Bid to chip huge net plan into a bunker
PROTESTERS hope to stymie ‘last minute’ plans for huge nets to stop stray golf balls hitting cars on the Manchester Airport relief road.
Stockport Council will rule on its own planning application to erect a 95-metre long 20-metre high fence between Hazel Grove Golf Course and the bypass, which is currently under construction.
The barrier, at the sixth hole, was deemed necessary after errant balls from poor shots proved a significant safety risk to workmen on site.
But nearby residents say the giant fence and its ‘pylon’ supports will be an eyesore, is on greenbelt land and the problem should have been foreseen years ago.
They have submitted a petition to the council with 50 signatures outlining their objections and suggesting the danger could be remodelling hole.
John Bramhall, 63, who organised the petition, said: “This plan is very 12th hour I can’t believe they didn’t pick up on the potential hazard from golf averted by the sixth balls several years ago.
“This came out of the blue and it would be the tallest, most intrusive thing on the entire bypass scheme.
“It is enormous, at 20m tall so big they can’t be held up by poles but 1.5m wide pylons.
“It will be two and a half times bigger than our houses.”
An alternative suggestion of shortening the sixth hole has been rejected by Hazel Grove Golf Course.
The planning application was discussed at a Stepping Hill Area Committee meeting and council officers recommend it for approval.
But the committee ruled a site visit should take place before a decision is made at a planning and highways meeting on March 23.
Although the development would be on green belt land this can be overlooked as the danger to cars constitutes ‘special circumstances’.
Speaking after the meeting, Coun Oliver Johnstone said: “We completely get why residents aren’t happy with this.
“(But) we can’t open the road if there are golf balls flying onto traffic, we don’t have a huge amount of options.
“We were told it would not be a problem until an on site consultant said it was. At this late stage it makes it (a solution) even harder.”
The £300m relief road is expected to fully open by the start of next year.
Mick Jones, from the golf club, said: “We have been fully co-operative throughout this process and will continue to be so.”