Beal Valley golf course bunkered

Progress Pic of Beal Valley Golf Course.

THE end is in sight for the 13-year-tipping contract in the Beal Valley — but an 18-hole golf course on the site is a long way off.

The credit crunch and economic downturn mean only a few holes are likely to be developed in the short-term, according to the Casey group of Rochdale, which has carried out the tipping and landscaping of the site.

The company is due to finish the contract in two months and Casey’s will then decide whether to take on the lease of the site in January.

The controversial Beal Valley course was the idea of Labour councillors in the mid-1990s.

They planned a municipal golf course when public participation in the sport was high and local clubs had long waiting lists.

The tipping period was extended after Liberal Democrats took power in 2000 and changed the licence to rule out dumping noxious waste.

In 2008 the Liberal Democrats once again gained control of the council and decided not to commit the council to creating a golf course at the end of the tipping contract.

They said it could have cost around £5 million and was not a key council responsibility.

Councillors voted instead to lease the site back to Casey’s for the company to initially develop a nine-hole golf course and driving range, for a £750,000 fee.

The market would decide if an 18-hole course was needed.

A spokesman for Casey’s said: “We are still working on site and we are nearly there. All that is really missing are the tee boxes and greens.

Practice

“But due to the down turn in the economy this would not be the best time to start developing it.

“There are local clubs which used to have waiting lists of 400 people, now they are advertising for members.

“It is realistic that some of the holes will be developed for a practice course.

“Everything is still on the table, but the economy is just not right to be able to build a full 18-hole golf course.

“We could well be in operation and we could well take up the lease in January next year. The probability is that we will be the end users, and there will be some holes open for use as a municipal type practice course, three or five, so we can start to generate business.”