Sutton Council, London, has appointed one of Europe’s leading regeneration specialists as its preferred development partner for the next phase of work to transform the town centre.
The local authority is partnering with Genr8 Kajima Regeneration Ltd (GKRL) to deliver the plans for St Nicholas Shopping Centre, Civic Offices, Gibson Road car park and Secombe Theatre sites, which will see a brand new Civic Hub open in the heart of the town centre.
The Hub will offer residents a new ‘front door’ to access services from the council and its partners right on the high street, as well as a new library and community spaces. The proposed Civic Hub should be completed by mid-2029.
Around 740 new homes – 50% of which will be affordable housing for local families, including nearly 300 homes for social rent – will be built on the existing Civic Offices, Gibson Road car park and Secombe Theatre sites.
There will also be improvements to the public realm, such as new ways to access the town centre.
The new retail space will provide opportunities for both existing and new businesses, as well as a range of new leisure facilities. This new mix of activities will provide Sutton residents and visitors a totally new experience and strengthen the local economy.
Councillor Barry Lewis, leader of the London Borough of Sutton, 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 uses 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.”
The decision follows the successful recent openings of Oru Sutton and Throwley Yard, the plans for a new home on the High Street for Sutton College, as well as the construction of new council homes at Beech Tree Place and Elm Grove in the town centre.
Councillor Sunita Gordon, lead member for resources at Sutton Council, said: “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.
“The council has chosen a development partner with the right level of skills, resources, experience and expertise to deliver our ambitions for these key sites. I am excited for the future of Sutton that these new plans will deliver.”
Mike Smith, partner at Genr8 Kajima Regeneration, added: “We are excited to be working with the London Borough of Sutton to deliver this transformational town centre project. With our expertise in fostering long-term prosperity for town centres across the UK through mixed-use regeneration, we look forward to working closely with the council to deliver a vital public scheme that prioritises community needs and paves the way for a sustainable future of Sutton.”
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