Cherry Lodge Golf Club Biggin Hill Kent

Sorry - can you explain a bit further what the implications will be? Development seems to be restricted to the existing golf course, but hard to tell from the link you have posted!
 
They are proposing to turn the farm track/byway into a road for the haulage lorries to gain access to the new development, this will entail going across an existing brideway.... also they will be using at least a third of the agricultural field as parking for the lorries.... its green belt land..... and us horse riders had to fight to get the bridleway status even though it had been ridden for 30 years plus... there is no mention of us horse riders being consulted - we ride around the fields and have done for many many years.....

Part of the proposal is extensive tree work... just thinking of all this traffic etc is going to be catastrophic for anyone that uses the fields.... its been kept quiet so far.... but hopefully if people are aware something can be done....

There is a lot to read so am endeavouring to be up to date with it by Monday.....

We dont have much off road riding as it is... so unfair..
 
Flag this up to BHS either Headquarters or your local rep/Bridleways Group
Contact your Council area Outdoor Access Forum to express your dismay and try to get alternative routes.
 
Can't you submit a formal rejection, outlining the points you make in your post.
Maybe pen a standard response for people to submit.

They cannot ignore rights of way, and looking at the application it doesn't appear to say anything. The application does request information on public rights of way, which I assume include bridle paths etc.
 
But the parking for the lorries and the access will be temporary won't it? I can see why you are annoyed and its worth saying something to have your opinions heard and to see if they can do anything to mitigate things for you. It doesn't seem to mention the bridleway as a constraint which you would have thought it would do?

But tbh, if its only temporary and things will be returned as they were before I can't see you can do much? Can you ask for the bridleway to be temporarily rerouted?
 
Taken from local rag...

Residents swing into action over golf club’s plans

Traffic fears ... Biggin Hill residents met on Monday evening to discuss Cherry Lodge’s plans

BIGGIN Hill residents have expressed concern about a golf club’s application for improvement works.

Cherry Lodge Golf Club has applied to Bromley Council to set up temporary access roads off Main Road, near the Fox and Hounds pub, in order to deposit inert materials at the club so it can remodel 11 holes.

It also wants to construct a driving range, associated building and a 126-space car park. Residents, however, fear the project will bring traffic and disruption to the area, if given the go ahead.

David Haslam, chairman of Biggin Hill & District Residents’ Association, said: “Looking at the volumes involved in this application, there’s going to be considerable numbers of vehicle movements on a daily basis – that’s the major concern.

“How many of these vehicles would be trundling through the village?”

Mr Haslam said he understood the need for the golf course to modernise, but not “at the detriment of the village”.

Craig Sutherland, Cherry Lodge’s director of golf, said the project stems from a long-standing issue with the 14th hole.

“We have a safety issue with an adjoining property opposite the 14th hole. Golf balls were firing into his garden and nets didn’t always stop this,” he explained.

Mr Sutherland said a firm was appointed to explore the options for redesigning the 14th hole but the cost to the club - £30,000 – was prohibitive.

A company called Woodland Environmental were subsequently invited to look at the course.

Woodland proposed a self-financing programme of improvement works, including remodelling 11 of the course’s holes, subsidised by funds generated from the collection and deposit of inert soils.

If the application is approved, the temporary access road off Main Road, which would cross land owned by Chevening Estate and a private owner before reaching Cherry Lodge, would be open between 8am and 5pm every day, Monday-Friday.

There would be no weekend access and the site would be secure, Mr Sutherland insists. It would be serviced by 40-50 lorries per day and the project is planned to last 16 months.

Mr Sutherland says traffic, waste and ecological studies were all carried out, prior to the submission of Woodland’s proposals to Bromley Council.

The improvement works would result in a “vastly improved facility”, Mr Sutherland said, which would offer a practice area for non-members and allow the golf course to take on more staff.

