Golf bosses planning land grab as The Open returns to Southport
Plus: Plan for holiday homes overlooking cemetery and another bank closure
Hello and welcome to the 12th edition of The Southport Lead.
Today we’re taking a look at plans which would see the prestigious R&A - the organiser of The Open Championship - help redevelop land between Royal Birkdale and Hillside golf courses. Given that land is largely used a public footpath, what will the impact be? And is the usage appropriate?
Also in today’s edition: How would you like to stay in an AirBnB property next door to a cemetery? That prospect could become reality under a proposal to redevelop the former church building on Cemetery Road. When I wrote about churches in Sunday’s edition, I hadn’t expected the conversation to take this turn.
As well as the latest headlines, there’s also two brief stories which relate to different modern trends - banks closing down and the rise of electric vehicles.
As The Open returns, golf organisers say more land is needed to create “elite facilities”
The organisers of The Open Championship have announced plans to extend Hillside Golf Club onto public land.
The R&A wants to extend the driving range onto a public footpath which currently runs on Birkdale Common between Hillside, The Royal Birkdale Golf Club and Greenbank High School in a change which is says is essential for the return of the elite competition.
The Open is due to return to Royal Birkdale in 2026, having previously done so in 10 times including in 2017, and The R&A now says a bigger practice range is needed “to create the elite facilities and spectator experience associated with staging a major sporting event”.
The proposed change would see the existing driving range extended so that golfers tee off on land which is currently open to the public. The R&A say it is the only suitable location when factoring in the need to be close to the Royal Birkdale’s first and 18th holes; staying clear of The Sefton Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSCI); and minimising disruption during construction work.
It also argues there will be an additional benefit of Hillside being able to potentially host future championships as a result of the upgraded facility.
While The R&A says a footpath will be maintained by moving it closer to the Greenbank boundary, the overall space available will be significantly reduced and the proposal raises questions about whether public land should be given up for this use. A spokesperson for the golf organisation told The Southport Lead that the intention of relocating the footpath is to ensure public access remains.
A Hillside resident who regularly uses the Common for dog walks told The Southport Lead she believes the change should not be allowed to go ahead. The woman, who did not wish to be named, said unhappiness already lingered over the loss of other areas of the Common during The Open when the land is used for car parking and other purposes.
She said: “They need to remember that Birkdale Common belongs to the public. This land is important for people with limited mobility as they can park close by and still use the paths.
“We don’t want to see it taken over for the golf. I believe this shouldn’t be allowed to go ahead.”
While The R&A says Sefton Council has been consulted, there is no suggestion that any agreement has been reached on the plans. The R&A has launched a public consultation on the plan and intends to submit an application by the end of March.
Cllr John Pugh, the Liberal Democrat group leader who represents Dukes ward where the land sits, expressed disappointment that elected representatives had not been informed by the council of the possibility of development on the land.
He told The Southport Lead he found out about the proposal from a resident concerned about the impact of the changes but feels council officers should have been more active in informing councillors about whatever discussions have taken place.
Cllr Pugh added added: “There are always very strong concerns about any proposal for losing community land and there is no clarity at the moment about the public case for doing so.”
The R&A’s strength in any such discussion come from the financial benefits its events bring to host towns and cities. When The Open last came to Birkdale, a then-record attendance of 235,000 resulted in an estimated £20m boost to businesses across Sefton. Across the wider Liverpool City Region, the figure was £35.2m according to an independent report from the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University.
Those figures have only increased in the tournaments since then, with last year’s Open estimated to have brought a total economic impact of £43.19 million to the Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region.
It is these benefits which The R&A is keen to highlight when publicising the proposals. Its consultation information states: “In order for such economic benefits to be delivered through The 154th Open, the highest standard facilities for elite golfers and spectators need to be provided. This includes a practice range of suitable quality for elite golfers, such as the one proposed.
“In their own right, the practice facilities at The Open attract significant numbers of spectators and also improve player performance, making for a more attractive and memorable tournament.
