London Mayor Sadiq Khan proposed concreting over London golf courses in May to help deal with the housing crisis.
He announced he is considering removing Metropolitan Open Land (MOP) protection from some greenbelt land, including certain golf courses, in a bid to rescue his target of building 88,000 homes a year.
This comes as an influx of young people have taken up the sport in recent years, with under 34’s making up almost a third of all golfers in the UK, PGA data shows.
Middlesex Golf chairman David Niccol said: “If you start concreting over the 131 golf courses you’re going choke London to death.”
The golf community has expressed worries about people of all ages losing social spaces and places to exercise.
This represents a U-turn for the Mayor, who has previously pledged to protect greenfield sites.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Much of London’s green belt is low quality land, poorly maintained and rarely enjoyed by Londoners.
“Londoners can be assured that strict conditions will be attached to any release, not only making best use of land but also increasing the quality and accessibility of green spaces.”
Watch to hear more from Niccol and a young greenkeeper on why the sport is popular and so important.
Featured image credit: iStock – stockcam
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