Golf hotel welcome addition to resort
THIS is how a new top class golf hotel in Southport could look.
The hotel could be constructed on the vacant Fairways Park and Ride site and could become a similar attraction to Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa.
The idea was originally included in the Southport Development Framework, the document which was commissioned to outline how the town’s future could be shaped.
Initial plans for the hotel attracted immediate interest from developers, with the plan building on Southport’s position at the centre of England’s “Golf Coast”, which is home to 12 of the finest links in the country.
The new hotel would be built adjacent to councilowned Southport Golf Links and within a few minutes’ drive of Hesketh Golf Club and Southport Old Links Golf Club.
Both Hillside Golf Club and Royal Birkdale, which will host this year’s Open Championship, are also within a 10-minute journey from the proposed site.
The plans also state the hotel could lead to further developments in the area, with glamping sites suggested as one such possibility.
The document states “Southport Golf Links is a high quality and popular 18-hole municipal golf course to the north of the town centre. Adjoining the council-owned golf course to the south is the council-owned former Fairways Park and Ride site.
“Given its close proximity to the adjoining golf course, adding to the existing golfing offer through high quality visitor accommodation (including hotel and selfcatering accommodation), associated parking and other complementary leisure facilities to support the existing golf course is an obvious opportunity.
“Land in private ownership around the Marine Lake edge may also provide scope for alternative visitor accommodation in the form of glamping or other similar uses.”
Cambridge Ward councillor and leader of the Lib Dem Group, Sue McGuire, welcomed the development but said that more must be done for the future of the town.
She said: “The Fairways Park and Ride is currently an eyesore and is a prime development site.
“Making Southport a golf resort makes a certain amount of sense and builds on some of the best assets of the town however I firmly believe that the future of Southport should not just be about cafes, restaurants and hotels.
“Southport needs the right infrastructure and technology to attract cutting edge businesses and start-ups to the town.”
A spokesman for Sefton Council said: “The Southport Development Framework is an over-arching plan that highlights potential development opportunities, giving examples of the types of activity that could take place at each of the designated sites.
“Through our work with consultants, Nexus, we believe that the Park and Ride site is a key development opportunity within Southport.
“Given the borough’s golfing tradition, its proximity to the local course and the need for more quality hotels in the town, it was concluded that a themed hotel would be well suited.
“Moving forward, we will be using the framework to progress targeted conversations with potential developers and investors. This is not an overnight process but importantly it lets everyone know that Sefton is open for business.”