A showdown is set for an exciting gold rush-style adventure zone at a golf course, with a complaint being made about its theme.
The Lavender Park Golf Centre, located opposite the Lapland UK site in Swinley Forest, applied to create an adventure golf course on its land this summer.
The new course would have an American western theme, with features including rocks to emulate Monument Valley, a steam train, a stagecoach, a settler’s wagon and a mine.
These features are aimed at evoking the gold rush era and ‘manifest destiny’ when settlers started migrating to the West of the American continent en masse.
The adventure area would be created between the existing golf course and driving range. Details are outlined in a planning application submitted to Bracknell Forest Council.
But a showdown is set over the project due to objections, including a complaint about the designs.
A woman from Woodley objected to the ‘genocidal’ theme of the adventure course.
She wrote: “In an age of cultural sensitivity and awareness, it seems abhorrent that one of the greatest genocides in human history is to be trivialised in the form of a North American gold rush-themed adventure golf course.
“The North American gold rush exacerbated the ongoing Native American genocide, with over 370 massacres being recorded, including the notorious California genocide.
“This is a shameful period of British and American history that must never be forgotten, and any attempt to glorify, trivialise or whitewash these events should be met with the contempt that it deserves.”
Additionally, neighbours have raised concerns about parking and light pollution.
A neighbour in Forest Close, located immediately east of the golf course, wrote: “While we appreciate the need for local economic development, we have several serious concerns regarding this application that warrant some careful reconsideration.
“The development will undoubtedly result in a significant increase in vehicle movements.
“However, the area already struggles with limited parking availability, and both Swinley Road and Forest Close are subjected to car drivers that are not residents or visiting properties using the roads to park in or turn around in.
“Without adequate dedicated parking provision, it is likely that customers and staff will park on surrounding residential streets, exacerbating existing issues.”
The plan includes expanding the existing car park to provide 40 regular spaces and an accessible parking space.
There was also a complaint about the course being open until 9pm in the summer and the impact that this could have on noise disturbance.
Another neighbour in Forest Close raised fears about light pollution from six-metre-high columns that would be used in winter.
Eight objections to the plan have been received.
Meanwhile, two residents have supported it, stating that it will be a new facility for people to use, with one arguing it would be a ‘great addition’ for family activities in the area following the closure of Hollywood Bowl at The Point in October.
Because more than five people have objected, the adventure golf course application will be decided at a meeting of Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee.
That is in line with the council’s rules on deciding contentious plans.
You can view the application by typing reference 25/00347/FUL into the council’s planning portal.
