Ruchill Community Golf Course

The Project

The vandalised 9 hole Ruchill Golf Course closed by Glasgow City Council is being redeveloped and extended to provide a flagship community golf training facility, unique on the UK mainland. The overall aim is "To restore through redevelopment of the golf course, a heart to the community which provides training, tuition and facilities for all."

The Site

The site, located alongside the Forth and Clyde Canal is less than 2 miles north west of the Glasgow city centre. It is a key open space resource for Ruchill, Maryhill, Cadder and Lambhill. A golf course use has been established on the site for more than 80 years, but the disused site is now surrounded by social housing and vacant brownfield land under redevelopment for new private houses as part of the Secretary of State’s strategic plans to bring forward two New Neighbourhoods in Glasgow i.e. Ruchill - Keppochill and Drumchapel.

Project Development and Proposals

Ann Nevett Landscape Architects, appointed by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow has supported the community through its feasibility stages with technical support and design advice to develop the project. A key issue was the amount of derelict land and disused railway cuttings within and adjacent to the site. This was negatively impacting in terms of health and safety, golfing opportunities, amenity, security etc. and had only a short time frame for infill and restoration, before adjacent housing was built and the area landlocked.

The agreed solution was a proposal brought forward in partnership with Digit Site Services which comprehensively addresses all aspects and is capable of implementation, not only without public sector funding but also generates a financial contribution to the overall project It restores the derelict and vacant land, bringing it into the golf course use, enabling an improved golf course design and inclusion of tuition facilities. 900m of tunnels and cuttings of the former Lanarkshire and Dumbarton Railway between the course and the canal and running through the site to Maryhill will be infilled. The adjacent cutting of the Ruchill Branch of the former North British Railway will also be filled for the new car park.

Benefits and Impacts

The benefits this project can deliver to the local and wider community are substantial:

• Environmental by retaining and managing an important open space for enhanced amenity and wildlife value, and retaining existing stone for use in the redevelopment of the golf course.
• Training through creating over 70 opportunities of work experience and vocational qualifications during the project’s construction and ongoing maintenance.
• Economic by creating 7 FTE jobs, a new business and encouraging new housing development.
• Social by creating a positive focus to integrate existing and new communities, meeting the objectives of The Glasgow Alliance New Neighbourhood Initiative.
• Health by golf coaching and lessons and a non discriminatory membership encouraging Access to All into the sport of golf, and as a positive diversion from antisocial activities and drug abuse.
• Safety by infilling the disused railway tunnels, railway cuttings and pend under the canal Health and Safety hazards to all parties are removed, and personal security concerns and social problems (e.g. drug abuse, burnt out cars etc.) are reduced.
• Reduced liability and maintenance burdens for the rail industry.

In addition the impact of the project will extend beyond the site in terms of:

• The Millennium Link - contributing to the corridor of regeneration, training and employment, business and potentially tourism, and facilitating dredging contracts elsewhere on the canal.
• World wide exportable skills - Scottish trained greenkeepers are in demand.
• A flagship Community Golf Facility - the first of its type in mainland UK and meeting the Scottish Golf Union objective to promote golf in the Glasgow area.

Current Status

The Steering Group are delighted to have secured the support of the Scottish Golf Union. The Scottish Junior Golf Partnership has identified the site and project as the prototype for its new initiative. Colin Montgomerie will design a series of mini courses throughout Scotland to help introduce youngsters to the game.