The seeds of change have been spoken about in Sutton Coldfield for years. But could 2025 be the year when the shape of the town – most notably the town centre – sees some changes? Sutton has seen changes on its edges – most notably the Peddimore site with its huge Amazon depot and a planned insulation factory from Rockwool on the horizon if planning chiefs give the go ahead.
And neighbouring Langley – the huge 5,500 homes site – is moving ever-closer with a planning application submitted, not without some anger, for roads infrastructure before schools, medical centre, shops, sports facilities, play areas and the homes follow.
The town centre itself, though, has seen little change in years. The Gracechurch Centre has been there for more than 50 years, a patch of land in Brassington Avenue empty for decades. There’s talks of reconfigured road layouts and transport hubs – but little has happened.
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Last year, I predicted six changes which could transform Sutton in 2024. And what came of them? In short, not much – yet.
But, undeterred, I have upped the ante and suggested eight changes which could be coming to Sutton in 2025. If not actual spades in ground, at least firm plans and that all-important detail.
Recap of 2024
Sutton Coldfield town centre saw a number of new arrivals in 2024 – and some big name departures. The Gracechurch Centre’s ‘new’ owners have started to fill up the centre’s units – fewer gaps mean a better look, higher footfall, more business and more shops!
This year has seen chocolatier, Liam Hall, open his Military Chef shop in the Gracechurch, Home Décor move into the old Argos shop and burger fiends, Patty Freaks, move into the former Molloy’s.
Children’s support and counselling charity, Cherished, opened a Connection Hub, Roma Café and Lounge opened in the former Patissserie Valerie site and Magical Story returned to town after a six-year absence. While in the latter part of the year Sutton’s hugely popular Silver Tree Bakery opened in the former Ernest Jones jewellers premises.
Then it extended its opening days after ‘amazing success’. It was soon joined by the I Am Yogi yoga studio, almost opposite, in what was Atkinsons – also a jewellers, and before that Starbucks.
The Gracechurch Centre in Sutton Coldfield has seen more new shops open than leave in 2024, with some plans for a bigger revamp revealed – but as yet no formal planning application
Departures from the town included Sutton’s approved Apple retailer – Stormfront. Bargain basement Poundland also left from across the street in the Parade after a new lease could not be agreed, with the city council landlord saying ‘we are obliged to obtain a market rent’.
Three hospitality venues also left – the micro-brewery, Brewhouse and Kitchen, soon to be replaced by Ash, and celeb-owned Simpsons – The Vamps lead singer, Brad’s gin bar venture with his sister, mum and dad, closed up in September.
An undoubted success story in 2024 was the revival of Sutton Coldfield’s cinema. The mothballed Empire, closed since the second nationwide Covid lockdown in November 2020 struck back.
Renamed the Royal, it roared back into life in July, under the stewardship of PDJ Cinemas and the Jervis family. And it is proving popular with nearly every seat sold in a recent Paddington in Peru showing I went to with my family. And sell-outs for Wicked too!
So what changes might finally materialise in 2025?
New Aldi for Sutton’s town centre
Revised plans were submitted by Aldi for its new proposed store in Brassington Avenue, Sutton Coldfield – with an underground culvert said to be ‘no longer an issue’
(Image: STOAS Architects)
A strip of land between Brassington Avenue and the railway line has remained dormant for decades, A shopping and flats plan fell through in 2008. Then Sainsbury’s showed interest, and even retirement tower blocks, with a cinema, were proposed.
But since December 2021, Aldi has had the plot in its sights with plans to open a shop double the size of its one in the Parade, with parking alongside. It was held back by a culvert – an underground stream – running under the supermarket site – with fears of flooding.
But that hurdle has been overcome, with the shop now to be built away from the culvert. So surely, with planning permission now granted, 2025 will be the year
Gracechurch Centre full plans revealed
This view of the Gracechurch Centre shows a new opening through the residential blocks into the main shopping centre from Brassington Avenue – which provides another access point, particularly to the proposed new Aldi
(Image: Leonard Design Architects)
With new owners BPG and SAV Group taking charge of the Gracechurch Centre at the end of 2023, this observer expected changes to materialise in 2024. Some artist’s impressions and details, including plans for 700 homes, a 120-room hotel and a number of new tower blocks did emerge, with some opposition raised by locals.
