Reading Golf Club reveals plans for 260 houses on Emmer Green course

Reading Golf Club has applied for outline planning permission for the development

Plans to build 260 homes on part of a golf course have been revealed.

Reading Golf Club has applied for outline planning permission to build the homes on its course in the Emmer Green area of Reading.

The club, which is leaving the area by next year, said the development would address the need for family housing.

Campaign group Keep Emmer Green said it would exacerbate traffic problems and construction would affect the local primary school for five years.

The development would include apartments and family homes, parking spaces and a health centre

The development, submitted by landowner Reading Golf Club and broker Fairfax Acquisitions, would include apartments and family homes, a health centre and 601 car parking spaces and garages.

It comes as the golf club prepares to leave the Kidmore End Road course by March 2021.

The club has merged with Caversham Heath Golf Club in Mapledurham, Oxfordshire. It is hoped the move will secure the club's future and protect 40 jobs after facing closure.

Reading Golf Club general manager Gary Stangoe said: "It was important a proper legacy was left here [Emmer Green]."

The larger part of the course within South Oxfordshire District Council's (SODC) boundary would be handed over to a parish council to manage and maintain as a country park.

The planned development is part of the course within Reading Borough Council's boundary marked by the red line, while the blue line marks the part of the course within SODC which would be run as a country park

Keep Emmer Green member Ian Morgan said: "Reading Borough council have declared a climate crisis, and yet this development proposes to chop down over one hundred mature trees, build on greenfield land, add 600 cars to already congested roads and significantly deviate from the local plan which has accounted for family housing needs in Reading until 2036.

"The golf club have twice attempted to get the 66 acres 'promised' as open land in to the South Oxfordshire local plan for future building.

"We ask local residents in Caversham and Emmer Green to strenuously object to the proposed over-development."

Reading East MP Matt Rodda said: "I'm very concerned about this development because there is a lot of brownfield land in Reading, which I believe should be developed and sites like this [Emmer Green] should be protected for sports use."

He added the traffic generated would "blight" residents and contribute to climate change.

The application, which will be considered by Reading Borough Council, is now up for consultation.