New adventure golf course and footgolf at Wexham Park

A par-three nine-hole Footgolf course will also be added at Wexham Park Golf Course as part of the exciting new expansion plans.

Planning documents suggest the adventure golf putting range will be different from typical ‘crazy golf’ and ‘mini-golf’ courses.

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Designers of the new Wexham Golf Centre additions wrote: “The idea is to take the player on an adventure.

“The theme will include water features and local history (which will also be educational in nature).”

“The holes will be linked with a series of paved pathways [and] the main built structures will include waterfalls, ponds, streams and bridges.”

Councillors approved the golf course’s new additions at a meeting on Tuesday evening (July 7) despite concerns being raised about a number of issues.

Commenting on the designs, Councillor Santokh Chhokar pointed out the new courses would be built in the green belt, which is open countryside land typically protected from building.

He said: “My initial interpretation of this was it would need very special circumstances to build a development within the green belt.

“My impression is that this reminds me more of a theme park than a golf course.

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“I think it would be inappropriate [development in the green belt].”

But a planning officer told the South Bucks planning committee the development was not considered ‘inappropriate’ because it would not harm the openness of the green belt.

A resident who “lives only a few metres away” from the proposed site also spelt out their concerns to the committee, sparking fears about the changing character of the green belt, more noise and disturbance from the site, and privacy issues.

The resident also accused Buckinghamshire Council of not carrying out a proper consultation about the plans with neighbours who “had no awareness” about the proposals or the forthcoming decision, meaning 17 letters of objection were sent in the 36 hours before the planning meeting.

But a planning officer hit back, telling councillors the application has been live for an entire year and a notice was put up at the site.

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Before the vote, Councillor Trevor Egleton, chairman of the committee, laid bare his worries about a condition which would allow the adventure golf course to stay open until 9.30pm.

He said: “Why is it going to be open so late in the evening? I don’t see why that is absolutely necessary, particularly if it’s supposed to be for younger children.”

The chairman proposed changing the closing time to 7.30pm, an idea his colleagues backed as they approved the plans seven votes to three.