Handsworth residents to be told of plans for loss-making golf course

Nov 24 2009 by Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

BIRMINGHAM’S sports and leisure chief will face residents over controversial plans to build a cycling centre on a city golf course.

Liberal Democrat councillor Martin Mullaney will speak to Handsworth residents about his proposals for the soon-to-be-closed Hilltop municipal golf course.

Handsworth Wood Labour councillor Paulette Hamilton demanded the meeting after reading about the plans in the Birmingham Mail and hopes Coun Mullaney will be able to answer residents’ questions.

She said: “I am not sure there is much affection for the golf course, but people are curious about what is planned. I am delighted the cabinet member has agreed to talk to them.

“It was not well used by residents as most of the golfers came from further away.

“However residents are keen to be involved and consulted.

“This is a wide area of open space and it can be a wonderful facility for the people of Handsworth and Handsworth Wood.”

The course, which loses £239,000 a year, is set to close by the end of March and will be turned into park and meadow land.

It will be maintained at a much lower cost to the city and councillors hope dog walkers, ramblers and cyclists will make good use of it.

A medium to long-term aim, once finances allow, is to develop cycle tracks, an outdoor velodrome, a stunt cycle centre and even adventure playground on the sprawling site as funding becomes available. Last year, Birmingham’s seven municipal golf courses cost the council taxpayer more than £600,000 to maintain and run.

Of that sum, around £239,000 was spent on Hilltop.

A large proportion of those using the course were not Birmingham City Council taxpayers.

The losses prompted an ongoing review of golf facilities in the city. The public meeting is at St John Wall School, Oxhill Road, Handsworth from 7pm to 9pm on Thursday.