A GOLF club wants to transport thousands of lorry-loads of soil up a Loudwater road as part of plans to enhance its driving range.

Residents are already mobilising against the proposals from Wycombe Heights Golf Centre - fearing it will cause traffic chaos on Rayners Avenue and blight the area during the two-year project.

The first stage of the plans would include up to 50 truck-loads of inert waste soils being carried on to the site per day, as well as the creation of a reservoir to help irrigate the course.

A second stage would involve the remodeling of the driving range. The plans are being considered by Bucks County Council.

Chepping Wycombe Parish Council has objected strongly, saying in its submission to County Hall: "The residents on Rayners Avenue will suffer noise and vibrations and dust if not mitigated by covers.

"Rayners Avenue is narrow, cars park on both sides and the surface is in a very poor condition... Perhaps the remodeling could be achieved without importation of materials by looking at levels on the site."

Chilterns Conservation Board and Wycombe District Council have also lodged objections, saying the scheme would be detrimental to land which is within the Green Belt and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

However, the application documents say: "The Wycombe Heights Golf Centre...like all businesses, must move with the times and ensure that its offer continues to be attractive....

"Whilst vehicular movement through Rayners Avenue will be more frequent during the delivery period for materials, residential receptors in the vicinity of the operational site are considered to be sufficiently distant not to be materially likely to be affected by the scheme.

"The proposed golf course construction works will be phased to minimise the area of disturbance. The progressive nature of the operations will minimise the potential nuisance from dust, odour and noise.

"Waste will be received, checked and recorded in accordance with the waste acceptance procedures and protocols...

"It is asserted that the openness of the Green Belt will be will not be harmed by either the proposed enhancement of the practice driving range or by the formation of the reservoir."

The documents add that the project is aimed at "improving driving range drainage and whole course irrigation and bringing about a more environmentally sustainable regime which in turn will extend availability".

See related links for more detail on the plans.