HS2 to pay millions to save historic golf course

MILLIONS of pounds of taxpayers’ money is to be lavished on saving a golf course cut in half by the new High Speed Two rail scheme.

Whittington Heath Golf Course in Lichfield, Staffordshire – one of the oldest in England – will lose five of its 18 holes along with its historic clubhouse when the rail track is built directly across its land.

But the Government has come to the club’s rescue by agreeing to recreate the lost holes on adjoining land, as well as building an imposing new clubhouse.

Five remaining holes will also be remodelled and a practice range and a car park will be built as part of the deal, which has been made possible after the local council agreed planning permission for the new site.

However, critics of the scheme said the spending symbolised the wastefulness of the HS2 project, designed to speed up journeys between London and the North.

John O’Connell, chief executive of The TaxPayers’ Alliance, which claims the HS2 project could end up costing £90billion, said: ‘The reasons to abandon the project are numerous and this is just another nail in the coffin.

‘HS2’s business case is flawed; it will cause massive disruption and inordinate expense. The Government should scrap HS2 before any more taxpayers’ money is wasted.’

The rescue follows five years of talks between the club and the Government-funded HS2 company, which is building the high-speed line between Birmingham and London before extending it to the North West and Yorkshire.

Club captain Pete Espin said: ‘We made a conscious decision to work with HS2 and preserve 130 years of golf. We could simply have accepted the HS2 route as a signal for the course’s closure, but we’ve worked closely with them and we’re delighted with the outcome under the circumstances.’

An HS2 spokesman refused to say how much the redevelopment would cost, but added: ‘We are delighted Whittington Heath Golf Club has been able to secure new land that will enable its long golfing traditions to continue.’