Brookmans Park Golf Club
Just before Christmas, Quantum Golf received a grant of planning permission for a new technology-based driving range facility, pro shop, and trolley store at Brookmans Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire. This new facility will make use of Foresight Technology which increases accuracy and reliability in relation to golf coaching and ultimately it will lead to the betterment of player development. Both Hertfordshire Golf and England Golf were also in support of the application.
With Brookmans Park situated within the Green Belt, Paragraph 149 of the NPPF was engaged. The exceptions as outlined in this paragraph allow for the provision of appropriate facilities that are in connection with the existing land use for outdoor sport as long as the openness of the Green Belt is maintained. With the principle of development established, we then needed to argue that the proposal would preserve the openness of the Green Belt. Through researching other local driving ranges within the Green Belt and comparing the height of the high netting and landscaping features, we concluded that the proposal would preserve the openness of the Green Belt. This conclusion was supported by the Council and planning permission was granted.
Trevor Smith, the Club and Course Manager for Brookmans Park commented that ““It is with great pleasure we can announce that Brookmans Park Golf Club, with the help of DLA Town Planning and Kirsop Surveyors, has been able to secure planning permission for a new technology-based driving range. Many thanks to both Mike and Laura from DLA and Paul and Tim from Kirsop for all your hard work and efforts to make this a success.”