Council rejects plans to build new business park

Plans to turn sports pitches into a business park have been rejected by a local council.

Tewkesbury Borough Council refused plans to redevelop 16 acres of land in Staverton, Gloucestershire, into a new facility for the aerospace business Safran.

The site has been used by the Dowty Sports and Social Club for 66 years, however, the club went into liquidation and is due to close on 30 September.

Mike Woodham, head coach of Dowty Judo Club, which has had its own purpose-built dojo at the site since 1981, described the situation as "really sad".

Woodham said the judo club had found a temporary venue in Bishops Cleeve, but due to higher costs it could now only run one session a week.

"Because we've got a permanent club, we have people going up at weekends to do their own stuff. That's gone now," he said.

He said losing their dojo also meant losing some of the club's history.

"We've got photographs from competitions, including the national championships in 1980, we're going to lose all that, which is really sad."

The land was bought four years ago by the Ashville Group, which continued the club's lease but had plans to turn it into a business park.

Staff at Dowty said they were forced into the decision to liquidate the company because of a lack of communication from Ashville about its plans for the site and whether a lease extension would be granted.

Ashville said the development would create up to 1,000 jobs and plans included replacement sports facilities for those that would have been affected by the proposed development.

But Woodham said the clubs at the site had never had a "proper commitment" that this was definitely going to happen.

Earlier this year, as part of an archaeological dig required for the planning application, Ashville dug up nine of the site's 10 football pitches.

Ian Greaves, treasurer of Churchdown Panthers FC, said despite Ashville promising to fill in the trenches the pitches remain unplayable.

He said the council's decision to refuse planning permission was a "lose-lose" situation for the club as "we still don't have any pitches to play on".

Despite Dowty going into liquidation, Greaves said he hoped the football club would still be able to use the site.

"We're talking with Ashville, and we're very hopeful that we'll get our pitches repaired," he said.

Councillor Sarah Hands, lead member for planning at Tewkesbury Borough Council, said the committee rejected the plans over concerns about the impact on the green belt, highway safety and community facilities.

"The council remains committed to supporting sustainable development that meets local needs while protecting the surroundings that are important to residents and businesses," she said.

The BBC has contacted Ashville for comment.

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