Cheshire East Council has refused an application for an adventure golf course near the centre of Macclesfield, despite more than 100 residents and two parish councils supporting the scheme.

The owner of Adlington Golf Centre wanted to set up an Australian-themed golf course on the London Road site.

The council's strategic planning board was told on Wednesday the adventure golf course would be on the site of the original nine-hole graduate course, which has been replaced by a newly opened nine-hole course located to the south of the golf centre.

The original course had to be replaced because it would be severed by the proposed Poynton Relief Road.

Planning officers said the scheme should be refused because 'whilst not inappropriate development by definition, [it] would lead to a loss of openness and encroachment in the Green Belt'.

Cllr Barry Burkhill (Handforth) agreed and proposed refusal.

He said the report stated: "Taken as a whole the various structures, features and associated means of enclosure would have a material impact on the openness, causing encroachment in the countryside, thereby undermining the purposes of including land within the Green Belt."

He said he went along with the officer's statements and proposals 'otherwise we're going to lose Green Belt'.

Macclesfield councillor Nick Mannion (Labour) agreed and seconded the proposal to refuse.

"The Green Belt is a precious thing," he said. "In a previous meeting of the northern planning committee, a member said 'once it's gone, it's gone' and I think that is the case here."

But some councillors didn't agree.

Congleton councillor Suzie Akers Smith (Ind) said: "I think this would be a great scheme for the residents of Poynton and Macclesfield. What have we approved in the last few years that helps people get fit? It gets people interested in golf."

She said the loss of the Green Belt had occurred when the Poynton Relief Road was approved.

Cllr Patrick Redstone (Odd Rode, Con) agreed with Cllr Akers Smith and said the site is already used as a golf course.

"I think this is a proposal that has got local support," he said. "I can see two parish councils and 104 people who are supporting it, that's quite a different situation from most applications which we get before us which we approve or don't approve.

"I think that those people know something about this site, and have an understanding about this site, that we don't necessarily have.

"This will brighten up people's lives. It will be good for family life, it will get people fit.

"This is also an appropriate use of Green Belt."

The council refused the application by seven votes to two, with one councillor abstaining.

Adlington Golf Centre is located on Sandy Hey Farm, London Rd, Adlington, Macclesfield SK10 4NG.

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