Plans for 26 homes at Hartsbourne Country Club approved

A "state-of-the-art" replacement clubhouse will also be built at Hartsbourne Country Club in Bushey Heath after plans were approved by Hertsmere Borough Council.

The club says "modern and improved" facilities need to be provided in order for the club to "survive" - with new homes helping to pay for that investment.

As part of the proposals granted by the council, an existing clubhouse will be converted into ten homes, while a cottage will be turned into seven homes.

Six homes will be built within an existing stable block with a further two inside Manor Cottage.

A swimming pool and restaurant will be be demolished to allow for the construction of a replacement clubhouse and leisure facility.

An overview of Hartsbourne Country Club in Bushey Heath. Credit: Hertsmere Borough Council

Planning agent Sam Metson said this facility will include a pool, gym, fitness studio, and spa and planning documents state it will open to a "wider audience".

Hartsbourne Country Club, which includes an 18 and nine-hole golf course, has been in existence for the past 80 years and currently has a membership of about 800 members. However, it has been battling falling membership and rising maintenance costs.

Mr Metson said: "The application is fundamentally about securing the viable future for the sports and leisure facilities provided at the club."

A Power Point slide shown to the planning committee of the country club proposals. Credit: Hertsmere Borough Council Webcast

At the meeting at the council's offices in Borehamwood on August 12, councillors were told none of the 26 new homes would be designated as "affordable".

However, the applicants have worked with the council and proposed to buy seven units at Prestige House by Elstree & Borehamwood train station.

There is planning permission for nine homes at this site in Borehamwood, and working with an affordable housing provider, five of those nine homes are now in line to be available at affordable rent with two at shared ownership.

A CGI of the proposed new clubhouse shown to the planning committee. Credit: Hertsmere Borough Council webcast/Hartsbourne Properties Ltd

At the meeting, Borehamwood Labour councillor Michelle Vince raised questions about why affordable housing was being placed in Borehamwood, rather than Bushey.

Planning papers presented to the committee stated the service charges for these particular homes at Hartsbourne would be "prohibitively expensive" to occupiers of affordable housing, adding none of the new homes would likely be "genuinely affordable" because of the price of housing in this part of Hertsmere.

Council officers added the guaranteed provision of affordable housing in Borehamwood was a better option for the council than the applicants paying a sum of money towards providing affordable housing in the borough.

Hartsbourne Country Club's plans were unanimously approved by the planning committee, subject to a section 106 agreement relating to the affordable housing contribution at Prestige House.