A GOLF course is aiming to expand its facilities by offering overnight accommodation.

Bishopswood Golf Course has submitted a planning application to build 18 dwellings on a currently unused part of the course.

The scheme would comprise of 11 dwellings to the north of the development site and seven dwellings to the south of the site, with a new road constructed to provide access to both sections of the development.

These dwellings would then make up a 21-bedroom hotel and a small new housing development on the site off Bishopswood Lane.

The intention is to build an extension to the existing clubhouse at the course for the hotel.

In a planning statement submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council it read: “The site is dominated by woodland, with mature and semi-mature semi-natural broadleaved woodland present to the south of the site, and plantation broadleaved woodland present to the north-east.

“The site has habitat suitable to support a number of protected and notable species including bats, reptiles and breeding birds.”

This application comes following approval last year for a 120-bed care home to be built on the site.

Despite mixed views, the care home was approved on the grounds that a medical facility was needed in the area.

However, residents have aired their concerns with this new application with one resident commenting on Facebook: “Why are they building a hotel and a small housing estate on the golf course?”

The planning statement continues: “The site is bordered to the north and west by Bishopswood Golf Course, to the south by New Road, and to the east by woodland and housing. The site lies to the north of New Road, Tadley.

“The wider is area is largely urban to the north and east, and rural to the south and west. “

If approved there will also be dedicated parking made available as well as landscaping work around the area.

A decision is due to be made on the plan for the site by the borough council by Wednesday, 3 October.

For more on the plan and to comment, go to planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications and search for the reference 18/01892/FUL.