Councillors vote on future of Blackpool's Stanley Park golf course

The Conservatives had forced a full debate to be held into a decision to dispose of land off East Park Drive to build an Adrenalin World adventure park and up to 250 holiday lodges.

But a bid to bring the issue back before the council’s executive was lost by 17 votes to 13.

It means the original decision, which was backed at the meeting by the ruling Labour group, still stands with the next stage set to be a planning application.

Conservative group leader Coun Tony Williams said the council had “once more failed to listen to the voices of the people”.

But council leader Coun Lynn Williams told a meeting of the council held on zoom the scheme would bring many benefits to the town, including up to 150 jobs.

She said the planning system would ensure the best outcome was achieved for residents.

Potential benefits would include “a receipt of around £2m and the majority of this will be used to improve and create green spaces across the town for all residents”.

She said: “We’ll have a wider range of leisure activities, 150 jobs as opposed to just 150 people utilising the site as golfers.

“Long term sustainability, more trees, accessability, opportunity for new access routes, access to ponds and wetlands, contemplative gardens for the hospital and fitness paths creating circular walks.”

Coun Lynn Williams added: “If the potential development does not meet any of these exacting standards or requirements, it will not get planning permission and the development will not go ahead.”

Both Conservative and Independent councillors had opposed the scheme and wanted it to go back to the executive for reconsideration.

Coun Paul Galley warned: “Go back to the executive to discuss other options for that site because once it goes into the planning system we have so little control.”

Independent councillor Gary Coleman accused the council of being “hellbent on giving away what little green space we have”.

But Labour members said the developer had pledged to plant more trees than were already there.

Coun Jim Hobson said: “Golf clubs are not natural environments, they literally could not be more man-made.”

Following the decision Coun Tony Williams said: “I am disappointed with the vote on the appropriation of the land at Stanley park Golf course but not surprised.

“The council have once more failed to listen to the voices of the people and are running this town like a dictatorship.

“Not for the first time has this council ridden rough shod over the people of Blackpool.”

He had called in the decision and asked for it to go before the full council after the executive had voted unanimously to appropriate the land for planning purposes, ahead of a planning application being submitted for the £45m scheme.

This would mean the loss of the 18 hole municipal golf course, but nine holes would be retained and upgraded, along with the clubhouse on the west side.

Public consultation including details of environmental impact assessments to be carried out at the site on East Park Drive, attracted 288 objections mainly to the loss of open space.

In September 2019, Labour threw out a petition signed by 8,000 people calling for the golf course to be saved from development.