Council's £172k cost to make golf course hole safer

The ninth hole at Batchwood Golf Course in St Albans has been redesigned multiple times

A council will spend £172,000 redesigning a single hole of a Hertfordshire golf course due to safety concerns.

St Albans City & District Council is using the money to redesign and renovate the ninth hole at the authority-owned Batchwood Golf Course, where full membership costs almost £800 a year.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the hole has already been redesigned twice within six years in an attempt to stop stray golf balls from heading towards nearby properties.

The Liberal Democrat-run council said its existing layout has been "causing a health and safety issue to nearby residents and general public".

A contract to "undertake the construction of the redesigned hole layout" was awarded to Grassplant Ltd and is worth £106,718. 

However, last week the council's budget documents revealed the full cost to the council would be £172,000.

The redesign will "redirect play away from neighbouring properties" and protect people from "golf ball strikes"

Chris Traill, the council's strategic director for community and place, said: "It is an expensive business… spending money on this is not something the council has undertaken lightly. 

"Having taken advice and implemented a range of alternative measures to address issues, this reflects the scale of importance of the safety of our community."

She said the scheme would "redirect play away from neighbouring properties to safeguard the public and homes from golf ball strikes".

The leader of the council's Conservative group, Matt Cowley, said: "Time and again in St Albans district, we see taxpayers' money squandered. 

"This latest example should surely not be a priority against a backdrop of cuts to public services under this Lib Dem administration. I know taxpayers will think the council has questions to answer – I intend to ask them on residents' behalf."