Ifield Golf Club in West Sussex has been told it must close in 2027 to make way for 3,000 new homes.
Homes England, which bought the land on which the Crawley-based club is located in 2020, has given notice to Ifield’s management that the club will need to leave its site by April 2027.
Ifield was founded in 1927 and is due to celebrate its centenary in 2027, giving the club and its membership just a few months to mark the milestone before departing the site. The club currently has 500 members across all categories and 50 social members.
In August, the government’s housing agency submitted a planning application to Horsham District Council for 3,000 homes West of Ifield, on land, which includes the golf course. The plans are due to be considered by the council in the spring, though no exact date has yet been set.
Charlotte O’Mahony, project director, said: “Homes England has been clear throughout our engagement over the last six years that closure of Ifield Golf Course would be necessary to deliver essential local infrastructure. The notice served – far longer than the six months required – gives the club and its members the time needed to plan for the future.
“Securing this land enables the earliest possible delivery of essential infrastructure, a new secondary school and new homes for local residents by 2029, alongside extensive green spaces and sports facilities. We will continue to work with the community and stakeholders to ensure we deliver these commitments.”
Under the National Planning Policy Framework, Homes England does not have to replace the golf course. Instead, ‘alternative sports and recreation provision’ is allowed. This will include investment to improve facilities and capacity at Tilgate Forest Golf Centre in Crawley, and Rookwood Golf Course in Horsham, and a leisure centre with swimming pool will be built. Plans for the Ifield site also includes a secondary school, a primary school and a health centre.
Members of Ifield Golf Club have been left devastated by the decision, with commentators on social media describing it as a ‘massive blow for the local community’, while other members called the decision to sell land for housing instead of finding a like-for-like replacement a ‘disaster’, while also expressing concern for the future of local golf and community spaces.
Ifield’s 6,300-yard, 18-hole parkland course was designed by Fred Hawtree. The club’s current 7-day, adult annual membership fee is £1,495, while the visitor green fee is £39 at weekends and £33 on weekdays.