A Croydon golf club and the council have denied any plan to build a huge driving range on green belt land after a colour brochure appearing to outline such a proposal emerged.
The apparent marketing material for a 56-hectare driving range on protected public heathland at Addington Hills and Shirley Heath has caused widespread concern and outrage among Croydon residents.
However The Addington Golf Club’s owner, Ryan Noades, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he had ‘no knowledge’ of the plans when asked for comment despite his name being on the brochure. Croydon Council has also issued a statement on X categorically denying any intention to release the protected land for development.
It is claimed the brochure, apparently proposing to take on 56 hectares of land from the council for extensive landscaping and irrigation, was created to present to a residents association local to the Addington/Shirley areas in the south of the borough. But with denials from both the golf club’s owner and council, residents are concerned and confused.
Conservationist Peter Underwood published a petition calling for the rejection of any plans online. Thousands have since signed it and many have taken to social media to vent their opposition.
Mr Underwood, who is also Green Party candidate for Croydon East in the next General Election, told the LDRS: “They (The Addington) are not in this for looking after the sites, they’re just trying to persuade people to let them build a driving range.
“They are both areas of lowland heath, which is an incredibly rare habitat, especially in London. This is what happens to most of London’s heath, it ends up having houses or development on it.
“I find the most insulting part of this is that they’ve also [allegedly] said [in the brochure] it’s completely unmanaged. I’ve been working on that site for 12 years, I have spent days on days working there.”
Croydon Council posted on X with the intention of quelling rumours. It said: “We’re aware of rumours about Addington Golf Club and plans to turn Shirley Heath into a driving range.
“We’d just like to clarify we do not, and have not ever, had any intention to sell this land. It’s green belt land and subject to the most stringent planning policy protection.”
According to the brochure, the impetus for The Addington’s plans comes from their desire to hold competitive tournaments at the club, with the driving range a ‘prerequisite’ on that. Alongside the range, the supposed plans also talk of improving the site’s accessibility and quality as a public space, and suggest an outdoor gym, sports pitches and playground could be built there.
Mr Underwood works for the Conservation Volunteers charity, which along with the Downlands Trust, has worked to restore and care for the areas for a number of years. The sites, registered as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation, have been under council control for around the past century.
Mr Underwood added: “Regardless of the work of volunteers, the council got contractors to work on the whole strip along Oaks Road, which used to be thick with holly and overgrown woodland. They started a project over six years ago to remove this and open up the woodland along the bottom of Addington Hills. Therefore, the council has also done a lot of work to open up the woodland, and looks a lot better now than it did before.
“As with all council sites, not enough resources go into managing them and it could be improved. However, giving it to a private golf club to manage is not going to improve the site, they’re going to do what suits them.”
Conversely, The Addington apparently states in their brochure: “These public open spaces are a blank canvas. They can see their funding restored, with locals deciding how to invest that money and choosing what they want from their public open spaces.
“We believe there is significant mutual benefit to be had between The Addington Golf Club and the local community. We can leave a lasting legacy, raising the quality and value of these areas for us and our community, while guaranteeing their continued provision and maintenance for future generations.”
There is growing anger on social media over the brochure. Biodiversity expert and X user Chris Melhuish said: “Grew up in Croydon so know this area very well, and how important it is as a place for public enjoyment and informal recreation. Shame on them!”
Fellow X user Miles McCarthy commented: “What a preposterous suggestion. In what universe should our cherished public space be handed over to a private club. This area of Croydon is already dedicated extensively to golf.”
On Facebook, Jim Suplex commented: “Amazing piece of Croydon that can’t be allowed to just be sold off. Not only would it break my heart, it would be the tip of the iceberg.”
Matthew Frith, Director of Policy and Research at London Wildlife Trust and a Croydon resident, told the LDRS: “We are alarmed by this [apparent] proposal by The Addington that seeks to remove six hectares of Shirley Heath for a golf driving range, on the pretext that it is the only solution to address the conservation of the heathland habitats of this part of Croydon.
“Whilst we acknowledge that the proposal states the importance of these habitats in a local and regional context (albeit not in any detail), the proposal describes them in wholly negative and subjective terms, a typical pretext that we see in many development proposals that seek to damage or remove areas of nature conservation importance.”
The Addington is one of several golf clubs in the South Croydon area. It was previously owned by Ryan Noades’ father, Ron, and was regularly frequented by celebrities like the late Ronnie Corbett. Both The Addington and Croydon Council deny the existence of a deal to sell the land or redevelop it. The Addington was approached for further comment but failed to respond.
