Friday, May 9, 2008
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SAGA OF GOLF RANGE NEARLY ON GREEN

By Richard Wright - Thursday, March 27, 2008
THE planning saga of Westridge golf course, its driving range floodlights and huge earth embankments appears to be entering its final round.
The IW Council’s planning committee has given permanent permission for the floodlights, with a 9pm nightly curfew, subject to wide-ranging planning conditions.
Following complaints about the earthworks, designed to shield Nettlestone households from the glare of floodlights, owner Mark Wright employed civil engineers to investigate safety and how it could be improved.
Recommendations included making slopes less steep and improving surface water drainage to stop mud and water flowing on to the adjacent lane and reduce the risk of collapse.
Planning conditions insist on a comprehensive scheme being agreed to cover construction of the bund, its drainage and planting regime to be completed on or before June 30, 2009.
Further conditions insist floodlights should only be operated until 9pm and no variation to their height or their baffles or hoods should take place without agreement.
Yet more conditions were added after the owner of Barnsley Farm, whose land is within yards of the embankment, sought further assurances.
Chris Sandell suggested the owner lodged a financial bond from the revenue raised by charging for the soil, rubble and clay to be deposited to make up the embankments, to ensure work was completed.
He said there should be improved screening and re-profiling of the embankments should take place during the summer to minimise the risk of collapse.
Mr Wright’s agent, Glen Hepburn, said his client accepted all the proposed conditions.
Cllr Brian Mosdell urged work to take place after settlement had occurred and when conditions were dry.
“Otherwise they are going to be chasing 100,000 tons of jelly around,” he said.