A NEW golf club in Chorley Old Road was given the go-ahead by Bolton Council.

Permission to demolish the existing Old Links Golf Club, rebuild it and build 14 houses was approved by the planning committee.

Despite being approved the application will still be referred to the Secretary of State because of the green belt aspect.

The application was a re-submission after the outline planning permission expired in February.

Approval of the development was sought by the club as they believed their existing clubhouse was ageing and deteriorating and could not host regional and other prestigious golfing events.

The current clubhouse, which was built in 1926 will be replaced with 14 new three-bedroom family houses.

The area marked for development is in the green belt, but it was determined by the council that it met special circumstances because of it providing appropriate facilities for sport.

The new clubhouse will have a view out over the moorland, with a lobby, professional shop, plant room and stewards accommodation on the lower ground floor.

On the ground floor will be a secondary entrance and lobby, male and female locker rooms, toilets and showers and a lounge while visitors will find on the first floor the dining-cum-function room and bar, an external balcony, toilets, the kitchen, the bar store and a snooker room.

Councillor Roger Hayes said: “If we go back a long way when this application was first submitted we did have a site visit and we discussed the financial need of the club.

“It is an asset to Bolton and should be encouraged.

“It is a well-recognised golf club and I would be very happy to see it approved.”

Councillor Norman Critchley said: “It is essential that we approve this golf club. It has a very good history and used to be one of the foremost golf clubs in the area and we ought to try and restore it to that.

“I am very pleased that they want to reincarnate their history and we ought to support them.”