Developer hits out after plans for new homes at golf club rejected

A decision to reject plans for 25 homes on land at a golf club in Renfrewshire has been criticised by the developer.

Dickie and Moore Homes sought permission to build 17 houses and eight flats with associated infrastructure and parking at at Elderslie Golf Club, on Newton Avenue, Johnstone.

The blueprint, which included a new greenkeeping facility for the club, was snubbed by elected members at last month’s Planning and Climate Change Policy Board.

The reasons given included unacceptable road impact and access, loss of existing tree cover and the effect the development could have on biodiversity.

John Dickie, director of Dickie and Moore Homes, has now said the club and developer are “very disappointed” that councillors decided to “overrule” planning officers, who recommended the application be granted subject to conditions.

In a statement, he said: “Elderslie Golf Club is an integral part of the community, providing social memberships, an academy course, indoor golf studio and encouraging golf by providing lessons to school children.

“It also provided services to the community during the pandemic. It is the custodian of over 230 acres acres of land, and requires income to maintain and invest.

“Elderslie Golf Club and Dickie and Moore Homes are very disappointed that the councillors sought to overrule the advice of the planning department by not granting planning consent for 25 homes and a new green keeping facility.

“The land to be developed is less than two per cent of the land owned by the club .

“The monies gained from the land sale would have been invested in new green keeper sheds and the club house.

“The club is now deprived of that investment.”

Councillor John Hood, who represents the village, said in June that he felt the site was “better left alone” than built on.

“I’m going to move to refuse on this,” he told the board.

“I wasn’t at the site visit but I’ve been up there a couple of times. I don’t think it’s right for housing.

“The road from Newton Avenue down into Elderslie Main Road is a nightmare. There’s been so many accidents down there, it’s unbelievable.

“It’s practically a blind access because when you come down there, there’s big hedges each side, so the cars are having to jump out to get out. This amount of extra cars, I think, would be a serious accident waiting to happen.

“The site is better left alone rather than built on.”