Anger over golf club's marquee plan (From Messenger Newspapers)

Residents object to Dunham Forest Golf Club's marquee plan

8:30am Friday 31st August 2012 in News Exclusive By Chris Griffin

A DUNHAM golf club’s plans to erect a permanent marquee in its grounds have left neighbouring residents feeling below par.

Dunham Forest Golf Club wants to site the 30m x 20m marquee next to its club house in the green belt, to cater for functions of 250 to 300 people.

The cash-strapped club says this is essential to its continued operation.

But more than 70 residents have written to Trafford’s planning committee to object about the scheme.

Their concerns include that events in the marquee would generate noise and disturbance, it would be out of character with the green belt and traffic and safety problems could be caused by vehicles heading to the club through Dunham Village and narrow Oldfield Lane.

A resident – who did not want to be named – said: “The impact of this development will be devastating.”

He claimed the application would ruin the ‘peace and quiet’ he currently enjoys at his home.

The residents are backed by Bowdon ward councillor Sean Anstee. He said: “I have every sympathy with the club but they need to come up with less intrusive proposals.”

But the members-only club, on Oldfield Lane, insists the marquee will have little or no impact on its neighbours.

A report by Hunter Planning Consultants on behalf of the club, sent to Trafford Council with the planning application, said the club needs to seek “additional revenue streams to ensure the long-term survival of the business and community facility.”

A permanent marquee would enable it to host corporate golf days and other events, catering for 250 to 300 people.

Currently the club’s largest room can only hold up to 110 people, and this limited space has resulted in the club “turning away numerous enquiries” for such events.

The report claimed the development would not have any impact on noise, traffic or parking.

A noise restricting music system would be used in the marquee to prevent disturbance to neighbouring properties.

It would be sited as far away from neighbouring properties as possible, with the nearest 70m away.

Functions in the marquee would not be run at the same time as other events in the club, so there would not be any increase in the amount of traffic or car parking requirements. The club has 270 car parking spaces.

The golf club claimed the marquee’s location would "preserve the openness of the green belt.”

The club was built on land that was used for a prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. After the war the site became derelict and overgrown before it was transformed into a golf course. The golf course opened in 1961, and the club house two years later.