#lapwings — Public Fediverse posts on home.social

DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2026-08-01 · 15:23 UTC

From #Fairways to #FairUse: Repurposing #GolfCourses

How golf courses can be repurposed to meet the needs of people and planet

Autumn 2024
by Grace Crabtree & Dan Woolley

"Back in April 2020, shortly after the UK had gone into lockdown for the first time, Guy Shrubsole, the campaigner and author of Who Owns England (2019), set out to map and investigate London’s golf courses. While a natural continuation of his wider work on land ownership, it was also given particular urgency in the moment – not least for those living in densely populated cities – as the nation began to ask questions about use of, and access to, #GreenSpace.

"The results of this research produced some surprising findings. For example, although a considerable number of golf courses in Greater London are held in private ownership, the figure is less than half, at 45%. This turns out to be only slightly larger than the number owned by councils (42%). After several decades in which councils, schools, and other public institutions have been forced to sell off green space – including school playing fields and county farms – it seems pertinent to ask why so many golf courses have remained untouched.

"Happily, there are signs of progress. In #Cheshire, the #WoodlandTrust recently purchased a former golf course, and have been busy planting trees. The vision is for the site to 'develop as native broadleaf woodland' and to link with other woodland sites as part of the larger #NorthernForest, providing green space and fighting #ClimateChange.

"And further east, on the #Lincolnshire coast, the #NationalTrust is busy converting a disused golf course – #Sandilands – to 'create new habitats for a variety of #wildlife, especially migrating birds like black-tailed #godwit, spotted #redshank and #spoonbills, along with breeding birds such as #snipe, #lapwings and #oystercatchers' This environmental mission is coupled with the social objective of providing 'a space where everyone can enjoy the benefits of being in nature.'

"More controversially, perhaps, the London-based architecture firm #RCKa has developed a proposal to build housing on an existing golf course in #Enfield, at the northern end of the city. Understandably, not everyone agrees with this vision, arguing that green space, once built upon, is lost forever. However, faced with an acute and growing housing crisis, it may be useful to ask whether some compromise solutions might begin to develop at the edges. [Yes, like housing with LOTS of Green Space, including #CommunityGardens , #FoodForests , and #WildlifeCorridors ! Problem solved!]

"What the above examples demonstrate is a growing interest in the potential for repurposing golf courses, for reasons ranging from climate change mitigation and biodiversity benefits, to providing space for housing and food growing.

"Which brings us to #Glasgow, where the #GlasgowCommunityFoodNetwork (#GCFN) are leading on a proposal to transform a disused golf course into a food growing space, with much of the land restored as a richly biodiverse space where wildlife can thrive."

#SolarPunkSunday #MoreGreenSpace #LessGolfCourses #CommunitySpaces #CommunityGardens

#fairways #fairuse #golfcourses #greenspace #cheshire #woodlandtrust

DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2026-08-01 · 15:23 UTC

From #Fairways to #FairUse: Repurposing #GolfCourses

How golf courses can be repurposed to meet the needs of people and planet

Autumn 2024
by Grace Crabtree & Dan Woolley

"Back in April 2020, shortly after the UK had gone into lockdown for the first time, Guy Shrubsole, the campaigner and author of Who Owns England (2019), set out to map and investigate London’s golf courses. While a natural continuation of his wider work on land ownership, it was also given particular urgency in the moment – not least for those living in densely populated cities – as the nation began to ask questions about use of, and access to, #GreenSpace.

"The results of this research produced some surprising findings. For example, although a considerable number of golf courses in Greater London are held in private ownership, the figure is less than half, at 45%. This turns out to be only slightly larger than the number owned by councils (42%). After several decades in which councils, schools, and other public institutions have been forced to sell off green space – including school playing fields and county farms – it seems pertinent to ask why so many golf courses have remained untouched.

"Happily, there are signs of progress. In #Cheshire, the #WoodlandTrust recently purchased a former golf course, and have been busy planting trees. The vision is for the site to 'develop as native broadleaf woodland' and to link with other woodland sites as part of the larger #NorthernForest, providing green space and fighting #ClimateChange.

"And further east, on the #Lincolnshire coast, the #NationalTrust is busy converting a disused golf course – #Sandilands – to 'create new habitats for a variety of #wildlife, especially migrating birds like black-tailed #godwit, spotted #redshank and #spoonbills, along with breeding birds such as #snipe, #lapwings and #oystercatchers' This environmental mission is coupled with the social objective of providing 'a space where everyone can enjoy the benefits of being in nature.'