BUT NOWHERE ON THE APPLICATION IS THERE MENTION OF THE BRIDLE PATH THAT IT WOULD NEED TO CROSS.... OR THE FACT THAT A BRIDLEWAY RUNS DIRECTLY AROUND THE GOLF COURS.... SO THATS 16 MONTHS OF 50- 60 LORRIES A DAY..... They have a perfectly useable drive way so why not use that???????? :(
 
Ok... have now spoken to BHS and liaised with Andrew King at Bromley council he had the following comments to make:

Cherry Lodge Golf Course has been sold and the new owners will be developing the course to provide upgraded facilities for golfers. These works will impact on footpaths and bridle ways that cross the golf course or pass adjacent to it. Some footpaths will be temporarily diverted. As I understand this is not the case with bridleways but as often the case when developments works affect the public’s access to a facility, as a trade off, routes are often upgraded at the expense of the developer. In the case of bridle ways this should mean that surfaces are improved, vegetation cleared etc.

The bridleway affected is:


"Lodge Golf course to finally emerge at Berry’s Green Road.
FP 275B has been upgraded to a bridleway and is now BR275B. This route starts at Jail Lane, opposite Cudham Primary School, passes between Cherry Lodge Golf course and the car park to Foal Farm and continues to the junction with BR277.

The real fear is that if this Byway is made into a road it will then be used to build houses on the site by Wade...

Am waiting for BHS Access lady Avril to contact me to see where we go from here... but she is currently on the case and raising an objection....
 
Received from BHS: A quick look at the application has revealed that yes there are proposed temporary changes to rights of way. They are not covering this fact up there are two plans dedicated to the existing and the proposed rights of way and they have ticked the box on the application form that says they propose to alter a right of way.

However, I think there is justified concern about the clashing of horse riders and haulage/hgvs using the temporary development haulage road which will be in close proximity to the ‘Byway’ although it does say it will be separate and segregated from it. Also this route would appear to meet Main Road very close to where the bridleway/byway also meets Main Road. The main vehicles using the route would be 4 axle soil tipper lorries. Construction is expected to take 12 months. Movements will be in the order of 70 per day (mon – fri) between 9.30am and 4.30pm equating to 10 lorries per hour therefore you are unlikely to be able to ride the length of this route between 9.30am and 4.30pm without passing a nearby lorry every 6 minutes!!! EEK seems like a huge number of movements!! There will be hoarding around the site during construction – does this mean that workers on site would not be able to see passing horse riders and could start loud machinery without being aware that a rider is within close proximity? Also at certain points the bridleway/byway would appear to be sandwiched between the site works compound and the site itself and then for much of its length between the golf course works and the haulage road.

Seems that although the route will be maintained during works some riders will consider it unusable due to proximity to haulage lorries/works etc There would certainly appear to be a very high chance of accidents involving horses/horse riders arising from the works. Furthermore they are proposing no improvement of the surfaces of the routes. I think they sould be providing reinstatement works as there the lorries have crossed over the bridleway which i think happens at 4 points the ground will be compacted and susceptible to water-logging during and upon completion of the works.
 
“the local BHS representative will be objecting to the Planning Application because of the effect the haul route, in particular, will have on the existing ROW and the recreational use of the adjacent land. All riders (and cyclists) should write individually to the Planning Department at Bromley Council asap to register their objection to the Application”
 
Update... another Face Book group has been created...

http://www.facebook.com/groups/271410729546070/

Also:

Object to the Cherry Lodge Golf Club Planning Application


I have been advised that it would be prudent that in addition to formal objections, that we prepare a list of riders who actually use these rides is drawn up. It will be a simple statement that riders can sign. It requires name, address and contact number and will have tick boxes (once a week, twice a week, once a month, etc) so riders can indicate usage. They may then be called to verify this. Riders who don't use the route may find their objections to the proposals do not carry so much weight.

If you wish to add your name to this list please PM me...
 
Object to the Cherry Lodge Golf Club Planning Application


A Protest ride has been organised for this Saturday at 3pm. . It has been arranged for Horse Riders to meet at the Bridleway entrance/exit where the florist is located on the main road.... Biggin Hill and then to ride up the main road to the byway/new proposed road entrance.... Walkers etc., are welcome... Local press will be on site. Posters will be also be displayed..

All are welcome.....
 
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