Defence Online

A £60m golf resort has been given the go-ahead in Northern Ireland just days after plans for a £16m visitor centre were also given approval. The plans, which were first proposed in 2003 by developer Wilmar Ltd, include the development of a championship standard parkland golf course, a luxury hotel and holiday apartments in Hillsborough.Once complete, it’s thought that the complex will employ between 150 to 400 people.Alongside the development of a visitor centre at Hillsborough Castle the area will begin to draw in tourists.Permission was granted for new visitor and estate facilities including restoration of existing stableyard and historic gardens at the castle.The Walled Garden will be restored and a section of the grounds known as the Lost Garden, which had become overgrown and difficult to access, will also be returned to its former glory.Inside the castle itself, visitors will be able to explore the State Rooms, which will be newly presented, opened up and interpreted to provide an insight into their use as both a royal residence and as a venue for entertaining and political discussion.Work will also be carried out to the estate’s operating base, upper forecourt and railings, marquee base, carriage drive, Prince’s charities buildings, Moss walk, conservation stores and workshops and yew tree walk.It’s expected the castle could welcome up to 200,000 visitors a year by 2019, the same year the hotel is planned to open.The project will be led by Historic Royal Palaces, the charity responsible for the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. It’s expected the organisation will receive £5m for its work in Hillsborough.