Brandon Wood Golf Course is set to be turned into a nature reserve that will create rich wildlife habitats and become a major new visitor destination for the city.
Members of Coventry City Council are set to meet to discuss the plans that would see the golf course’s fairways, greens and bunkers replaced with wetland, grassland, ponds, hedgerows and shrubs which will be created and maintained by experts in the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.
The habitats would become new homes for a variety of wildlife, ranging from willowtit, damselflies to invertebrates, alongside potentially supporting osprey, otters and beavers. The 64-hectare site would link with surrounding land to create over 350 hectares of land dedicated to the preservation of flora and wildlife.
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “This is a unique opportunity to create something very special, not just for the city and the region, but for the country’s wildlife.
“We know the UK is one of the most nature depleted nations in the world, with one in six species at risk of extinction, and everyone has to take action. We made a commitment in the Council’s Climate Change Strategy to do all we can to support nature recovery - and this site presents a significant opportunity to do that at a scale rarely seen.
“These plans will create the biggest area of land managed for nature anywhere in the West Midlands, and at just six kilometres from the city centre, it would be the closest nature reserve of this scale to a city centre in England.”
The golf course closed to the public in 2020 and a number of options have been considered since then, including a hotel, glamping, solar farm and gravel extraction. However, none were considered financially or environmentally suitable, and the area is also prone to flooding.
The new nature reserve would support Coventry’s work for the environment, and it has been championed by the city’s climate change board. The creation of quality green spaces and waterways will support environmental needs and protect the planet.
For visitors from the city and further afield, it will provide a different type of experience to anything in the city, where people can immerse themselves in nature in a much wilder and larger landscape than ever before.
The Council would need to obtain planning permission for the change of use from Rugby Borough Council and would then work with Warwickshire County Council and other partners to develop the site – including Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, which manages land around the golf course and has its headquarters at the neighbouring Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve.
Cllr O’Boyle added: “We are proposing that Warwickshire Wildlife Trust will manage the site for us and bring its considerable expertise to create a range of habitats that support nature, alongside an amazing visitor experience for people of all ages to enjoy.
“We are also looking at the possibility of building an outdoor education centre on the site of the old clubhouse. This would be a fantastic opportunity to complement our other facilities in the city and at Dol Y Moch and provide a significant natural site right on our doorstep for learning and skills – helping young people to not just enjoy nature, but to be a part of the vital work to protect it in the years to come.”
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust will be responsible for creating and maintaining the new habitats, which will be done through a range of techniques, including introducing a herd of cattle on the site for natural grazing.
Ed Green, CEO of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said, “Bringing the former golf course into management for wildlife joins up several sites across the wider Brandon area and creates the scale needed to support several key species. People in the future can expect to see ospreys, bitterns and perhaps even beavers one day, just a few minutes from Coventry city centre.”
If the Council fails to take action, the land would continue to cost around £70,000 a year to maintain, which means no benefit to local people, and a continued risk of the site being used for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.
Councillors are to discuss a plan for a phased development, with the financial cost supported through income generated through new developments that are required to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain which was brought in by Defra in 2024 to support nature recovery. If councillors agree, the scheme could begin next year. Plans will be discussed at Cabinet on 6 January and will go to Full Council the following week.