Council ordered to pay £468,000 to Bolton's ‘Ryder Cup’ golf course developer

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Bolton council will pay £468,000 of taxpayers’ money to a developer after it failed to defend a decision to reject a huge planning application.

In 2022, the council’s planning committee, which is made up of members of different political parties, unanimously turned down a proposal from Peel to develop an area of Hulton Park into a golf resort, which included building an 18-hole championship grade golf course to host the Ryder Cup, a clubhouse, golf academy and a hotel with adjoining spa and conference centre.

The plans also included a residential development of up to 1,036 homes. The scheme is dependent on Bolton being awarded the Ryder Cup in the 2030s.

Bolton town hall said the rejection of the plans was due to the impact of the development on congestion; that the golf course would pollute and damage to water courses; and that the development represented inappropriate development in the greenbelt. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features When Peel appealed the rejection of its plans, Bolton council sought legal advice on defending the appeal and were told that their reasons for refusal could not be defended.