Campaigners fighting plans for a golfing academy on the outskirts of Shrewsbury claim it would destroy a listed area of countryside.

Campaigners fighting plans for a golfing academy on the outskirts of Shrewsbury claim it would destroy a listed area of countryside.They fear the £1m development at Cruckton could harm a large area of natural habitat and create light pollution from an illuminated driving range.

Angry residents have organised a public meeting tonight, when they will discuss the application for Horton Lodge by national consortium Express Golf Ltd.

More than 100 objectors signed a petition in June against the original plans, which would see a the academy built on farmland.

Express Golf Ltd has revised its plans after council officers recommended the previous application for refusal on the grounds it would spoil the landscape.

A revamped design for the eight hectare site was submitted to Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council in October and a decision is expected in February.

The plans include an illuminated driving range, academy short course, practice facilities and access road.

Protester Sally Maybury said tonight’s meeting will be at 7.30pm in the Hare and Hounds pub at Cruckton.

She said: “There are a lot of neighbours who are in uproar about it. They have already applied for a course there, but it was recommended for refusal.

“But the new plans still mean there would be the same amount of lighting. As well as the lights we are not on mains sewers, so it would need a fair sized septic tank.

“We also put forward the argument that there is another golf course in Shrewsbury . . . so we don’t need another. At the mom-ent it is just beautiful Shropshire countryside and that is how we would like it to stay.”

Nobody from Express Golf was available for comment today.

By Andy Robbins