Golf and Planning Saga 1989-2007
Greys Green Golf Course is still often called The Dog Golf Course, as it all started in Dog Field on Greys Green Farm
The Planning Battle Begins: 1989-1992
The story of this golf course's grim struggle for survival against the Local Planning Authority and, particularly in the early years, against the concerted efforts of the residents of Rotherfield Greys and Rotherfield Peppard
1989
Foreseeing the demise of the dairy herd, we sought an alternative use for the land. At that time, there was a shortage of golf courses. Clubs had long waiting lists and pay-and-play courses weree swamped with players
The land at Greys Green Farm is free-draining and dry - not helpful for growing crops and intensive grass (for grazing, hay and silage) but ideal for golf - where it is a positive advantage for the grass not to grow too prolifically
We therefore applied, in 1989, for planning permission to turn the entire farm into a golf course
On 1 December 1989, this article appeared on the front page of The Henley Standard Rosalie Monbiot, then the local District Councillor, gave the scheme a warm welcome and claimed that it had the support of local residents
1990
Planning application refused by South Oxfordshire District Council, but only on the Chairman's casting vote
Had the District Councillor who seconded the motion to defeat our application (while proposing in favour of a golf course application on the other side of the road from Greys Green Farm at another District Council meeting) declared his large financial involvement with the other golf course applicant, our application would have been passed and we would have been spared 17 years of fighting and a great deal of expenditure
Such failure to declare a large financial interest would not be allowed under the rules operating today
1991
We appealed against SODC's refusal and the appeal was decided by Public Inquiry in 1991 The locals of Rotherfield Greys put up their own QC to fight us - nice touch
1992
The appeal was not decided by the Inspector who presided over it because it was "called in" by the then Secretary of State, who just happened to be the local MP for Henley - Conservative MP Michael Heseltine. He dismissed the appeal. No prizes for guessing the political affiliation of the local objectors. Such intervention would not be allowed under the rules operating today.
April 1992: Dog Golf is born
Frustrated by the way the Appeal had been handled, by the voting irregularity that had caused the refusal of the original application in 1990 - for which we instituted Judicial Review proceedings against SODC - and incensed by the highly fanciful claims by most of our neighbours in Rotherfield Greys and Rotherfield Peppard about the atrocities that would ensue if golf were ever to be allowed on our land, we decided to use the land for golf anyway, just to show that all the scare-mongering was unfounded
Planning history menu:
1989-1992
1992 Dog Golf begins
1993 Golf course expands
1994 Another Public Inquiry
2001 Golf expands again
2002 Golf expands further
2007 Another Public Inquiry - success at last