Part of Birkdale Common in Southport could be taken over to be used as a practice range for the world’s top golfers playing at The Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
The next tournament takes place next year (2026), with tournaments coming to Southport around every eight years.
R&A Championships Limited has submitted a planning application to Sefton Council to utilise open land adjacent to the practice range at neighbouring Hillside Golf Club on Hastings Road in Birkdale for golf course use.
It would include the erection of new fencing and gates, the introduction of new landscaping, re-profiling works to create a practice tee, and the diversion of the existing Public Right of Way.
A Public Right of Way crosses the centre of the site connecting Hastings Drive with the wider coast. To the north of the site is Greenbank High School. Royal Birkdale Golf Club is located to the west, with Hillside Golf Club and residential development located to the east.
A planning statement submitted by DLP Planning Ltd Liverpool on behalf of R&A said: “The proposed development comprises improvement works necessary to facilitate Royal Birkdale Golf Club hosting The 154th Open in 2026 and future Golf Championships held in the area.
“The Open is golf’s original championship. Played since 1860 on iconic links golf courses, it is the sport’s most international major championship, with qualifying events on every continent. For one week each year, the pursuit of the famous Claret Jug trophy is the focus of the sporting world, followed globally by millions of fans.
“Since first hosting The Open in 1954, Royal Birkdale has been the most regular venue for the Championship other than St Andrews. The Open will return to Royal Birkdale for the 11th time in 2026, as it stages The 154th Open.
“Since Royal Birkdale last hosted The Open in 2017, the Championship has evolved. The nature of the game and the requirements for professional golfers has also changed significantly.
“Greater demands are now placed on course layout, practice facilities, experience, and infrastructure. There has also been a reduction in available land around the golf course to locate facilities needed to host The Open. After reviewing the available space to stage The Open at Royal Birkdale, it has been determined that a new location for practice facilities is required to maintain a safe, world-class, and competitive facility, with the suitable infrastructure space to accommodate a major sporting event.
“The application site has been identified as the most suitable option for providing the world-class practice facilities required by extending the existing practice range at Hillside Golf Club.”
DLP Planning Ltd says that formal pre-application advice has been received from Sefton Council which states:
- The proposed development is likely to comply with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework and therefore be appropriate development in the Green Belt.
- Justification is needed on why the loss of an area of Birkdale Common is needed
- There is significant support for tourism related development, including acknowledgement that golf courses play an important role in the local tourism industry, particularly in relation to hosting The Open
- The proposal has the potential to be acceptable in principle subject to demonstrating the loss of public open space is acceptable
- The proposal is considered to be acceptable in design terms
- It is not anticipated that there would be any intensification of vehicle traffic, and therefore the Council’s Highways Officers do not object
- The proposal to divert the Public Right of Way is acceptable in principle
DLP Planning Ltd said: “in order to host The Open, and future major Championships it is necessary to provide elite facilities to meet the needs of the best professional golfers in the world, as well as provide a world class visitor experience for spectators.
“Previously, the practice facilities for The Open were located within Royal Birkdale’s club practice ground and the main spectator infrastructure was located within Greenbank High School and the surrounding area.
“The R&A has surveyed the available space to stage The Open at Royal Birkdale and concluded that a new location for practice facilities is required to maintain Royal Birkdale as a safe, world-class, and competitive facility, which has the suitable infrastructure space to accommodate a major sporting event.
“Greenbank High School is starting a process of new development that could reduce the land which has been previously available for use in staging The Open and working closely with Southport Learning Trust, the school is prioritising children’s education.
“The R&A supports the school’s position and shares its commitment to prioritising children’s education. The extent to which Greenbank High School is used for The Open is therefore changing and so the layout for the Championship is required to change from previous stagings at Royal Birkdale.
“The Championship has also evolved since 2017 when Royal Birkdale last hosted The Open.
“In recent years, the nature of the game and the requirements for professional golfers has also changed significantly.
“Greater demands are now placed on course layout, practice facilities, experience, and infrastructure.
“There is a need to futureproof Royal Birkdale to secure the long-term sustainability of this valued venue and that it can continue to host The Open and other championships in the future.”
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Do you need advertising, PR or media support? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com
