highworth's old golf Course History

The land was obtained by Highworth Rural District Council (HRDC) in the early 1970s to be used for leisure, recreation and to protect the hill top town setting of Highworth, to safeguard vistas to distant landscapes and local features. The intention was to build a public golf course. At the time, a 25 year covenant was placed on the land to provide this protection.

On April 1 1974, HRDC and Swindon Borough were absorbed into the newly-created Borough of Thamesdown.. 

All Highworth Rural District Council assets, including the land mentioned above were transferred to Thamesdown Council with a 25 year Public Open Space caveat.

The then Chairman HRDC, Mr A Burke Jones, said – ‘The amalgamation of the Highworth Rural District Council with the Borough of Swindon on April 1 1974 marks the end of negotiations over a period of three years - negotiations which have been conducted in a spirit of great goodwill.

Nevertheless, folk in the rural district must have some feeling of nostalgia, if not of concern, at the passing of an authority, which, over a period of 80 years, has followed a policy of intimate personal relationship with the local Parish Councils and indeed with individuals; and this relationship has been recognised as of great value. Let us hope that the vastly bigger bureaucratic structure of Thamesdown will continue in this spirit!

The then Mayor then went on to say “The villages must be safeguarded and the interest of the minority must not be unduly sacrificed to the demands of urban representatives and the insatiable compulsion of continuous development”.

Thamesdown Borough Council propose constructing a Golf Course on the Botany Farm land. 

In 1990 Highworth Community Golf Course opens and is run by Thamesdown Borough Council. The golf course provides continued protection of this land.

In 1997, Thamesdown Borough Council is renamed Swindon Borough Council.

In the UK, a green space refers to an area of vegetated land within an urban or suburban environment, including parks, gardens, woodlands, playing fields, and allotments. These spaces, whether public or private, contribute positively to the environment and community by providing habitats for nature, supporting physical and mental health, and helping to manage issues like flooding and carbon emissions.

In July 2013, SBC Cabinet authorised work to find organisations to lease Highworth Golf Course (along with Broome Manor) on a long lease, with one of the important factors being to secure a sustainable long-term solution for these facilities.

SBC figures show that the Highworth course was loss making. This information is made available to any potential bidders.

Highworth, and Broome Manor Golf Courses and 6 Leisure Centres are marketed by Swindon Borough Council. Swindon Borough Council Officers advised Councillors that a 25 year lease at £1000 per month would meet their best value criteria.

Twig-market take on Highworth Community Golf. The agreement is for 25 years which includes a 15 year 'Stay open' clause. This clause should see the golf course operating until at least 2029.

Interestingly, figures available to Twig-market at that time show the Highworth course was loss making. 

We believe the reason given by Twig-market was for the land to recover. It never reopened.

Twig-market asks Swindon Borough Council for a termination of their lease on the Community Golf Course, which is given permission and the Golf Course closes in December 2019.

Cabinet papers then show that the golf course was lossmaking and commercial terms were agreed for the surrender of the lease, which was completed W/C 16th August 2020. This was despite Twig-market knowing the course was loss making when they took on the lease, and despite Twig-market knowing the lease had a 15 year stay open clause.

The Action Group for Saving Highworth's Old Golf Course was formed. 

August 2020 Swindon Borough Council had plans drawn up for 350 houses and a school on the Old Golf Course. The indicative plans were drawn up by a company called MPC and dated August 2020. They were marked for internal use only and not for publication

On the 17th August 2020, Highworth Town Council wrote to the Head of Property Assets at SBC, requesting that HTC take over this land for the recreational use of Highworth. A response was received on the same day, advising that SBC were considering future options for the land and that interest is noted.

On the 7th March 2021, HTC wrote again to the Head of Property Assets to ask for an update on the request made by HTC 6 months prior. SBC responded to say that “The Council is still reviewing options in regard to the former golf course site and I can confirm that no more is required from the Town Council at this stage”.

In a success for our campaign, the 350 houses and school plan were taken out of the draft Local Plan, at a Full Council meeting of Swindon Borough Council.

Prior to the elections in May 2023 the Action Group for saving Highworth’s Old Golf Course were approached by Labour Councillors to try and find a way to transfer the Old Golf Course land to Highworth Town Council on a 99 year lease at a peppercorn rent of £1 per year. After the elections Councillors were told this would not meet their best value consideration. Highworth Town Council were not given an opportunity to discuss this with officers from Swindon Borough Council.

Swindon Borough Councillors officers came up with three suggestions. Turn the land into a Country Park, no building, 400 residential units or 700 residential units.

And here we are today still fighting for the land that was purchased for the residents of Highworth in 1974.