A major development project that will see a four star hotel and 50 houses being built next to a golf course in the north-east of England has been provisionally approved by the local authority

Washington Developments, the owner of Woodham Golf and Country Club, located near the town of Newton Aycliffe, hopes to build the houses and a 75 bedroom hotel adjacent to the course. Improvements to the golf course itself are also planned as part of the project.

Aycliffe Town Council is supporting the scheme, but the planning authority with the final say is the Sedgefield Borough Council, which will consider the application in April.

Washington director Jamie Murphy said: “Woodham is an excellent golf course in a superb location but would benefit from investment both to the clubhouse and the grounds. Our proposal seeks to create a top-class leisure facility. There is no reason why an improved course here shouldn’t attract high-profile tournaments in the future. The new housing and hotel complex will not only secure the course’s future viability but generate additional income for the local economy.”