Local Conservative and Reform UK politicians had pressed Bexley Council to scrap the plans
Controversial plans to build a golf practice facility at a Bexley leisure centre have been withdrawn despite planners recommending the plans for approval.
Reform UK believe their complaint about how the Crook Log Leisure Centre planning application was handled by Bexley Council caused the withdrawal, but the South East London authority said this complaint was still being considered.
Conservative Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Louie French also shared concerns about the Crook Log plans, suggesting residents only 17 metres away from the new golfing space would have their lives blighted by a “repetitive golf-ball strike noise”.
The application to build a ‘Golf Pod’ practice facility on green space to the west of the leisure centre car park in Bexleyheath was originally meant to be discussed at a meeting of Bexley Council’s Planning Committee in July, but it was deferred to the October 8 meeting so committee members could visit a similar facility.
Bexley planners recommended the plans for approval at last month’s meeting despite several residents of South Gipsy Road and Park View Road complaining they would be affected. However the plans have since been withdrawn, though the applicant has not explained why.
Mr French MP was contacted by the concerned residents and his office responded to the planning application. The response said: “One resident suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, which is significantly affected by repetitive and unavoidable sounds.
“She is also aware of at least two children living on the road with disabilities and sound sensitivities and feels that residents should not be placed in a position where they are unable to escape noise disturbance within their own homes and gardens.”
Within planning documents, Bexley planners concluded that noise would not be a problem for nearby residents. They concluded that additional acoustic screening would be enough to avoid any “significant noise related impacts”.
Reform UK Bexley complained that planning documents did not give a “sufficiently realistic picture” of how the facility would operate—particularly when it came to noise and light—and the party criticised council officers for the way the application was handled.
The local branch of the political party was also concerned about the proposal’s proximity to Aspire Academy Bexley, a specialist primary school for children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs less than 100 metres away.
A Reform spokesperson said: “Repeated golf-ball strikes can produce sharp, sudden and intrusive noises.
“For residents, this could mean ongoing disturbance in their homes and gardens. For children with special educational needs, particularly those sensitive to noise, the consequences could be especially concerning.”
Reform UK Bexley celebrated the withdrawal of the Golf Pod plans on social media, citing its own “extensive investigation and protests” as well as the “hard work of local residents” as reasons for the outcome.
Bexley Council said its officers had considered the application “in accordance with the legal and regulatory requirements” and said that Reform’s complaint was currently being investigated.
A Bexley Council spokesperson said: “We have received a complaint from an individual that we believe to be associated with the Reform UK party. This is currently being considered in accordance with the council’s complaints process.
“The planning application had been considered in accordance with the legal and regulatory requirements, and the planning committee had deferred the application for further consideration.
“The applicant has now withdrawn the planning application, so there is no longer such an application before the local authority at this time.”
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