EVINGTON — The future of one of Leicester’s premier sporting venues hangs in the balance this week after city planners blocked a development project intended to rescue the club from financial ruin.
Leicester City Council’s planning committee voted on Wednesday to refuse an application for a 72-bed care home on a parcel of land at The Leicestershire Golf Club. The decision has sparked concerns that the historic institution, described during the hearing as the "jewel in the crown in Evington," may be forced to close its doors.
The primary obstacle to the development was the site's status as protected green wedge land. This planning designation is strictly maintained to prevent urban sprawl and preserve open spaces between Leicester and Oadby.
While acknowledging the social utility of a care facility, the committee ultimately prioritized environmental protections. Green Party Councillor Patrick Kitterick warned that approving the project would set a dangerous precedent for the city's remaining open spaces.
"It's a question of do we want green wedge policy that will stand up or fall over every time a good and laudable aim comes forward?" Kitterick argued. "If we show that this won't stand up, this committee will be faced with people not just nibbling away at this green wedge but other parts."
The golf club had hoped to sell the land, located off Gartree Road and Stoughton Drive, to Morrison Community Care. Club officials argued that sacrificing just 1% of the total acreage would have provided the capital necessary to preserve the remaining 99%.
Ashwin Mistry, president of the golf club, expressed "total disappointment" following the vote. He revealed the club has been operating under extreme financial duress, citing:
Conservative Councillor Jenny Joannou, a member of the adult social care panel, supported the club's plea, stating that the need for care beds outweighed the environmental impact. "If we don't get this, Leicestershire Golf Club will go under," she warned the hearing.
The developer, represented by Nadir Khan-Juhoor, highlighted the missed opportunities resulting from the refusal. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the project would have:
The facility could have been operational by 2028, addressing what the developer described as an inevitable surge in demand for elderly care services.
With the "green wedge" policy upheld, the golf club must now find alternative ways to address its mounting debts. While Councillor Kitterick suggested that other sites are available within the city for care home development, the club maintains that this specific sale was their best hope for long-term viability.
