Bradford on Avon Golf Club has had its grass cut in defiance of campaigners who want to turn the land into a wildlife haven.

John Hussey is understood to have ordered contractors to trim the grass on the 44-acre site overlooking the River Avon.

Campaigners want him to rewild the site – saying it is a haven for the town’s wildlife, including bats, birds, butterflies and otters.

But Mr Hussey, a co-director with a controlling 75 per cent interest in Bradford on Avon Golf Club Ltd, wants to sell the land for housing development.

When contacted by the Wiltshire Times he declined to comment.

Wiltshire Times: A sign warns people not to trespass on the land. Image: Trevor Porter 76950-4A sign warns people not to trespass on the land. Image: Trevor Porter 76950-4 (Image: Trevor Porter)

The 77-year-old, who lives at Brittle Springs Farm at Heywood near Westbury, runs the golf course company with his brother and sister, who don’t live locally.

They used to operate a ‘pay and play’ nine-hole golf course on the land but closed it in 2019 after attacks by vandals damaged the club’s premises and green-keeping machinery.

Since then, Mr Hussey and his family have managed to get the site listed as a reserve site for housing for up to 80 homes in Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire Council’s latest Local Plan.

More than 1,300 residents signed a petition launched by Bradford on Avon Town Council last November asking Wiltshire Council to remove the land from the reserve list.

Wiltshire Times: Grass has been cut on the former Bradford on Avon Golf Club site. Image: Trevor Porter76950-5Grass has been cut on the former Bradford on Avon Golf Club site. Image: Trevor Porter76950-5 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Former town mayor John Potter, who is a member of the campaign group, said: “He cut the grass last year otherwise it would have caught fire during the drought.

“He has cut it again this year because he has got surveyors surveying it all. He just wants to get planning permission for housing.”

Campaigners say the town’s infrastructure is already over-stretched and more housing will place a greater strain on local schools, the town’s health centre and roads.

Plans to build up to 190 homes on the site were rejected in 2008 and locals say it remains unsuitable for housing because the land contains toxic waste.

The reasons for rejection included its former use as the town tip and the access problems through an existing housing estate.

Any development on the site would involve the disturbance of large quantities of toxic waste and could pollute the River Avon on its northern boundary.

Any housing development would also result in a huge increase in traffic both on the housing estate and along Trowbridge Road.