Councillors are pushing ahead with controversial plans to scrap nine of the 18 holes at Bradley Park golf course.
Kirklees’ only municipal golf course has been threatened with closure since the council’s housing blueprint was published more than two years ago.
The masterplan revealed planning officials’ proposals to use the 18-hole site for housing.
Last week a potential compromise was suggested with the council offering to retain a nine hole course and build a new floodlit driving range alongside 1,500 homes.
But Bradley Park officials have said they will continue the battle to save the course as it is now.
At a meeting of the powerful Labour cabinet yesterday afternoon, members said they would continue to proceed with the nine-hole option.
But town planning expert David Storrie, who is representing the golf club, said they would still be urging the government appointed planning inspector to knock it back.
He told cabinet members they could fit hundreds of houses on the proposed site right now without affecting the 18-hole course by using the farm land and the current driving range.
He said the club “couldn’t object” to that as it had already been approved by planning blueprints almost 20 years ago.
But he warned them the club would continue to highlight to the inspector that it was confident the council’s revised proposal still failed to meet planning rules, including a requirement to replace the course if it was bulldozed for homes.
Ashbrow ward councillors also raised concerns.
Independent member Clr Jean Calvert, slammed the council for not consulting with local people.
She claimed the profits from the golf operation were vital for Kirklees Active Leisure and said no nine-hole course was financially viable.
Fellow Ashbrow member Clr James Holmewood said residents were being kept in the dark and questioned the council’s desire to also put all-weather football pitches on the site when so many others existed nearby.
Mirfield’s Clr Martyn Bolt said three nine hole courses in North Kirklees had shut down over previous decades.
“Short pitch and putt courses don’t seem to have the longevity,” he commented.
Clr Bolt also said he was “very sceptical” about claims the new road links to Bradley could be built in time.
But cabinet member, Clr Graham Turner, said much work had gone into the viability of the scheme.
He said the council would listen to any proposals but for now was forging ahead.
He said: “This is a rare opportunity as land owners to strongly influence the development of a site and build affordable homes.
“Much has been made of the nine hole course not being viable, but it’s my understanding that 18 hole courses are in decline and nine hole ones are becoming more popular.”
Clr Turner acknowledged the scheme’s future now hinged on the view of the inspector who is hosting a public inquiry into the Local Plan.
He said should it be approved, many of the issues raised would be picked up during the planning application process.
