider benefit of the area, drawing higher-spending tourists into our community…and providing job and training opportunities to local people and suppliers.”
The plans feature 97 woodland lodges and 30 lakeside lodges. Credit: via consultation documents
The site is bounded by Inglewhite Road to the north west and north east, and private farmland along the other boundaries. Although it has become increasingly overgrown and derelict in the past two years, it has attractive landscape features that would be retained and enhanced under the plans, according to the documents.
Attention has also been paid to access routes and on-site parking, to minimise disruption to nearby residents.
“Research has demonstrated that a continuation of the long-term decline in golf participation [makes] any future reinvestment in the golf course unviable,” the documents add.
If approved, the development would be constructed by local buildeing contractor J Townley, owned by one of GHV’s investors, Tom Townley.
The project team also includes Frank Whittle Partnership as architect, Miller Goodall as noise and air quality consultant, PWA Planning as planning consultant, Eddisons as traffic engineer, and Allen Archaeology as the heritage and archaeology consultant.
The consultation will run for five days from 6 October and an event is also being held today at Whitechapel Village Hall.
Peter Allen, director of GHV, said: “We’ve received some very helpful advice from officers at Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council that has enabled us to refine our proposals.
“We want the development to sit harmoniously in the landscape and so our focus is not about maximising density, but maximising visitors’ enjoyment of this lovely setting.”
A planning application is expected in the coming weeks.
The site is bounded by Inglewhite Road to the north west and north east, and private farmland along other boundaries. Credit: via consultation documents
Yet another scheme described as “tucked discreetly into its landscape“ project but no mention of a Landscape Architect in the team…
By Anonymous
Surely a ‘derelict’ golf course is actually just a return to nature of a beautiful bit of countryside? It’s not like anything is set to be lost, or that there are buildings that are an eyesore. So this development isn’t really necessary at all, is it?
By LocalHero
The roads do not support the amount of traffic using it at the moment let alone if this gets passed
By Anonymous
Yes I think it would bring a lot of prosperity to Longridge and surrounding towns and villages
By Catherine Ball
Excellent idea
By Anonymous
Derelict golf course? Yes an unfortunate demise of an underinvested business, but with the right owner this could still be used as a very successful outdoor arena! Golf as far as I know has not gone out of fashion and certainly some kind of wildlife sanctuary would always attract families and nature lovers alike? This said, non of the above would ever get around the fact that the road infrastructure is just not compatible for the comings and going’s of many, many more vehicles. It is already flooded daily with unsuitable traffic, many using it as an easy dart through to the A6, Garstang and beyond. Many of these vehicles being HGV’s!
For me I think the saddest thing about development would be the light pollution. This proposition is in a very rural area, it’s not a town, it’s not a village, it’s not even a hamlet! Do we really want it lit up day and night, subjecting our beautiful countryside to bend and form into something that ‘we really need?’ Or something that money really can buy?
I think not!
By Anonymous