Plans to build dozens of new homes at the site of Sonning Golf Club have been submitted to Wokingham Borough Council.
The application proposes the development of 54 houses at the roughly five-hectare site off Duffield Road, as well as several changes to the golf club facilities.
There would be 22 affordable homes (41%), which the application suggests will “contribute towards addressing the shortfall in housing supply within the Borough”.
The plan suggests the housing mix be made up of six one-bedroom homes, as well as 16 two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom plus properties.
Construction of the properties would take place at the site of the club’s existing driving range, which would be replaced by new driving nets, as well as the conversion of the west wing to provide an indoor facility comprising a practice simulator.
As the current practice range is outside, the club suggests it can be “unattractive” in bad weather, as well as being unusable after dark.
The simulator will allow target practice at a range of distances, which is described as a “significant benefit” in comparison to existing driving range.
Sonning Golf Club states: “[It] allows the golfer to track the trajectory of the struck ball, its spin and distance, all essential data to improve a golfer’s skill. Moreover, the ability to know how far each golf club hits a ball is a fundamental benefit to practice and teaching.”
These three simulators and six driving nets, which would be available free of charge for golfers to hit their own balls, would increase the capacity of the current practice areas.
Other planned changes include the extension of the club car park, the relocation of the 18th green, the addition of an extended practice putting green and a new short-game chipping area.
The club sought the views of all 575 members regarding the proposed changes, however, responses were received from just four people.
Of those, two were supportive of them, one person was disappointed that they hadn’t been made aware of the proposals as they had only joined the club in May, while the other had issues about the removal of the practice area.
Ten residents attended a public meeting at Sonning Golf Club on November 22, where concerns were raised about increased traffic – especially regarding queues towards the A4 and over the Sonning bridge – as well as whether further infrastructure, such as schools and doctors, would be made available for the area.
The plan will now be decided on by the council’s planning team.
