A £100-MILLION redevelopment plan for St Mellion Golf Course was finally given the green light to start last week, after Caradon councillors agreed to plans for a new access route. The proposal, which was given outline planning permission last year, includes a new 80-bedroom hotel, 265 golf homes, a refurbished clubhouse and re-configured golf course. The new access to the site will be off the Viverdon Down roundabout, north of St Mellion village, and the existing entrance will be closed — despite claims that it is the safest junction on the A388. Many local people had opposed the plans, saying that traffic coming from the south would use Church Lane, the main road through the village, as a short cut. But Caradon District Council's planning committee was told that Church Lane would be restricted to local traffic. David Groves from Cornwall Highways said there was no plan to close it during major events at the course, and any traffic plan and event management plan had yet to be discussed. The applicants Crown Golf, who are the largest golf course operators in the UK, aim to bring back major national and international golf tournaments to the venue, after purchasing the site in 2005. They have obtained a written commitment from the PGA European Tour to host the English Open at St Mellion for five years on the condition that fundamental improvements take place on the site. The scheme is expected to create 50 full time jobs and provide £550,000 towards local infrastucture improvements and a local employment package. Project manager Barrie Aspinall said: 'This is a hugely important scheme – not only for the St Mellion Resort but for the local community, Cornwall, Devon and the South West region as a whole. 'We have been working very hard to make sure that our plans meet the requirements specified and look forward to continuing to build relationships with local residents so that they are kept fully informed about all that is happening. 'Securing a contract to bring European Tour golf to St Mellion is very exciting. 'Not only will the competition provide a major tourism boost for the area, it will also help to raise Cornwall's profile as a beautiful, high quality destination that offers visitors exceptional service and facilities.'
