Family Amusements seeking to redevelop Felixstowe golf site

Felixstowe-based Family Amusements has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate against East Suffolk Council's refusal of a £4.3million project to redevelop the Adventure Golf attraction in Sea Road to provide holiday apartments and new tourism facilities.

In giving the reasons for the appeal, the appellant's agents Boyer said the attraction was "at the end of its working life and is uneconomic to run".

READ MORE: New plans to turn golf attraction into seafront homes

They said: "The golf facility would not be viable as a standalone facility but is able to continue operating as it is part of a much larger group of entertainment interests that subsidise it."

The agents also cited previous applications between 1965 and 1988 for the site on the corner of Sea Road and Arwela Road which had been granted planning permission.

However, the developments never took place and permissions lapsed, while a new Local Plan was agreed in the early 1990s, which emphasised the need for tourist-related development in the town.

READ MORE: Adventure Golf attraction set to make way for new homes

The crazy golf course was said by the appellant's agents Boyer to be at the end of its working life and uneconomic (Image: Archant) In October 2022, this newspaper revealed comments from Robert Allerton, an architect for the developers, who said East Suffolk Council had declined any development on the land despite having "no clear or defined plans for the use of the land".

However, Felixstowe Town Council had opposed the development, which included 14 flats, because it would have a "detrimental impact" on the Conservation Area and was against policy because it did not promote "high intensity tourist uses".

READ MORE: Company offers to build new seaside golf attraction

Felixstowe mayor David Rowe said: "My view on it is that we would want to keep it as leisure if possible because it is along the seafront. It is an area where we don't want to lose leisure facilities.

"We are trying to attract more people in, so the more leisure we have, the more attractive it will be for people."

An East Suffolk Council spokesperson said: “An application to develop flats, holiday accommodation and commercial and leisure space at the Adventure Golf site, in Sea Road, Felixstowe, was refused permission by East Suffolk Council, as local planning authority, on November 15, 2023.

“The proposals were considered contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework and the East Suffolk Council - Suffolk Coastal Local Plan to deliver sustainable development.

“An appeal has since been lodged against refusal to permit development and the council will be robustly defending its position with further written submission to the Planning Inspectorate in the near future.”