A hotel, spa and leisure complex could be built at a golf club in the National Forest in west Leicestershire.
The owners of the Forest Hill Golf and Country Club in Botcheston – between Leicester and Hinckley – want to expand their business.
Sparsis Leisure Ltd wants to develop a 5.5 acre redundant nine-hole golf course to the south of the existing clubhouse – temporarily closed due to the lockdown – in Markfield Lane.
The business says it wants to provide additional leisure facilities and hotel accommodation for guests during golfing competitions, conferences, weddings and other events at the club as well as for other tourists visiting the area.
Documents, now being assessed by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council planners, show the new hotel will be called The Club at Forest Hill.
It is estimated between 50 and 60 jobs would be created if the scheme proceeds
A few years ago the site, which is not far from Thornton Reservoir, was being considered as a potential home for a new Leicester City Football Club training ground.
The training ground has subsequently been built near Seagrave in the north of the county.
The submitted plans say: “The Covid-19 crisis has afforded the owners time to conduct additional research on the new golfing landscape and to re-evaluate the club’s long term future.
“The public want and need more leisure, more outside activities, better functioning buildings, structured engagement, supported programmes with a much greater emphasis on general wellness.
“There is a need to change the “traditional golf club” to one of “golf and wellness” all within the site boundaries.”
The plans add: “The management team has undertaken research and engaged in discussions with various parties including England Golf, the UK Golf Federation and members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf and has identified several areas in which it needs to invest to realise the club’s future.
“It will achieve this by bringing together several new strands, which on their own will not achieve the required result but together will deliver a new ‘club’.
“This will be delivered by an experienced executive management team and significant financial backing.
“The team aims to bring to the market a cluster of new purpose-designed buildings and facilities which will enhance the existing golf course, training facilities and clubhouse whilst adding a new accommodation building - all within in a fully sustainable setting.
“This enhanced facility will appeal to golfers and non-golfers alike.
“Forest Hill was identified in the team’s investigation as a potential location for its flagship development.”
