New space funding for club near a petrol depot

A Surrey football club based in the shadow of a petrol station site has received almost £100,000 for a new 3G pitch.

The grant from Surrey County Council’s Your Fund Surrey program will represent a “significant step forward for grassroots football” in the region, the authority said.

In March, Ashford Town Football Club received planning permission for the new pitch despite safety concerns.

The club’s Robert Parker Stadium, south of Heathrow Airport, is adjacent to the Esso West London Oil Terminal.

Nick Bailey, the club’s chairman, said it was a “new and exciting project” for the club.

He said: “Not only will it benefit teams across all areas, but it will also provide the local community with a much-needed facility to enjoy and benefit from, which is entirely in line with our ethos as a community-led club.”

The £99,999 from the Major Community Projects Fund will enable local teams, schools and community groups to use the pitch.

The club’s vice-chairman, Paul Gully, said at the time the planning application was submitted that the club was financially “on the rocks”.

He said the new 3G pitch would allow for more playing time and generate higher revenue.

Denise Turner-Stewart, the county council’s cabinet member for customers and communities, said: “This type of facility is urgently needed.”

“It’s a fantastic example of how Your Fund Surrey is making a real difference in our communities by supporting projects that have a lasting positive impact.”

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