CHADWELL HEATH: PROPOSED EXPANSION

The vision for Cranfield Golf Centre: Chadwell Heath is to develop a 1st Class golf teaching facility that will cater for all types of golfers; the complete beginner to a top professional; catering for people from all walks of life, young and old, abled and disabled, male and female.

We propose to develop the following:

1 / Full Length 9 Hole Golf Course2 / 9 Hole Par 3 Course3 / 9 Hole ’Water World’ Pitch and Putt4 / Short Game Area

By incorporating the above facilities with our current successful driving range and golf academy we will have a golf centre that is equipped not only to help golfers of all standards but attract those people that don’t currently play the great game of golf.

Further more by taking advice from Sport England, The Golf Foundation and the English Golf Union representing disabled golfers, we have been able to design the above mentioned courses with features that will allow juniors, adults and seniors who are either able or disabled the ability to learn and enjoy the game of golf.

Proposed view from Sylvan Avenue

Current view from Sylvan Avenue

Stuart Armstrong:Coaching Development Manager, England Golf Partnership 

“The proposed development at Chadwell Heath fits perfectly within the England Golf Partnership’s Facility Strategy. The aim to cater for every type, every level of golfer, thereby opening up the game of golf to all walks of life meets with the primary aims of the England Golf Whole Sport Plan to encourage an increase in golf participation across a broad cross section of communities, social backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities and genders.” “Of particular note is that this golf project will have the development of the disabled golfer as a core theme in its design and will also provide specially designed equipment as well as specifically trained coaches to assist players in achieving their potential. This is a project that has the sport of golf and the development of golfers at its core and the England Golf Partnership looks forward to working together with Cranfield Golf to create something meaningful and sustainable for the betterment of the sport and the wider community. “

Carol Macdonald: The Golf Foundation  

“Cranfield Golf have been actively involved in golf coaching for 11 years and have helped thousands of children take their first steps into golf. Cranfield Golf runs various government endorsed programmes such as ‘Tri-Golf’ ‘Golf Passport’ ‘Golf Extreme’ and I will be looking forward to seeing the benefits that this centre will bring to Junior Golf in the future.”

Our first priority throughout the development stage is to ensure minimal, disruption to the local community.

It is impossible to develop such a project without construction vehicles, however by adhering to considerate working hours and implementing a gradually phased construction programme, any such disruption will be kept to a minimum.

• The landscaping required, especially around the A12 boundary will actually REDUCE the noise from car traffic along the A12 across Chadwell Heath.

• All construction impacts will be designed to be kept to a minimum and this will be addressed in the Environmental Impact Assessment which forms part of the planning application.

• The construction of the golf course will be phased with each section of land being quickly grassed over to ensure soil stability and reduce the visual impact of the construction activities.

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

We will ensure any construction traffic will enter the site directly from a specially constructed road off the A12. Thus ensuring no extra traffic along Whalebone Lane North or London Road.

At it’s peak, the additional traffic on the A12 will only add 0.004% to the current daily traffic flow. In simple terms almost so small it is un-measurable.

INCREASED TRAFFIC?

The proposed site for the golf course is almost entirely made up of intensively farmed arable land.

Following the completion of the golf course the landscape make up of the site will be as follows:

• 22 acres of new natural wildflower grassland (18% of the site)

• 22 acres of new woodland planting (18% of the site)

• 7.5 acres of new lakes and ponds (6% of the site)

• 3 acres of new wetland (2% of the site)

Therefore 44% of the site will be given over to landscape enhancement following completion.

LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

The site has been assessed by ecologists Elmaw Consulting and at present there is very little in the way of native flora and fauna on site.

Following consultation with the ecologists in the design process the following ecological gains are predicted:

• Better connectivity across the site (Wildlife corridors of trees, shrubs, grassland and water).• Increased Bio diversity (at present the site is a monoculture due to years of farming)• Increased habitat for bird life (eg Skylarks in unimproved grassland)• NEW roosting and foraging areas for Bats• NEW reptile population (snakes, slow worms, lizards) in the open grassland areas and shrub areas• NEW Amphibian population as a result of new water features• Increased insect population due to the large increase in native grassland and wildflower areas.• An opportunity to establish appropriate landscape and wildlife management regimes for the whole site.

ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS

The centre has been planned with sustainability for the future as paramount importance.

Reservoirs will be built to ensure maximum recycling of natural rain fall.

We are also developing a scheme to recycle water from the A12 through an onsite purifier via reed beds.

Both of the above will ensure the area is well maintained in a sustainable way without any affect on the local community.

SUSTAINABLE BENEFITS

Chadwell Heath Golf Centre will become a premier golfing facility in Essex.

Friendly and accessible for the entire community, with educational, sporting and social benefits for everyone.

Our aim is create a sustainable area of natural beauty to be enjoyed by generations to come. Not just for the children and families of today but a legacy for our grandchildren and communities of the future.

We endorse Sport England’s objective to develop the UK as a country of sporting excellence by 2020.

CONCLUSION