The Churchdown Panthers football club is reeling after developers started digging up their cherished sports pitches at the Dowty Sports & Social Club in Staverton. This disruption has left hundreds of young footballers without training grounds and raised concerns over the future of community sports in the area.
“We’re not against development—we’re pro-community,” explained Max Dawson, head coach of the Panthers. “Hundreds of children and families rely on facilities like these every week. Once lost, these spaces are rarely replaced with facilities that hold the same community value.”
Dawson emphasized the vital role such venues play in nurturing young people. “We want growth, but also spaces where youth can play, learn, stay healthy, and build confidence. Today’s football pitch helps create healthier adults tomorrow.”
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson to Continue Hosting ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ Despite Cancer Diagnosis
READ MORE: BBC Countryfile Host Joe Crowley: Career Highlights, Family Life, and Personal Loss
Developer Ashville aims to convert the 16-acre Dowty Sports & Social site along with an adjacent 32-acre field into a business park, having submitted two planning applications to Tewkesbury Borough Council. Excavations currently underway are intended to gather data for these proposals.
The club, which serves 300 children aged 4 to 18, reports that all but one of the 11 Dowty football pitches have been rendered unusable due to trenches dug into the grounds.
Team manager Ian Greaves lamented, “Nearly every pitch has been ruined, and all training grounds are closed. Although workers fill the trenches afterward, the surface remains uneven and ploughed, effectively shutting down our activities.”
The proposed development has sparked strong opposition from numerous sports teams and community groups. Objections criticize Ashville for attempting to destroy a vital grassroots sports and leisure facility, encroaching on greenbelt land, and erasing a key community hub.
Among those objecting are the Cheltenham Youth Football League—representing 5,000 registered children—Stroud & District Football League, and Dowty Judo Club. Additionally, Sport England, Active Gloucestershire, and local parish councils from Churchdown, Staverton, Longford, and Down Hatherley have voiced concerns.
Ashville acquired the Dowty site from aerospace company Safran four years ago. While its application to build a 10,000 sq m warehouse for Safran has faced no objections, plans to demolish the Dowty Sports & Social site—currently home to football pitches, tennis courts, a clubhouse, meeting rooms, a judo club, and a 140-space car park—have deeply upset the community.
The Dowty Sports & Social Club is an independent facility with 500 members and thousands of other users, including dance groups, whippet racing, local football clubs, and slot car racing enthusiasts.
Ashville’s initial application proposes constructing 18 business units on the Dowty site, relocating the clubhouse, and upgrading sports amenities by adding a gym, padel courts, and tennis courts for community use. Following a wave of objections, their second application includes plans to provide replacement pitches on adjacent land.
However, critics argue these replacement facilities are insufficient. One objector pointed out that the proposed new clubhouse would impose an estimated commercial rent of around £200,000 per year—making it financially impossible for the club to operate as it currently does, where rent is approximately £23,000 annually.
In its first application, Ashville stated, “The proposed development seeks to address the significant lack of amenities in the surrounding business area, meeting a clear demand for facilities that support both employee well-being and the broader community. By incorporating amenities like a gym, food options, and recreational activities—including a multi-use games area with padel, tennis, football, and basketball—the project aims to create a sustainable business park fostering a healthier, more productive workforce.”
The future of Dowty Sports & Social and its role as a community cornerstone remains uncertain as the planning process unfolds.