Purpose

Bootle Golf Club, Dunnings Bridge Road, L30 2PP is shown edged red on the Plan at Appendix 1. The golf course is owned by the Council and operated by Green Sefton as a municipal golf facility. The 18-hole golf course includes a corner plot of hardstanding, currently utilised as car parking and small depot for storing maintenance equipment. This land also contains the former clubhouse, now derelict and in need of demolition. Whilst the course is well used, facilities are very poor and in need of investment. Coupled with the redevelopment potential of the adjoining vacant land, there is an opportunity to create an improved recreational amenity to benefit existing users and the wider community.

Officers were approached in 2025 by former Everton footballer, Victor Anichebe, now of Lumira Group Holdings, who expressed an interest in working with the Council to deliver long-term investment in the course, alongside a hotel development and improved food and drink amenity. Heads of Terms have provisionally been agreed, which set out the principles of a property transaction to support a phased redevelopment scheme alongside new management arrangements for the golf course, which will lead to the eventual transfer of responsibility from Green Sefton.

Decision

Decision(s):

1. The approved Building Lease for the corner plot of land on Dunnings Bridge Road, which is shown edged and hatched green on the plan at Appendix 1, to facilitate a phased redevelopment scheme in line with the Head of Terms detailed within Appendix 2, be noted.
2. The Chief Legal and Democratic Officer, be authorised to finalise the appropriate legal documentation to document the Building Lease and Lease Agreements as detailed in the Heads of Terms.
3. It be noted that the long-term operational management of the golf course will pass to Lumira Group.
4. It further be noted that further details will be presented back to Cabinet for approval once the terms of a separate management agreement have been finalised.

Reasons for the recommendation:

Complex scheme to bring forward significant changes to the operation of Bootle Golf Course. The Council are explicit about protecting the affordable play provision for selected cohorts, whilst ensuring that the investment into the course delivers an improved leisure amenity for Bootle and the wider area.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

Alternative options would be: - procuring a property agent to formally market the opportunity, seeking redevelopment proposals for the corner plot alongside management agreement offers - This process would involve pulling together a comprehensive marketing pack, commissioning a refurbishment and demolition survey of the existing clubhouse structure, and creating a detailed planning brief.  This would be a timely process, and the Council would incur costs with this approach.

Do nothing and the Council continue to manage the golf course in house – current budget constraints would prevent suitable investment and improvement to the golf course and corner plot.