Salford city council and residents campaigning to prevent a former golf course becoming a housing estate are celebrating victory in their bid to get the green land designated an ‘asset of community value’ (ACV). A first-tier tribunal has dismissed an appeal by Wain Estates Ltd to overturn the council’s decision to list land at Swinton Park Golf and Country Club 2017 as an ACV.
The golf course and clubhouse were closed in 2020 with various developers expressing interest for housing development. Salford city council says that ‘with the full support of residents’ it has always maintained that the land currently designated in Salford’s Local Plan should remain as recreational land.
The golf course was designated as an ACV in November 2019 which determined that the golf club is land of community value and should be added to the council’s list of assets of community value. City mayor Paul Dennett said: “The city council’s position on the land remains unchanged in that we wish to see the site remain as a venue for golf and recreational purposes for the people of Swinton and Salford.
"This position is reaffirmed within our Local Plan document, which has been consulted upon with residents and other stakeholders across the city. I have made representations to developers in advance of any potential purchase outlining our position. I hope that the decision taken by the court will secure this vital piece of land as recreational.
"The ACV was put in place for the golf course given the clear public interest in the future of the site and the strategic importance of the site as articulated in the city council’s Local Plan. It’s unfortunate that we’ve had to commit public money to defending the city council’s position in the court, especially given the public support for retaining the land for the purposes of recreation.
Coun Jim Cammell, speaking on behalf of the ward councillors for Swinton, added: “We know that our residents want the Swinton Park Golf Club site to remain as recreational land and I would like to thank 'Save Swinton Park Golf Club' for their hard work and dedication to this campaign, and the officers at Salford City Council for the extra work they have had to do to defend the decision to register the site as an Asset of Community Value. The land remains at the heart of our ambitions to retain recreational land in Swinton and the decision of the court is welcomed.”
Meanwhile, members of the Save Swinton Park Golf Club (SSP) group have welcomed the decision. Dave Marsh from the group said: “This is a great decision for the residents and local democracy.
“Because the appeal was dismissed it makes it harder for any developers to build on this recreational land. Our thanks must go to Salford city council’s legal team, the local councillors, the administrative staff and also the continued support of the mayor and MP [Rebecca Long-Bailey] ."
Wain Estates have declined to comment.
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