The green light has been given to proposals to upgrade facilities at one of Scotland’s most historic golf clubs, enabled by a development of 78 new homes.
Included in the proposals at Dunbar Golf Club - founded in 1856 - is a new clubhouse, a nine-hole short course, golf academy, driving range and new greens keeper facilities.
Funding for the upgrades has been made possible by the new residential development by Cala Homes, designed to blend into the surroundings and be split between two locations within the club’s existing land.
The proposals were approved at an East Lothian Council planning committee today. Construction is anticipated to start on site in spring or summer next year.
It follows a careful process that saw Cala and the golf club work with the council to demonstrate how profit from the homes would adequately fund the club’s improvements.
Jacky Montgomery, PGA director of golf at Dunbar Golf Club, said: “We first secured outline planning permission back in 2015, so it’s been a long journey to get here, but we’re delighted.
“Having these exciting new facilities will not only be a major benefit for our members and visitors, but it opens up significant opportunities for local people to get involved in golf and to enjoy the many health and well-being aspects of participating in the sport.
“From the driving range and academy, through to the short game practice area and the par three golf course, we are breaking down barriers into the game – it will also give us much greater scope to further develop the work we do with our local schools and community groups.”
The build programme for the golf club’s new facilities and Cala’s new homes will run in tandem. Phase one will see the construction of the clubhouse, golf academy and driving range, along with 60 new homes to the south of the site, towards Deer Park Cemetery, while 18 homes will form phase two to the north, on land which includes the location of the current clubhouse.
G1 Architects is behind the designs for the £3.6m clubhouse, following on from projects at Castle Stuart Golf Links, Kingsbarns and the recently opened clubhouse at Dumbarnie Links.
The nine-hole course is designed by RAW Golf Design – a practice formed by David J Russell and 1991 Masters winner Ian Woosnam.
Alasdair Hughes, land manager with Cala Homes (East), said: “We’re delighted to have received committee approval for our development proposals with Dunbar Golf Club.
“This project will leave a powerful legacy, both in terms of sport and leisure – and local prosperity.”
Golf has been played in and around Dunbar since the early part of the 17th century. Over the years, the Dunbar Golf Club was extended and improved by course designers Old Tom Morris, Ben Sayers and James Braid.
The course is laid out on a narrow strip of land with holes hugging the rocky coastline, with views across the North Sea to the Bass Rock. It has played host to many national and international championships and has also been a local final qualifying venue on several occasions for The Open Championship when played at Muirfield.
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