Home / Business and Economy / Historic Golf Course Closes for Luxury Hotel
Historic Golf Course Closes for Luxury Hotel
11 May
Summary
- Gatton Manor's 166-acre golf course will close this year.
- A £41 million luxury hotel and spa development is planned.
- The project is expected to create 145 long-term jobs.
Gatton Manor golf course, established in 1969, will cease operations this year after 57 years. Mole Valley District Council has approved a £41 million redevelopment plan to transform the 166-acre site near Ockley. The course, described as "no longer a viable enterprise," will be rewilded to enhance landscape and wildlife habitats.
The existing hotel, closed in 2022, will be demolished. It will be replaced by the Hermitage Farm Hotel and Spa, a luxury establishment offering 81 rooms, a spa, indoor pool, and outdoor swimming lake. Tennis courts, padel courts, and horse riding facilities will also be available.
This significant development is anticipated to provide substantial employment benefits. It is estimated to generate 290 jobs during the two-year construction phase and 145 long-term positions upon the hotel's operational launch. Local officials have expressed enthusiasm for the project's potential to boost tourism and the local economy.
