The 18-hole golf course at Gatton Manor Hotel & Country Club in Surrey is to permanently close after nearly six decades of uninterrupted play.
The 6,629-yard, par-72 woodland layout, which was designed by Commander John Harris and opened in 1969, will be transformed through a rewilding programme into a mix of wood pasture, wildflower meadow and wetland habitat.
This is part of plans to redevelop the site of into a new luxury hotel, spa and restaurant complex, which have received planning approval from local councillors.
The development, valued at £41 million, will involve demolishing the existing hotel — which has been closed since 2022 — and constructing a replacement building comprising 81 guest rooms, two restaurants, a spa offering both indoor and wild swimming pools, a gym, and a range of treatment and relaxation facilities.
The 22-hectare site, situated near Ockley between Horsham and Dorking, will see the construction of two tennis courts and three padel courts.
Local residents raised objections to the proposals, citing concerns over the impact on the character of the rural landscape and pressure on the surrounding road network. Developers acknowledged that closing the golf course was regrettable, but argued it was unavoidable given that it had been operating at a loss for a number of years.
Leave a Reply