London Club in Kent now the frontrunner for England's bid to host Ryder Cup for first time since 2002; local resident Phil Wood said proposed housing development at Hulton Park would have led to a "lame duck golf course" once Ryder Cup was over and was "housing project in golf's clothing"
Thursday 24 February 2022 18:30, UK
Bolton's hopes of hosting the Ryder Cup in 2031 have been dashed after councillors voted against proposals for a housing development at Hulton Park.
Revised plans to develop the 800-acre site in Greater Manchester were scrutinised by Bolton Council's planning committee on Thursday and rejected by a margin of 15-1.
Councillors heard a claim that the proposal was a "housing project in golf's clothing".
Richard Knight of Peel L&P, who are behind the £200million project, had called on the council to "seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity and support our efforts".
However, the councillors' decision now leaves the London Club in Kent as the frontrunner for England's bid to stage the biennial contest between United States and Europe nine years from now, with a decision expected in July.
Speaking after the announcement, a frustrated Knight said: "We're disappointed by this outcome. Bolton has quite possibly missed out on the biggest investment in its history.
"Bolton Council had approved the previous scheme and encouraged us to make positive changes. It has done a U-turn at the last hurdle.
"It is hard to comprehend, but evidently very localised opposition has taken priority over all of the potential benefits for Bolton.
"We will now take the time to reflect on the decision and liaise with our partners to consider if there is any way the project can still be brought forward, or whether we now need to consider if there are alternative opportunities for restoring and bringing new life to Hulton Park."
The last English course to stage the Ryder Cup was the Belfry in 2002.
The next two Ryder Cups on European soil will be the 2023 event at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome followed by Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027.
Local resident Phil Wood spoke out against the proposal at Hulton Park, describing it as a "housing project in golf's clothing" and claiming it would result in a "lame duck golf course" once the three days of Ryder Cup competition were over.
Planning committee chairman John Walsh proposed refusing the application, citing the impact on the green belt land on which the venue would have been built.
A spokesperson for Ryder Cup Europe said: "We have received considerable interest in staging future editions of the Ryder Cup from several countries and venues across Europe.
"Discussions with all interested parties will continue in the months ahead before any decision and announcement is made."
The US has already chosen its next three Ryder Cup venues - Bethpage Black Course in New York in 2025, Hazeltine in Minnesota in 2029 and then The Olympic Course in San Francisco in 2033.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
