I’ve studied the proposals for Hulton Park closely and seen the site for myself. It is an amazing landscape and the prospect of a purpose-built stadium course here would be fantastic for everyone concerned – for golf, for the tournament and for the game in England.

But perhaps, more importantly, I love what this proposal offers to my corner of the country. I can see that it would inspire more people in the Northwest to take up the game and, for those who don’t play golf, it will also bring jobs, investment and tourism to the region, whilst opening a huge new green space for the community.