An application to turn the Falmouth Pitch and Putt into an all-year round golf driving range will be discussed tonight by the town council.

The owner, town and county councillor Alan Jewell, has submitted the application for planning permission for the siting of the all-year-round golf driving range facility on the site in Swanpool Road. Pre-application advice was sought last year.

The matter will be discussed at tonight's meeting (April 3) of the planning committee.

The application is through Acorus Rural Property Services Limited (Acorus).

The site is owned and run by Cllr Jewell and currently operates as a manned, seasonal recreational facility which is open throughout the summer and closed during the winter.

In its application Acorus says after the removal of the popular driving range facility at Falmouth Golf Club, Cllr Jewell received a number of requests to develop a golf driving range on land at the Pitch and Putt as a replacement to the lost facility.

He proposes to open the golf driving facility at 7am and close at varying times in accordance with the opening hours of the pitch and putt, with a lighting strategy in place.

At the very latest, says Acorus, the range shall close at 11pm, but Cllr Jewell is open to discussions over alternative opening hours.

"The proposed development shall provide prospective visitors with a recreational space with up to eight driving range bays," says Acorus in its planning statement.

"Access to the golf driving range during the summer months shall be provided around the opening times of the pitch and putt, whilst full day-time access shall be provided during the winter months when the pitch and putt is closed for winter.

"The existing site is considered to lend itself well to an expansion of the recreational activities currently provided, due to benefitting from the existing infrastructure serving the pitch and putt, including access and parking arrangements."

The proposal has been broadly welcomed by those commenting on the Cornwall Council planning portal site, with eight comments of support.

The latest on Sunday from Mr Gordon Kelly being typical. He said: "The provision of a golf driving range in Falmouth will benefit all golfers and anyone who aspires to, or enjoys the physical and mental exercise and challenge of the sport.

"It will appeal to the widest age range of any sport, from early childhood to ages of 90+ years old, residents and visitors alike.

"It will provide an amenity to replace the driving range at Killiow, now closed down indefinitely. The nearest alternative now being Radnor. As such, it will attract custom from a very wide area into Falmouth, with probable spin off for the town.

"This amenity should be seen to replace the closed facility at Killiow, which was floodlit and available throughout the year day and evening, thus being available to workers."