BLUE MOUNTAIN RESPONDS TO LOCAL AUTHORITY VOTE

• “Any change is years ahead” says popular golf, conferences and weddings venue

On 22nd January 2014, Bracknell Forest councillors voted in majority favour of releasing land at Blue Mountain golf course from a Section 52 planning agreement dated February 1990, which protects the land from being built upon.

In February a final decision on whether to remove this legal covenant will be taken by Chris Turrell, Executive Member for Planning and Transport at Bracknell Forest Council.

Blue Mountain Golf & Conference Centre is operated by the Crown Golf group, the UK’s largest owner / operator of golf clubs. The group has responded with this statement on the matter.

MATTHEW LYNWOOD, PROPERTY DIRECTOR, CROWN GOLF

Last week over 2,000 local residents staged a protest campaign against the removal of the Section 52 Blue Mountain covenant, and we expect the local community will continue to unite against this proposed development.

There is still an extensive planning process to go through. Realistically, any development – if it proceeds - remains years off. Bracknell Forest Council cannot proceed with the development until it has obtained detailed planning approval. It may take several years for them to get into this position, and there is certainly no guarantee that they will succeed.

The planning process involves the submitting of formal applications, undertaking consultations with local residents, and placing specific and detailed proposals before the planning committee for approval. Ecology, Traffic, Infrastructure, Design and other surveys will all need to be undertaken to accompany an application.

Let us consider the events of recent months.

In mid-2013, the independent Government planning inspector approved Bracknell Forest Council’s Site Allocations Local Development Plan (SALP) Policy 7 plans to zone the Blue Mountain land for potential future housing and schooling developments, and the 130-acre site which includes Blue Mountain G&CC and its surroundings is included in a ‘Long Term Zoning’ process contained in the Council’s plan which guides development in the Bracknell area over a 20 year period.

This formally identifies future land in the Bracknell area which the town may – and we emphasise ‘may’ – expand into at some point over the next two decades.

There are several other ‘Zoned’ areas in our neighbourhood which were allocated that status many years ago, on which no redevelopment work has yet begun. This is just one of the many reasons why Blue Mountain members, customers, suppliers and staff need not be concerned for years to come.

As well as being one of Berkshire’s most popular golfing destinations, open to the public, Blue Mountain Golf & Conference Centre is also a highly popular conference, functions and weddings venue in the local area.

Our members, visiting golfers, wedding customers, and meetings / conference planners can rest assured that it is absolutely business as usual at Blue Mountain.

This process is creating a degree of uncertainty for Blue Mountain’s staff and many loyal customers, but we have a long term lease over the site with our landlord and fully expect that the substantial planning challenges which Bracknell Forest Council will face, against what is likely to be strong local opposition, will extend this process over many years to come.

If we also factor in the current economic climate, finding funding for this sort of large-scale development will not be easy.

JAMES ELSTER, GENERAL MANAGER, BLUE MOUNTAIN GOLF & CONFERENCE CENTRE

We have a lot of support from the local community and as a popular part of that community our message to our customers and supporters is simple: any change is years ahead.

People will be golfing, partying, meeting, and of course getting married, right here at Blue Mountain for many years to come.

Ends.

www.bluemountaingolf.co.uk

Resting in 200 acres of beautiful Berkshire countryside is Blue Mountain Golf and Conference Centre. With easy access to both Bracknell and Reading and in easy reach of the M4 and M3. Blue Mountain is the premier venue for Conferences, Weddings, Parties and Golf in Berkshire. The venue, complete with seven fully air conditioned conference and banqueting suites for up to 650 delegates, an 18 hole golf course and 33 bay driving range offers a friendly and warm welcome to visitors and members alike. At Blue Mountain we can host any special event in a selection of our exquisite banqueting suites catering for up to 400 guests. Each room offers stunning views of our peaceful golf course surrounded by beautiful lakes and landscaped gardens, a perfect location for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate dinners and seasonal balls. Our challenging, undulating par 70, 18 hole parkland golf course which brings water into play on more than one occasion also boasts a fleet of buggies and a newly refurbished 33 bay floodlit driving range, ideal for warming up before play or is the perfect place to learn with one of our golf professionals seven days a week. Blue Mountain G&CC is part of the Crown Golf group.

www.crown-golf.co.uk

The award-winning Crown Golf group has 25 UK golf facilities and 38 golf courses in its portfolio. With pride in customer service and innovation, Crown Golf (established in 1994) aims to provide an outstanding golf experience for its members and visitors, tailor-made to suit the lifestyles and needs of a wide range of golfers. The company’s flagship is the European Tour venue St Mellion International Resort, home to The Nicklaus Signature Course – the first in the UK to be designed by 18-time Major-winner Jack Nicklaus.