"More controversially, perhaps, the London-based architecture firm #RCKa has developed a proposal to build housing on an existing golf course in #Enfield, at the northern end of the city. Understandably, not everyone agrees with this vision, arguing that green space, once built upon, is lost forever. However, faced with an acute and growing housing crisis, it may be useful to ask whether some compromise solutions might begin to develop at the edges. [Yes, like housing with LOTS of Green Space, including #CommunityGardens , #FoodForests , and #WildlifeCorridors ! Problem solved!]

"What the above examples demonstrate is a growing interest in the potential for repurposing golf courses, for reasons ranging from climate change mitigation and biodiversity benefits, to providing space for housing and food growing.

"Which brings us to #Glasgow, where the #GlasgowCommunityFoodNetwork (#GCFN) are leading on a proposal to transform a disused golf course into a food growing space, with much of the land restored as a richly biodiverse space where wildlife can thrive."

#SolarPunkSunday #MoreGreenSpace #LessGolfCourses #CommunitySpaces #CommunityGardens

#fairways #fairuse #golfcourses #greenspace #cheshire #woodlandtrust

DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2026-08-01 · 15:23 UTC

From #Fairways to #FairUse: Repurposing #GolfCourses

How golf courses can be repurposed to meet the needs of people and planet

Autumn 2024
by Grace Crabtree & Dan Woolley

"Back in April 2020, shortly after the UK had gone into lockdown for the first time, Guy Shrubsole, the campaigner and author of Who Owns England (2019), set out to map and investigate London’s golf courses. While a natural continuation of his wider work on land ownership, it was also given particular urgency in the moment – not least for those living in densely populated cities – as the nation began to ask questions about use of, and access to, #GreenSpace.

"The results of this research produced some surprising findings. For example, although a considerable number of golf courses in Greater London are held in private ownership, the figure is less than half, at 45%. This turns out to be only slightly larger than the number owned by councils (42%). After several decades in which councils, schools, and other public institutions have been forced to sell off green space – including school playing fields and county farms – it seems pertinent to ask why so many golf courses have remained untouched.

"Happily, there are signs of progress. In #Cheshire, the #WoodlandTrust recently purchased a former golf course, and have been busy planting trees. The vision is for the site to 'develop as native broadleaf woodland' and to link with other woodland sites as part of the larger #NorthernForest, providing green space and fighting #ClimateChange.

"And further east, on the #Lincolnshire coast, the #NationalTrust is busy converting a disused golf course – #Sandilands – to 'create new habitats for a variety of #wildlife, especially migrating birds like black-tailed #godwit, spotted #redshank and #spoonbills, along with breeding birds such as #snipe, #lapwings and #oystercatchers' This environmental mission is coupled with the social objective of providing 'a space where everyone can enjoy the benefits of being in nature.'

"More controversially, perhaps, the London-based architecture firm #RCKa has developed a proposal to build housing on an existing golf course in #Enfield, at the northern end of the city. Understandably, not everyone agrees with this vision, arguing that green space, once built upon, is lost forever. However, faced with an acute and growing housing crisis, it may be useful to ask whether some compromise solutions might begin to develop at the edges. [Yes, like housing with LOTS of Green Space, including #CommunityGardens , #FoodForests , and #WildlifeCorridors ! Problem solved!]

"What the above examples demonstrate is a growing interest in the potential for repurposing golf courses, for reasons ranging from climate change mitigation and biodiversity benefits, to providing space for housing and food growing.

"Which brings us to #Glasgow, where the #GlasgowCommunityFoodNetwork (#GCFN) are leading on a proposal to transform a disused golf course into a food growing space, with much of the land restored as a richly biodiverse space where wildlife can thrive."

#SolarPunkSunday #MoreGreenSpace #LessGolfCourses #CommunitySpaces #CommunityGardens

#fairways #fairuse #golfcourses #greenspace #cheshire #woodlandtrust

DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2026-08-01 · 15:23 UTC

From #Fairways to #FairUse: Repurposing #GolfCourses

How golf courses can be repurposed to meet the needs of people and planet

Autumn 2024
by Grace Crabtree & Dan Woolley

"Back in April 2020, shortly after the UK had gone into lockdown for the first time, Guy Shrubsole, the campaigner and author of Who Owns England (2019), set out to map and investigate London’s golf courses. While a natural continuation of his wider work on land ownership, it was also given particular urgency in the moment – not least for those living in densely populated cities – as the nation began to ask questions about use of, and access to, #GreenSpace.

"The results of this research produced some surprising findings. For example, although a considerable number of golf courses in Greater London are held in private ownership, the figure is less than half, at 45%. This turns out to be only slightly larger than the number owned by councils (42%). After several decades in which councils, schools, and other public institutions have been forced to sell off green space – including school playing fields and county farms – it seems pertinent to ask why so many golf courses have remained untouched.

