Sudbury’s playing field is under threat as the NT ignores the donor’s wishes

Sudbury Football Club in Ashbourne, Derbyshire is under threat, as the National Trust plans to replace the playing field with a grass meadow. The National Trust is disregarding the donor’s ’Memorandum of Wishes’ and bringing to an end the existence of a playing field at the edge of the park in front of Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire. It is a lovely place to play sports with a beautiful view of the Hall and sports have been played here for over 100 years.

Over the past century years the field has been used for Cricket, then Football and, more recently, Lacrosse. There are no other facilities for playing football within the village. The most recent team to play on the field, Sudbury Juniors, was established 10 years ago, and what began as an under 18’s team has now progressed into a men's Sunday league team.

Removing the playing field will have an impact on local businesses. The spectators are regular customers in the Sudbury Courtyard, and players and coaching staff attend the local public house after training, match days and for club events.

The playing field is valued not only in the village, but also by the wider community beyond Sudbury. The National Trust has a responsibility to the community to make a playing field available, as Lord Vernon intended when he gave the house.

The National Trust has not yet made a serious effort to resolve the situation and find a way to enhance the landscape and the view from the house without depriving the community of a valued sports facility. The football club has approached the National Trust to attempt to find a compromise that works for everyone, but there should have been dialogue at the start of the process. As so often, the problem is a lack of consultation.

You can help by signing the petition.