Peel lodges golf course plans

Peel has submitted its planning application to create a Ryder Cup-standard golf venue and supporting facilities at the Hulton Park estate in Bolton. The £240m project also includes around 1,000 homes.

The proposals underwent two rounds of public consultation in 2016 and two further public events are scheduled later this month in the Bolton area. Although the plans are now with Bolton Council, no committee date has yet been set.

Leach Rhodes Walker has worked with Peel on the project. The course itself has been designed by European Golf Design with the brief that it could cater for the largest golf tournaments – the Ryder Cup requires the capacity to host around 70,000 visitors at a time.

Complementing the golf course will be a hotel with spa and conference facilities, to be built on the site of the former Hulton Hall which was demolished in the 1950s. ‘New Hulton Hall’ will sit in the restored listed landscape of lakes, pleasure grounds and a walled kitchen garden.

A new golf clubhouse would be built on the edge of the park, with other facilities including a golf academy, driving range, short course area, adventure golf and spaces for education, tuition and sports science. There will also be a new walking and cycling trail around the 645-acre estate, which was acquired by Peel in 2010.

Richard Knight, planning director at Peel, said “The Hulton Park project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to sensitively restore a lost historic park into a world class golf destination.

“It’s a perfect fit for Bolton and Greater Manchester, using investment in sporting venues and major events to boost the local economy, provide new job opportunities for local people, increase participation in sport and improve community access for recreation.”

Knight added: “The new homes are an essential part of the project and will help meet local needs. We have taken our time to listen and address all the issues that have been raised, with the aim of delivering a positive and lasting legacy.”