PLANS have been lodged to build flats at an East Renfrewshire golf course.

Bosses at Williamwood Golf Club hope the proposals will bring “much-needed funds” to pay for a series of improvements.

Should the application be given the green light, the development would see 14 flats built on unused ground at the Clarkston venue, with parking and a new access road also included.

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A planning statement highlighted the financial difficulties currently faced by the club, indicating that, without “improvements and interventions,” the venue may become “unsustainable.”

It goes on to reveal that, over the past 10 years, membership at the club has been “falling consistently” with a “consequent drop” in income which has made it increasingly difficult to meet the running costs.

The statement adds: “The key elements in the club’s report are that total membership has been falling consistently and that there has been associated ageing demographic, indicating that without interventions, improvements and change, this pattern will not be reversed and, if continued, the club may become unsustainable.”

This application comes just three months after a neighbouring golf club in Newton Mearns had to close its doors after going into bankruptcy.

Eastwood Golf Club was forced to shut due to dwindling membership.

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This was despite various efforts to save the business, including an open day that was staged earlier this year in a bid to attract new members.

At the time, the club also introduced gender-neutral tees, which were aimed at allowing golfers to play from a set of tees most suited to their ability, rather than their gender.

The application submitted by Williamwood Golf Club is expected to be considered by East Renfrewshire’s planning chiefs in due course.

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