New plan for gypsy millionaire Alfie Best's Sapey Golf Club

Sapey Golf Club, near the Worcestershire border north of Bromyard, was previously part of Mr Best’s Wyldecrest Parks company, which bought it in 2017 and which still owns the nearby Saltmarshe Castle residential park.

Covering around 80 hectares in total, the 18- and nine-hole courses, clubhouse and four holiday lodges were offered for sale a year ago by agents Savills for a guide price of £1.8 million, changing hands earlier this year.

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Now Brett Walton of Great Witley has made a full planning application (number 251707) seeking permission to turn it into a family home and guest facility.

Explaining why the club had struggled, his application says that “for such enterprises to be successful the courses have to be open for playing virtually the whole year round”, but the area’s heavy clay soil “made this difficult with climate change”.

Mr Walton and his family now “wish to use the clubhouse as a base” by converting ground-floor storerooms into an accommodation block of three bedrooms with bathroom.

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The remainder of the ground floor, comprising offices, shop and reception area, will be largely unchanged, while upstairs, the existing dining and function room likewise “will remain, staffed by cooks using the large catering kitchen”.

The clubhouse exterior will also be “little altered” while a garage and workshop with large maintenance yard will also remain, along with the four holiday lodges on the former nine-hole course across the road.

Mr Walton intends “to create bridleway-type paths through the former golf holes”, allowing guests to “walk long distances though treed countryside and to ride horses over an extensive area of private land”, while “keeping a few fairways for guests”.

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Both former courses will also be open to locals “who wish to enjoy the beautiful treed areas”, his application adds.

Along with Mr Walton and his wife, the repurposed site will employ two grounds staff, a maintenance person, two cooks and four cleaners and “several part-time helpers”, which together with office and shop staff “means up to a dozen local people will be needed”.

Comments on the application can be made until August 29.