A GOLF club's bid to provide facilities to further cement its reputation as a centre of excellence for juniors in North Yorkshire has been rejected because of light pollution fears.

Steve Robinson, one of the country's leading national coaches, has honed the skills of many juniors at Malton and Norton Golf Club who have gained national and international honours; they include Emma Duggleby, Simon Dyson, Darren Rix and Chris Tyson.

In order to improve practice facilities for its 150 junior members, the club applied to Ryedale District Council for planning permission for a 12-booth timber driving range, floodlighting and car park at its premises at Welham Park, Norton.

"There are very few areas of the country that have regularly produced this sort of talent and they go on to be good ambassadors of Ryedale in general, and Malton and Norton in particular," said managing secretary Eddie Harrison.

But the plans were knocked into the rough by members of the planning committee because of light pollution that would affect neighbours and the environment from the proposed lighting - six 1,000-watt long-range floodlights and four 250-watt short range flood lights

Coun John Clark said: "We are talking about light pollution and we are talking about youngsters. One of my earliest memories was looking at the stars. Now the sky is lighting up at an immense rate. Coming down from the moors at Cropton you used to be able to pick out Norton high street, now all you can see is great big splodges of light. As far as seeing the stars go, you can't see them anymore.

"This (development) is going to affect everyone's amenity. It's our right to have darkness as well as light."

But Coun Linda Cowling said: "How is this different from other golf clubs? I would have though this was a natural progression for a golf club. What are they going to do if we refuse? Relocate to another area?"

Club captain Eddie Ruddock said: "We don't feel that it will seriously affect anyone's amenity. We are prepared to accept restrictions on opening times and even a reduced lighting scheme if this is the way forward."

Mr Ruddock said he was very disappointed with the decision especially since a similar scheme at Strensall Driving Range had been approved.

Updated: 09:57 Friday, May 07, 2004