A planning application, with more ‘concrete’ details was expected at the end of 2024. That should be submitted in 2025, with a more formal consultation, and an idea of how the centre of Sutton could really look in the future.
Sutton Park drivers to face charges
More details have emerged on plans to charge motorists to park in Sutton Park – with Cllr David Pears saying they will cause ‘total misery’
Birmingham City Council has raised the possibility of charging motorists to park in Sutton Park for a third time. Those plans, first suggested in 2018 and repeated in 2022, are being pressed again, with an informal consultation taking place in November and December.
Details have emerged of plans to charge to park at the Sutton beauty spot from 9am to 6pm every day of the year, even Christmas Day. It now seems the plan is to put parking meters in before any potholes are repaired on the roads or car parks themselves. But that parking cash won’t necessarily be spent in the park.
Fees may range from £2.20 to £104 for a season ticket, with 17 of the park’s 24 car parks getting meters. Expect more on that in 2025 – with local Conservative councillors already voicing their concerns.
Red Rose Centre revival
The ‘dated’ Red Rose Centre in Sutton Coldfield is in need of some TLC – which may take the form of a bulldozer flattening it and a new development springing up in its place
While the Gracechurch Centre has seen new impetus under its new ownership, the same cannot be said of the Red Rose Centre in 2024. It remains under the ownership of Birmingham City Council, with an apparent wrangle with Sainsbury’s over its lease holding up any big moves.
But the centre – and its neighbouring Victoria Road multi-storey car park – remain largely dormant. Sutton News has now closed, along with the vacant Rumours nightclub site, Wilko’s. The library is the site’s biggest draw. But it needs some TLC. And a sell off by the city council may suit the authority and its need for cash, as well as prompt new plans.
Birmingham Road shops parade redevelopment
The parade of shops between the Jacey Buildings down to Manor Hill have been earmarked for apartment blocks with retail underneath for nearly two years now. Planning permission was granted in March 2023 for 75 apartments in blocks up to five storeys high, with 12 retail units beneath.
Developer, Mercia Real Estate Limited, has until March 2026 to start the development – but has yet to make its move. The money is in the apartments, so expect something to change in 2025, or Mercia will have to return to the city council to ask for more time.
Sutton Cottage Hospital transformation into one-stop hub
Sutton’s MP Andrew Mitchell has long championed turning the town centre hospital site in Birmingham Road into a dedicated centre for outpatient care for the older generation. Plans were submitted earlier this year to provide a hub for care for the over-65s.
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust confirmed work was about to start on the project, annoyingly hitting the town council’s free Christmas parking offer, and is due to be completed by winter 2025. It will enable patients to see more than one healthcare service provider – from respiratory experts, to diabetes, podiatry, kidney conditions, musculoskeletal services, as well as a range of diagnostics and care services.
Sutton Coldfield Police Station to move
Another hot political topic in 2024 has been the future of Sutton’s police station in Lichfield Road. It has been earmarked for closure since 2018, despite local opposition.
This year the ‘For Sale’ board went up before plans for its replacement had even been aired. The details were in fact in the sales particulars, with the formal press release coming afterwards.
It has emerged that West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, is proposing moving the police station from its current site opposite Sutton College, to two buildings, used as houses, in Anchorage Road. A formal planning application has been submitted for the move, while local opposition still rages. It seems 2025 could see Sutton’s police station downsized and move.
West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street and Sutton Coldfield MP, Andrew Mitchell, have welcomed confirmation of £20 million to pay for the town’s Gateway Scheme transport hub, which will see a new bus station built
Sutton Coldfield Gateway transport hub
The promise of cash – £20 million of it no less – dates back to 2017. But here we are in 2024 and soon to be 2025 and the move looks no closer. At least there’s been no formal plan or consultation.
But after the project was queried by a BirminghamLive reader, I did ask a source if the project had been ‘cancelled’ and I was reassured it had not. But it certainly does not appear to be a priority.
But will that change in 2025? Will a new bus station, and railway station revamp get underway. Of all the eight possible changes, this looks the least likely, for now…