Holiday lodge plan for hall golf range is discussed

The plan for Browston Hall in Browston, near Great Yarmouth, to ditch its golf range and bring in holiday accommodation and a spa was the subject of a presentation by planning consultancy Lanpro Services, which is acting on behalf of hall owner Mark Shaw.

One of the presentation slides about the proposed changes to Browston Hall shown at the meeting (Image: Archant)

More than 30 people attended the meeting at the New Road Sports and Leisure Centre in neighbouring Belton on Friday.

People gathered in the sport centre for the Browston Hall meeting (Image: Archant)

The meeting heard the hall, which has a bar and restaurant, hotel rooms, tennis courts, bowling green and a wedding chapel, is closed apart from it golf course and was not financially viable.

The plans for the driving range to be replaced by 82 holiday lodges and a spa drew concerns over traffic to and from the hall with one access route, with one nearby road already described as a "racetrack at times".

One resident said: "To have just one access point is dangerous, that's my worry."

If approved by Great Yarmouth Borough Council the hall would re-open with its existing outdoor tennis courts and bowling green and the same inside facilities.

Ken Botwright, chairman of Belton and Browston Parish Council, queried if the hall was really financially unviable and said that reason for the bid should be "struck off" from the planning application.

That stance was echoed by other residents.

A presentation on the Browston Hall plans was shown (Image: Archant)

Ben Burgess, speaking for Lanpro Services, said: "There is no dishonesty here at all."

The look of the holiday lodges was also criticised with one female resident saying: "It is like the caravan sites of the 1960s. It is a little bit old fashioned."

The meeting heard a consultation saw 12 responses sent in, with two "explicitly" supporting the bid.

Browston Hall (Image: Savills)

Concerns raised in responses included whether the venue would be open to the public, the loss of golfing facilities and green space and road capacity.

The meeting heard the hall would be open to the public, no trees would be lost and people driving to the venue would be told to avoid Cherry Lane and Hobland Road.

Plans to have touring caravans on the site have now been dropped.

It is hoped the planning application will be submitted to the borough council early next year.