Plans for a leisure development on a site near Darlington, Durham which include the biggest golf course in Europe have been submitted by Middlesbrough Football Club.
The development, thought to cost around £50m, would see a historic hall near Darlington redeveloped into a hotel and spa, with an international standard golf-course within its ground
The hotel would include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa facilities, gyms, treatment rooms, conference and business facilities, bars, function rooms, a hair studio and juice bar. There are also plans to construct a heli-pad in the grounds.
Funding for the restoration of the Grade-II listed Rockliffe Hall, near Hurworth, would be offset by building 24 houses on the site acquired by Middlesbrough FC in 1996.
The 24 three to five-bedroom houses would range from £250,000 to £700,000 at today’s prices.
Darlington Borough Council says it will launch a public consultation within the next few days, however because of the size of the development, would not confirm when a decision would be made.
If the council’s planning committee approves the application work could start later this year, with the complex expected early 2009.
Warwick Brindle, a spokesman for Middlesbrough FC, said: “We are pleased that the full application has gone in and the process has started, and we look forward to starting work on this development.”
Rockcliffe Hall was built in 1863 by Alfred Backhouse, a Quaker and head of a Darlington banking family.
During the Second World War it was used as an Army command headquarters and later bought by the Order of St John of God and operated as St Cuthbert’s Hospital.
References: EGi News 22/06/06
