Southern Valley Golf Club in Kent is to close at the end of August after the venue’s owners agreed to sell the club to make way for a proposed new road crossing to link Kent and Essex.
The Gravesend-based club, which first opened in 1999, currently has 300 members, all of whom have been notified of the imminent closure.
The golf course occupies a site which is planned to be built on by the Lower Thames Crossing, a new £8 billion road construction project that will cross the Thames estuary close to the Dartford Crossing. If built, the proposed 14-mile road will pass through the districts of Thurrock and Gravesham, supplementing the existing Dartford route and easing congestion on that route.
The land at Southern Valley would be used for the southern tunnel entrance and new road connecting to the A2/M2, as well as a new public park and open landscaping.
In a statement to members, the directors of the club said: “Due to the uncertainty with the crossing, the directors have decided to accept an offer for the land currently occupied by the golf course. It is therefore with regret that we announce that after more than 20 years of operations, we will be closing the business. We would like to thank you all for your support over the years and wish you all happy and successful golfing.”
Matt Palmer, executive director on the crossing scheme, said: “We are sorry for the impact our proposals would have on the Southern Valley Golf Club, which is unavoidable due to the selection of a route that aims to reduce the impact on nearby homes and sensitive habitats such as ancient woodland.
“We have been engaging with the owners of the land for a number of years and are currently in active discussions with them to reach a voluntary agreement to purchase the land, which we are aiming to complete at a time and in a way that best supports the landowners.”
The post Southern Valley to close to make way for new Thames road crossing appeared first on Golf News.
Leave a comment