The course’s owner has claimed the new housing plan was not its original intention
Beeston Fields golf club and wedding venue in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, has been sold to the Cilldara Group(Image: Beeston Fields golf club and wedding venue)
A Nottinghamshire golf club could be closed and turned into housing after its owner U-turned on a promise made just over a year ago.
Beeston Fields Golf Club and its attached wedding venue was sold to Warwickshire-based property developer Cilldara Group in November 2024, prompting concern amongst members and neighbouring residents.
These fears were allayed by reassurances from Cilldara that it would continue to run both the events venue and golf club, which was founded in 1923 and had been family-owned until 2024.
However, a message to golfers has now revealed the firm intends to renege on its pledge, in what a former captain has decried as a “betrayal”.
An email sent to the club’s members said: “I would state that it was not our original intention to consider submitting a planning application at this early stage of the ownership of the golf course, but the facts of the matter are the club’s financial predicament, coupled with the change in planning environment, means that this warrants due consideration.
“This development obviously could have serious implications for the medium to long term future of the golf course, so we feel that it is only fair to share this information with you prior to decisions being made by yourselves with regards to the next cycle of membership renewals.
“However, we would stress at this stage that there are no certainties regarding the success of any planning applications we make.”
A planning application is expected to be submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council in spring, according to the club, which said the housing plan would not have any impact on the golf course until March 31, 2028, at the earliest.
The communication with members argued that the Government’s push to build more houses to address the national shortage had put more pressure on Broxtowe Borough Council to meet targets, which, when paired with the club’s financial performance, made the housing proposal a “prudent/protective step”.
Councillor Steve Carr, who represents Beeston North for Broxtowe Independent Group on the council, said he found Cilldara’s new position “very worrying”.
“I am sure that residents will be as annoyed as I am that the assurances given by the new owners have been reversed,” he added.
Members had previously been told that Cilldara intended to progress smaller housing projects on Bramcote Drive and Beeson Fields Drive, but avoid schemes that would impact the golf course.
One past club captain, who did not want to be identified, said members felt betrayed and “terribly let down” by the U-turn.
He claimed that members had been suspicious of developer Cilldara since the time of the sale, but had been put at ease after being told that the family behind the company had always wanted to run a golf club.
“It’s obvious now that from the outset they had no intention of actually maintaining Beeston Fields as a going concern,” the ex-captain said, before expressing upset that members had not been given a chance to try to buy the club themselves from the previous owners.
The irate golfer explained that people had renewed their memberships, not knowing they were “locked in for years to a golf club that will be in decline” and been told by the previous owners that it would be maintained despite the sale.
As well as depriving golfers of their course, the former captain said ripping the green space up for housing would destroy what he called Beeston’s “green lung”.
“It’s not just the golf, friendship circles, and that community would be ripped apart.
“The popular conception of golf is that it is for the upper middle classes, but it’s not about protecting something snooty; it brings people together.”
Cilldara was contacted for further comment on the change in its plans, but did not respond.
