Jack Barker’s Landfill was to Finance Basildon Golf Course Improvements

Friends of Basildon Golf Course in Essex are sharing some of their experiences like us in Goldenhill of having to deal with Jack Barker and the landfill issues at golf courses.

The following article makes very good reading along with the web links for more information.

In 2006 the municipal golf course at Basildon in Essex was leased by the Council to Jack Barker Golf. The 146 acre 18 hole course is on green belt land within walking distance of the centre of the New Town. As part of the leasing arrangements there was to be a new clubhouse and a driving range.

In 2007 local residents were horrified to find out that the ‘improvements’ were to be financed by the importation of landfill – 180,000 tonnes in the first phase and a total of 468,000 tonnes over 3 years. In spite of their objections, planning permission was granted – and since Basildon District Council was working in partnership with Jack Barker Golf, the Council was giving itself planning permission.

To fight these proposals, local residents formed ‘Friends of Basildon Golf Course’. Legal advice was that the only way of stopping the development was to get the planning permission quashed at a Judicial Review. The Friends were unsuccessful at the initial review but new information then came to light which the Council had withheld from the Court. This new information was considered at the Appeal, and the Lord Justices found that the ‘Screening Opinion’ (part of the planning process) was legally defective in four respects and quashed the planning permission. An account of the case can be found using the following link:

http://www.ftb.eu.com/2009-news/court-of-appeal-quashes-planning-permission-for-deposit-of-large-quantity-of-waste-on-golf-course.asp

As part of their campaign, the Friends had been researching information about other Jack Barker Courses and thus learned of the continued dumping at Goldenhill. Through our MP Mrs Joan Walley, contact was recently established, and the Friends learned that our City Council was about to re-posses the lease because of unpaid rent and unauthorised dumping.

No rent has ever been paid at Basildon. In addition the Council there has  made ‘wet weather payments’ and has loaned money for an access road for the planned importation of waste. Together the monies involved are around £200,000. In view of our experiences with Jack Barker Golf, the Friends are now hoping that Basildon District Council will terminate their lease with the  ‘Jack Barker Golf’ company running the course at Basildon.

As part of their campaign the following article appeared in their local newspaper, The Echo.

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/basildon/8847755.Golf_tenants_kicked_off_course_in_Stoke/?ref=ec

Those interested in the Friends’ campaign and information about what has been happening at other Jack Barker sites might like to visit their website at www.basildongolfcourselp.com

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