Challenging course plan (From Wiltshire Times)

Challenging golf course plan in Westbury

10:00am Sunday 19th August 2012 in Westbury By Will Frampton

THREE years after it was bought by two Westbury businessmen, the White Horse Country Park is looking to add a new 18-hole golf course.

Based around the existing nine holes, the new course will create up to seven jobs.

The 300-acre park hosted the revived Trowbridge Village Pump Festival last month, becoming its new official home, and has recently received permission for a camping and caravan site.

Both the extended golf course and the 70-pitch touring caravan park were plans owners Shaun May and Derek Hulin had when they bought the park back in July 2009.

Mr May said: “We are getting a lot of events in, although of course we can always do with a few more, and we are already filling up with wedding bookings for next year.

“The new golf course will have a lot more obstacles such as water hazards, since the existing course is very flat and not too challenging.

“It will still be open to the public, like our fishing lake, you don’t have to be a member.”

The course extension is awaiting change of use permission from Wilt-shire Council.

It will cover 24 hectares of land, including a lake for drainage and watering.

Mr May, who owns Transcar in Storridge Farm, and Mr Hulin, a former town councillor who owns Carpleton Ltd, bought the park for £1.5 million.

Based on the former Lafarge Cement Works site and surrounding land, the park has 15 full-time staff and 20 part-time and seasonal positions.

“We have plenty of additional land, we would like to see a bike park perhaps, and are setting land aside for nature trails and walks,” said Mr May.

“We are looking at a butterfly sanctuary as well.

“It is just a typical country park, you can come in for free and have a wander around, or pay to use the facilities.”

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