A Northamptonshire football club says it is frustrated that football pitches and a community centre built as part of a major housing development have stood locked up and unused for almost two years because of delays over their transfer.

Towcester Town Football Club (TTFC) say they have been left in the dark as to why new pitches and a community building at Persimmon Homes' Towcester Grange development remain unused.

The site includes a community centre, an all-weather multi-use games area, football pitches and parking facilities. Despite being completed and surrounded by locked gates, the facilities have remained unused while discussions continue over their transfer to Towcester Town Council.

The facilities were provided as part of a section 106 agreement linked to the development, where hundreds of homes have been built in recent years and thousands more are planned across the town's southern expansion.

placeholder image — The site includes a community centre, an all-weather multi-use games area, football pitches and parking facilities.

The club says the delay is holding back its growth and has criticised a lack of communication over the future of the site.

The lack of facilities has already had an impact on its senior set-up. Towcester Town's men's team won the Northants Combination Division One title in both the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons but was unable to secure promotion because it did not have the facilities required by the league. The side later folded in 2025 despite finishing as champions.

Paul Baylis at TTFC said: "Demand for football in Towcester has never been higher, providing football opportunities for more than 400 players of all ages from across Towcester and the surrounding villages. We currently have between 60 and 80 children on our waiting list, all eager to play, while our facilities continue to operate at capacity.

"For two years we have asked to be part of the working group and to meet with the town council but have been ignored.

The facilities were provided as part of a Section 106 agreement linked to the development, where hundreds of homes have been built in recent years and thousands more are planned across the town's southern expansion.

"It seems there are lots of discussions about TTFC behind our backs, however no one is actually speaking to the club. It's been sat empty for two years.”

He added: “With the right facilities, TTFC can reduce waiting lists, expand opportunities for men, women, girls and players with disabilities, and continue building one of the most inclusive and ambitious community football clubs in Northamptonshire."

Towcester Town Council said it ‘recognised frustration’ over the delays and was working with West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to resolve legal and financial issues linked to the transfer.

A town council spokesman said: "We recognise the community's frustration at delays to the transfer of the community building and football pitches.

The football pitches have sat gated off and unused for two years and counting, according to TTFC

"We are working closely with WNC to ensure all legal arrangements are in place and that financial risks and liabilities are properly addressed."

A WNC spokesman said: "The council is aware of the situation and is involved in discussions with the town council to seek to progress the matter."

Persimmon Homes said the pitches and community centre had already been signed off by WNC and that the commuted maintenance sum was paid in June 2025.

A spokesperson said: "The football pitches, along with the community centre, have been signed off by WNC. The commuted sum was paid in June 2025 and the transfer to Towcester Town Council is imminent."