Golf club set to officially surrender lease after receiving RBWM money

Maidenhead Golf Club says it has received the agreed millions of pounds from RBWM to surrender its course for redevelopment into homes – and is set to move off at the end of 2025.

The golf club is moving to make room for the proposed CALA Homes development of up to 1,500 houses and flats, in an agreement which was reached under the previous Conservative administration.

An outline application detailing proposals for the site, dubbed the Elizabeth Quarter, was submitted in January.

Though there has been much pushback from various members of the community, the council said getting out of its long-running agreement with CALA is ‘all but impossible’ at this point.

To facilitate the housing development earmarked in the adopted Borough Local Plan, MGC has to surrender its lease on the site – which was due to expire in 2039 – early.

RBWM previously agreed to pay £15.95million to the golf club to surrender its lease. Members voted to accept this offer in September 2021.

The club has long maintained that it wanted to stay at its current site and said it was ‘pushed’ to move.

Now it appears that particular matter is finally settled.

On Friday (August 30) Maidenhead Golf Club sent out a members update letting them know that RBWM has now paid MGC ‘the full and previously agreed surrender value.’

This effectively completes MGC’s lease at its current site in Shoppenhangers Road.

It has now entered a ‘licence to occupy’ – which allows CALA Homes to access the site in the interim period until MGC eventually leaves.

“The developer cannot undertake any works on the course unless MGC provide its agreement, and that it doesn't interfere with members unrestricted enjoyment in continuing to play golf across all 18 holes,” the club explained.

This lasts until December 31, 2025 – after which, MGC will be moving off.

MGC mentioned that there is a tax it must pay very soon, which it says will be paid for from the money from the lease surrender.

MGC mentioned that there is 'an immediate and not insignificant payment to HMRC for Corporation Tax, for which the draw down of the surrender value will help us settle.'

The remaining money is being placed in interest-bearing accounts and will remain available if MGC ‘need to react quickly’ to take advantage of opportunities to secure its future,’ the club said.

This letter to members also said the club has lodged its interest in bidding for Mill Ride golf club in Winkfield Row, near Ascot.

It was announced last month that Mill Ride was to be sold after a court decided the owner bought the club with fraudulent funds.

MGC is also ‘continuing conversations with another three clubs in the surrounding area’ some of which are ‘at a more advanced stage than others.’

There are restrictions on how much the board can divulge ‘due to the various NDAs in place.’

The golf club ‘continue[s] to tirelessly investigate opportunities to continue MGC at another location’ and further information will be provided as soon as it can be.

“Ultimately the members will decide on the future of MGC,” the club wrote.

Maidenhead Great Park campaign group, which has been against the sale of the golf course for housing since the beginning, said it is 'devastated' by news of the payment. They said:

“This is very bad news for the people of Maidenhead, as it plunges our council further into debt and takes us a step closer to the destruction of thousands of trees which will be devastating for wildlife and the local environment.

“The council’s deal with CALA Homes is reliant on planning permission being granted, so it’s not too late to stop this environmental vandalism.”

A council spokesperson said:

“Under the terms of the Lease Surrender Agreement, agreed by the council in 2016, we are obliged to pay the golf club £15.9m in lieu of the remaining period of the lease.”