"Happily, there are signs of progress. In #Cheshire, the #WoodlandTrust recently purchased a former golf course, and have been busy planting trees. The vision is for the site to 'develop as native broadleaf woodland' and to link with other woodland sites as part of the larger #NorthernForest, providing green space and fighting #ClimateChange.

"And further east, on the #Lincolnshire coast, the #NationalTrust is busy converting a disused golf course – #Sandilands – to 'create new habitats for a variety of #wildlife, especially migrating birds like black-tailed #godwit, spotted #redshank and #spoonbills, along with breeding birds such as #snipe, #lapwings and #oystercatchers' This environmental mission is coupled with the social objective of providing 'a space where everyone can enjoy the benefits of being in nature.'

"More controversially, perhaps, the London-based architecture firm #RCKa has developed a proposal to build housing on an existing golf course in #Enfield, at the northern end of the city. Understandably, not everyone agrees with this vision, arguing that green space, once built upon, is lost forever. However, faced with an acute and growing housing crisis, it may be useful to ask whether some compromise solutions might begin to develop at the edges. [Yes, like housing with LOTS of Green Space, including #CommunityGardens , #FoodForests , and #WildlifeCorridors ! Problem solved!]

"What the above examples demonstrate is a growing interest in the potential for repurposing golf courses, for reasons ranging from climate change mitigation and biodiversity benefits, to providing space for housing and food growing.

"Which brings us to #Glasgow, where the #GlasgowCommunityFoodNetwork (#GCFN) are leading on a proposal to transform a disused golf course into a food growing space, with much of the land restored as a richly biodiverse space where wildlife can thrive."

#SolarPunkSunday #MoreGreenSpace #LessGolfCourses #CommunitySpaces #CommunityGardens

#communityspaces #lessgolfcourses #moregreenspace #solarpunksunday #glasgowcommunityfoodnetwork #glasgow

DoomsdaysCW @[email protected] · 2026-08-01 · 15:23 UTC

From #Fairways to #FairUse: Repurposing #GolfCourses

How golf courses can be repurposed to meet the needs of people and planet

Autumn 2024
by Grace Crabtree & Dan Woolley

"Back in April 2020, shortly after the UK had gone into lockdown for the first time, Guy Shrubsole, the campaigner and author of Who Owns England (2019), set out to map and investigate London’s golf courses. While a natural continuation of his wider work on land ownership, it was also given particular urgency in the moment – not least for those living in densely populated cities – as the nation began to ask questions about use of, and access to, #GreenSpace.

"The results of this research produced some surprising findings. For example, although a considerable number of golf courses in Greater London are held in private ownership, the figure is less than half, at 45%. This turns out to be only slightly larger than the number owned by councils (42%). After several decades in which councils, schools, and other public institutions have been forced to sell off green space – including school playing fields and county farms – it seems pertinent to ask why so many golf courses have remained untouched.

"Happily, there are signs of progress. In #Cheshire, the #WoodlandTrust recently purchased a former golf course, and have been busy planting trees. The vision is for the site to 'develop as native broadleaf woodland' and to link with other woodland sites as part of the larger #NorthernForest, providing green space and fighting #ClimateChange.

"And further east, on the #Lincolnshire coast, the #NationalTrust is busy converting a disused golf course – #Sandilands – to 'create new habitats for a variety of #wildlife, especially migrating birds like black-tailed #godwit, spotted #redshank and #spoonbills, along with breeding birds such as #snipe, #lapwings and #oystercatchers' This environmental mission is coupled with the social objective of providing 'a space where everyone can enjoy the benefits of being in nature.'

"More controversially, perhaps, the London-based architecture firm #RCKa has developed a proposal to build housing on an existing golf course in #Enfield, at the northern end of the city. Understandably, not everyone agrees with this vision, arguing that green space, once built upon, is lost forever. However, faced with an acute and growing housing crisis, it may be useful to ask whether some compromise solutions might begin to develop at the edges. [Yes, like housing with LOTS of Green Space, including #CommunityGardens , #FoodForests , and #WildlifeCorridors ! Problem solved!]

"What the above examples demonstrate is a growing interest in the potential for repurposing golf courses, for reasons ranging from climate change mitigation and biodiversity benefits, to providing space for housing and food growing.

"Which brings us to #Glasgow, where the #GlasgowCommunityFoodNetwork (#GCFN) are leading on a proposal to transform a disused golf course into a food growing space, with much of the land restored as a richly biodiverse space where wildlife can thrive."

#SolarPunkSunday #MoreGreenSpace #LessGolfCourses #CommunitySpaces #CommunityGardens