Sutton High Street redevelopment plan takes important step

Once complete, these ‘ambitious’ plans will see a new ‘civic hub’ built on the High Street and the conversion of the closed Secombe Centre theatre and Gibson Road car park into housing blocks described as ‘mid rise’ buildings.

The council revealed on Monday (October 21) that it will partner with Genr8 Kajima Regeneration to bring the £4.4million project forward.

The council bought the 4.7 acre St Nicholas Centre for £26m back in 2021, with the intention of building a new civic hub on the site as well as shops, restaurants, bars and affordable homes.

According to the council, the proposed civic hub will serve as a new ‘front door’ for residents, providing easy access to council services right on Sutton High Street.

Sutton's St Nicholas centre (Image: Harrison Galliven) Alongside these services, the hub will feature a new library and community spaces, with an expected completion date set for mid-2029.

Under the plans, the council intends to move from its current base at the Civic Centre on St Nicholas Way. A date for this move has not yet been confirmed.

Plans also include the construction of around 740 new homes, with half designated as affordable housing for local families. This initiative will include nearly 300 homes available for social rent.

Sutton Civic Centre (Image: Google Maps) Sutton Council has promised improvements to public spaces and access routes in the town centre as part of the plans. The new retail offerings will not only support existing businesses but also create opportunities for new ventures in the High Street, the council says.

This project follows the recent openings of Oru Space Sutton and Throwley Yard Cinema on the High Street earlier this year.

The council has also revealed plans for a new Sutton College location on the High Street and recently gave outline planning permission for the Elm Grove estate regeneration to take place.

Sutton Council (Image: London Borough of Sutton)

Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Sutton Council, said: “This exciting scheme is a key part of our ambitious plans to build a vibrant and sustainable town centre for all Sutton residents.

“These plans will give our residents a new ‘front door’ to the council and our partners right on the High Street. We want to create a place which is open to everyone in the community all day and evening. New retail, leisure and community use in the St Nicholas Centre will provide more choice and improve the long-term future of our main town centre.

“This scheme will also mean no new blocks on the High Street and some mid-rise new development on the Civic Centre and Gibson Road car park sites. Meanwhile, local families will gain much-needed new social housing to support them through the national housing crisis.”

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Councillor Sunita Gordon, Lead Member for Resources at Sutton Council, added: “The council had the vision to purchase the St Nicholas Centre in 2021 to take control of this key site’s future and ensure that it contributed to the wider regeneration of the town centre.

“The world of work is changing and the council’s needs are changing with it. This is a real opportunity to create a smaller civic centre that meets the highest environmental standards, helping us to take action on climate change while also reducing the council’s operating costs.”