Hall Lane Mini Golf Course – Council’s Cabinet decision to dispose of land
Last night (13th March), Havering Council’s Conservative run Cabinet approved in principle the disposal of the Hall Lane Mini Golf Course. Full details of the Cabinet’s decision can be found on the Council’s website, but a summary is printed below. Residents’ Association councillors will call this decision in for further scrutiny and attempt to get it reversed.
It should be noted that the Cabinet’s decision should have little effect on the planning application itself, which we will continue to fight.
Don’t forget that you still have time to send your comments and objections into the Planning Department. The closing date is 22nd March. A link to the planning application, where you can view the documents and submit comments, is here. A link to the Local Development Plan 2016-2031 is here.
13/03/2019 – Property Disposals
(a) Agreed, in principle, that the land referred to below is no longer required to be held for the purposes for which the Council presently holds it and that it should be appropriated to planning purposes with a view to its subsequent disposal in due course:
· Land at Gooshays Drive, Harold Hill
· Hall Lane Pitch & Putt Course, Upminster
(b) Authorised, for the purposes of (a) above and in accordance with section 122(2A) Local Government Act 1972 and section 233(4) Town and Country Planning Act 1990 that notices are placed in a local newspaper circulating in the area for two consecutive weeks expressing
(i) an intention to appropriate the land to planning purposes; and
(ii) an intention to dispose of the land following its appropriation.
(c) Considered any objections to the intended appropriation and/or disposal before a decision to appropriate or dispose is made.
(d) Agreed, in principle, following its appropriation for planning purposes, to the disposal of the land referred to above subject to (b) and (c) above.
Firstly, is there a separate process (in addition to the planning objection) for residents to object to the Council Cabinet`s decision to sell the Hall Lane Pitch and Putt ?
Also,there was a feature in The Evening Standard last night (Wednesday 13th March) praising Upminster for its open and green spaces and particularly mentioning the “Mini Golf” . It may be helpful to bring this to the Councils attention as one of your points in any objection lodged.
Dear Denis,
Thank you for your post. The RA councillors have seen the Evening Standard article.
Regarding the sale of the land, we are officially ‘calling in’ the decision, so that it will go before the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the decision to be challenged.
This will hopefully lead to a public consultation process (similar to the planning application consultation). We will keep residents informed if/when this takes place via this website and social media.
Kind regards
Cllr John Tyler
Hi John
Thanks very much for your prompt and helpful response on the sale of land objection process.
I`m so glad you`ve seen the Evening Standard article, my post was also intended to publicise the content to other residents as well, so that when objecting to P0248.19 they could use it in conjunction with their other objections, always bearing in mind as you have emphasised, that each objection needs to be personal and subjective in order to be considered.
One other thought on that point, it may also be helpful to just remind people that all objections must be sent to the Havering Council Planning Department, and that posting them on this website alone will not be sufficient.
And finally, I totally agree with the post from Derek Jones, the planning application blatantly flies in the face of the Council`s stated objectives in the “Havering Local Plan 2016-2031″ especially in respect of public amenities, open space, local character and quality of life in the area.
Best regards
Denis
13.03.2019. Property Disposals. What perfect timing!!!
I cannot put into print what I feel about this whole matter, as my pockets are not deep enough to pay the lawyers bills. However, the Power Point presentation on Monday evening 11.03.2019 highlighted the salient points for objections and I encourage everybody to object to this Planning Application in the strongest terms. Please download the “Havering Local Plan 2016-2031” and read it thoroughly, several times, and you will see that in almost every section, this Application contravenes the fundamental ethos of the Plan. It is shocking in the extreme. We owe it to Clarence and his family, our local Residents Councillors, and our families and ourselves to object to this Application and defeat it.
Application P0248.19
Upminister golf course has been part of Upminster for a long time and this green belt belongs to the people and is meant to be untouchable, but it seems to be one rule for the council and another rule when it suits them. How could you ever think of building houses on this green belt. The beautiful trees that should be protected are also home to wild life. You seem to have run this down so you can underhandedly take it away from us. Upminster has no other activities and the mini golf course should have parking access so family’s can enjoy.
you can’t get appointments at your doctors now, schools train stations are over loaded, car parking traffics a problem and you want to add more. This is outrageous and would be devastating to Upminster and the community. We need to save our green belt NOT DESTROY IT
Dear Deborah,
Your Residents’ Association councillors agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments you express.
The only thing I must point out is that the mini golf course is not designated Green Belt. Instead, it is designated as ‘PARKS, OPEN SPACES, PLAYING FIELDS AND ALLOTMENTS’ and a different set of rules applies to it.
For further information on this and the local areas that are designated green belt see https://www3.havering.gov.uk/Documents/Planning/LDF/proposals-map-north.pdf
Thank you for taking the time to contribute on this matter.
Kind regards
Cllr John Tyler
I have never seen anyone on the pitch and putt . I have lived in havering 20 years and my husband 50 years and he did not know it was public either . Its fences and proximity to the PRIVATE MEMBERS ONLY signs of the upminster golf club prbably means it is such a well kept upminster secret that it fell into disrepair until recently refurbished . Unfortunately it is rather unexciting compared to Moby Golf whivh is only twice the price . Its days as a pitch and putt were probably over a while ago but its role as a lung for london remains vital especially with the appalling Upminster traffic . Traffic on hall lane is bad enough already .
I do think the green band of land next to the road is very important to the character locality . So much for the local plan to maintain Upminter as the Jewel of Havering . I am a bit worried about the plans for 48 houses given the size and design of some new houses . There is little point in 3 bedroom houses unless bedrooms 2 and 3 are bothe equally good sizes . No one wants to give one child a big room and the other a box .
On the one hand the express article was very flattering , on the other hand it was engineered by estate agents . Whilst boosting your house prices attracting commuters it also serves to kill the community as the only ones that can afford the houses are the double income ones who have little energy left for community after work .
This is going to be council / housing association houses out for ‘private rent’ . That must thrill the residents around the pitch and put who value the view from their back windows . Looking at how crowded the oldchurch site is , it is a bit worrying though 48 would probably fit better than 100 .
Over many years my children, grandchildren and myself have enjoyed using the course – when we could find it open. We have noticed the gradual deterioration of the facilities which we now realise was the Council ‘s underhanded way of discouraging participants and thereby rendering the course unprofitable.
Not everyone in Upminster can afford to be a member of the Golf Club and this mini-course is the only chance most children have to experience the game of golf. The Council will be depriving future generations of this opportunity at a time when it is so important to encourage young people to be involved in outdoor activities.
It’s an amazing green space and really fun. Perhaps should be open more often and publicised so more people can enjoy it. It will be a real shame if it goes and will add to congestion and pollution and take away from the beauty of the area. There are many sites that are derelict or not a designated parkland or green space that can be used instead.
If the mini golf cannot be sustained (which there is no reason why it couldn’t) then at the very least should be made into a park without gates so all can access at all times but would be nice to keep it as it is and promote it more.
Karam