Housing plan for former bowling green
A FORMER bowling green that was the subject of a fierce wrangle between a property developer and club members could be turned into a £1m housing development if planners give it the green light.
Stewart Smith’s actions in flattening Newsome Community Sports and Bowling Club’s facilities at the former Newsome WMC on St John’s Road, Newsome, sparked outrage in November 2016.
The bowling club had been using the green since 1905 but the WMC went into liquidation and Mr Smith bought the site for £250,000.
He says he spent £400,000 on turning the derelict club into six apartments and now wants to build eight three-bedroom detached bungalows which he says would be sold for £250,000 each.
Hundreds of people protested but ultimately it was all in vain.
One of his most ardent critics over the years has been Kirklees councillor Andrew Cooper, (Greens, Newsome).
He said: “I don’t believe people should make profit out of the destruction of a community asset.
“I will be opposing the application, there are good planning reasons to oppose it including highways issues.
“It should have remained as a bowling green and it’s a travesty that a 100-year-old bowling green has been destroyed for private profit.”
But Mr Smith said: “It was not a community asset, that is quite wrong. It was a private club that went into liquidation.
John Lang, who lives in the area, said: “Everyone seems to have accepted what has happened. It’s a long time ago now.”
Of the 12 comments posted on the Kirklees Council planning website, several are in support of the plans and some opposed.
One said: “I support the application to build eight bungalows. On reading some of the comments I am saddened by the negativity of a minority of individuals.
“The former working men’s club appears to be incomplete externally. Anyone taking a plunge at this day and age I regard highly in the fact that the former disused bowling green and clubhouse has been put to far better use than its previous existence.
“Let’s make way for the younger generation and genuine people of Newsome village and refrain from negative comments and fake news.
“£700,000 has been invested in this particular site and a further £1m is the expense to build the proposed site, leave the developer to get on with the project, the project has cost more than it perhaps should have due to constraints placed upon them and interference from certain individuals (you know who you are). I support the application and so do the genuine people of Newsome village.”
But another person wrote: “I would like to raise my disagreement in this application as this would be close to my property, block my natural light also it would leave me with not much privacy.
“I strongly disagree with the application please can my issues be noted.”