Teeing up the future for Brackenwood Golf Course
Agreement on a new lease which could secure the future of Brackenwood golf course is moving forward.
Councillors had asked Wirral Council’s chief executive to negotiate with the potential occupier of the site.
The proposed arrangements will support the continued operation of golf at Brackenwood while making sure the public still have access to key areas of the site.
Wirral Council’s Leader, Cllr Paula Basnett, said:
Brackenwood is a valued community asset that has been enjoyed by generations of residents, and these leasing arrangements are an important step towards securing its long-term future.
We want to see golf thriving at Brackenwood again, with a full 18-hole course brought back into use, while ensuring people continue to have access to the park. There is still work to do, but this is real progress towards giving Brackenwood a sustainable future that residents can continue to enjoy.
Wirral Council’s Policy and Resources (P&R) Committee had considered the future leasing arrangements at Brackenwood Golf Course at its meeting of 17th December 2025.
The committee had resolved that the Chief Executive be authorised to negotiate and finalise a lease to the Community Interest Company to be created by Link Golf (UK) Limited or an appropriate occupier, subject to appropriate public notices being published.
Since then, officers have been working to put the agreed lease in place, including working with Unilever PLC on addressing covenants affecting the site.
Unilever PLC has agreed to provide a letter of consent authorising the intended use of the land in accordance with the proposed leasing arrangements. The covenant will remain in existence, which means it will continue to be relevant to any future use, and user, of the land.
The lease is proposed to include a rent-free period to reflect the cost of the works identified to reinstate and open an 18-hole golf course for public play, comprising a full course layout with a mixture of par three and five par holes. This will also see the required playing infrastructure being brought back into a safe and playable condition, including reinstatement of teeing areas, fairway and rough, and reinstating the greens. Under the agreement the leaseholder would be responsible for ensuring that all relevant consents, including planning, are secured prior to any re-modelling works.
The agreement also means the area which referred to as Brackenwood Park will remain open to public access at all times.
As a large proportion of the golf course to be leased was acquired under the Public Health Act 1875 further public notices outlining the plans are required to be issued.
Details of the decision are available on the council website.