“Enhancing the practice ground at Hillside Golf Club is vital for maintaining Royal Birkdale Golf Club as a viable venue for future professional and amateur championships, including The Open, AIG Women’s Open, Senior Open, and various international matches, all of which require world class practice facilities.
“It also enhances opportunities for Hillside Golf Club to host elite golf championships in the future, cementing the area’s reputation as a world-class golf venue and providing opportunities for significant economic benefits.”
An R&A spokesperson told The Southport Lead: “We have submitted these proposals for public consultation so that we can gather the views of local people and answer any questions that they have regarding the potential development. We would encourage them to submit their feedback regarding the proposals before the consultation closes on 23 February.”
Feedback can be given by:
emailing RoyalBirkdaleandHillside@dlpconsultants.co.uk
writing to Royal Birkdale and Hillside Golf Club Improvements Public Consultation, DLP Planning, Studio 204B, The Tea Factory, 82 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1 4DQ
Church owner’s plan to open AirBnB holiday homes next to cemetery
A holiday home could open next to Southport’s cemetery under plans to redevelop a former church.
Owner Paul and Julie Thistleton have applied for planning permission to install bedrooms inside the former Cemetery Road Methodist Chapel, also known as The Old Church.
Having been built in 1894, it ceased being used as a place of worship in the 1950s and has had a wide range of uses since then (including one instance where a cannabis farm was found inside part of the building).
In the past 15 years, its uses have included a gym and a motorbike workshop while it is currently used a Venetian plaster showroom and training centre.
Under proposals submitted to Sefton Council, the building could be transformed for use as short term holidays lets with five bedrooms and a lounge downstairs and a recreations area above them. A self-contained flat which is currently there would be retained as would training and meeting rooms and an office at the rear of the building.
Halifax to close Southport branch
Halifax customers have been informed their branch will be the latest to close in Southport.
The closure is one of 61 Halifax branches across the country which are due to close between May 2025 and March 2026. Along with these, a further 61 Lloyds Bank branches and 15 Bank of Scotland sites.
However, as all three are owned by the same group, it says customers can now use any of the three for their banking services - therefore Halifax customers losing their Southport branch are advised to use the Lloyds Bank on London Street after the closure.
A spokesperson for the business said: “Over 20 million customers are using our apps for on-demand access to their money and customers have more choice and flexibility than ever for their day-to-day banking.
“Alongside our apps, customers can also use telephone banking, visit a community banker or use any Halifax, Lloyds or Bank of Scotland branch, giving access to many more branches.
“Customers can also do their everyday banking at over 11,000 branches of the Post Office or in a Banking Hub.”
Electric vehicle chargers coming to retail park
The Central 12 Retail Park will soon become the latest spot in town to have electric vehicle chargers (EVC) installed.
LCP, the company responsible for the retail park, has won planning permission which will allow it to install 16 EVC bays. The new spaces will replace 21 standard spaces along the edge of the park which runs alongside Kensington Road.
The new EVCs will be be PoGo Charge models from the SWARCO Smart Charging Ltd range. The application states: “It is considered that the submitted application is of significant merit as it will improve customer offer and experience on site to meet customer demand by enabling the provision of electric vehicle charging.
News in headlines
Law firm ordered to pay £30k after falling foul of money laundering risk rules (LancsLive)
FBI joins investigation into Southport killer Axel Rudakubana amid reports of wiped search history (ITV)
New Catherine’s Wine Bar due to open in April in another boost for Southport Market Quarter (Stand Up For Southport)
Silent discos 'bring joy' to Southport children (BBC)
Thanks for reading this mid-week edition of The Southport Lead, I’ll be back in your inbox on Sunday morning. In the meantime if there’s anything you think I should be looking into then drop me a line southport@thelead.uk
Have a great rest of the week and if you’re in a position to support this newsletter then please consider a paid subscription.
Jamie & The Southport Lead team