Digging has started at a golf course ahead of the construction of a neighbouring controversial water park resort.
Bicester Hotel, Golf and Spa in Chesterton will be Great Wolf Lodge's next-door neighbour once it is eventually built.
Great Wolf Lodge: Everything we know about the water park resort coming to Oxfordshire
The hotel, which has an 18-hole golf course, will lose nine of its western holes due to the resort being built on part of its land.
It therefore plans to transform the site, creating a new nine-hole golf course to the east of the grounds and digging has now started in this area.
The hotel refused to confirm what the digging is for, but hotel manager Paul Morgan previously said a newly designed nine-hole 18 tee course, a par 3 nine-hole academy area and an updated driving range and family facility would be built.
He added: "We look forward to encouraging the new golfer to be able to get into the sport and enjoy their time when here.
"Whilst we look forward to the future we also recognise, and would thank all of our loyal golf members for their patience during the past few years. I am sure they will also enjoy the challenges of a new-style course and practice facilities."
Great Wolf Lodge: Bicester hotel manager 'delighted' by water park resort's approval
People who have visited the hotel recently have noticed the digging, with Bicester resident Mike Black saying on the Bicester Chat Facebook group: “Just returned from my swim at the Bicester Hotel and it is sad to see that the mutilation of the golf course has begun.”
Bicester Hotel, Golf and Spa is used by hotel guests for leisure as well as Bicester Golf Club members.
The club opposed Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor water park and 498-room hotel plan saying it would be harmful in respect to golf provision in the Bicester area and Cherwell district.
It proposed that Cherwell District Council purchase the golf club from the hotel and run it as a municipal course.
The council also agreed that the loss of half of the existing golf course will result in a 'worsening' in the shortage of golf provision in the Bicester area.
Great Wolf Lodge: Work on giant Bicester water park to begin in 2022
There were rumours that the hotel owner sold part of the land to resort operator Great Wolf Resorts for £10 million, but the hotel has not confirmed this and said it was 'unable to comment any further on this matter'.
Construction of Great Wolf Lodge is due to start in 2022 and the development will bring a £200 million investment into the local area – creating 1,000 jobs during construction and around 600 jobs to operate the resort.
Great Wolf Resorts says there are no ‘significant updates’ at this time.
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel