Develop Sutton by Successful Sutton

PEN FOR BUSINESS With almost £400million investment being pumped into the town centre, Sutton is staking its claim as a place to do business

“The town centre is beginning to see the results of investment in new developments. Such investment would not be taking place if there wasn’t confidence in Sutton’s future.”

Sutton is open for business. That’s the message to investors and developers as the town embarks on an ambitious transformation. A series of key projects, due to be completed in the next five years, will create thousands of new homes and jobs as well as deliver major improvements to transport infrastructure and public spaces.

Other high-profile projects include CNM Estates’ development of Sutton Point, in Sutton Court Road, into a 22-storey building, with two new buildings connected to it that will provide a mix of housing, shops, restaurants and a 130-bed hotel.

Opportunity Sutton, the council’s investment arm, has secured £328 million of private and public funding in the past two years, paving the way for Sutton’s regeneration.

And supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is the anchor store at the redevelopment of the former gas holders site to the north of the High Street. Developer LXB Retail Properties plans to build 186 apartments, restaurants, leisure and retail outlets as well as a public plaza.

The scale of investment has bolstered business confidence with big name chains names including Sainsbury’s, Premier Inn and TK Maxx choosing to move to the town centre. While Subsea 7, a leading global contractor in seabedto-surface engineering and one of the borough’s largest employers, is also expanding its operations in the town.

It also has low unemployment and a thriving commercial sector with 1,118 new businesses opening in 2014.

Construction work has started on its new offices in Brighton Road, which will be home to up to 780 staff, jobs that have been retained in the borough as a result of a proactive approach to planning and a further sign that businesses are recognising Sutton’s potential.

With high prices in central London leading many businesses to look at outer boroughs, Sutton has never been better placed to attract investment.

Recently voted as one of the top five places to live in London, Sutton has direct train links to central London, high performing schools and a wealth of green spaces.

NEW LIFE FOR GAS WORKS

Ross Feeney, chief executive of Successful Sutton, said: “The case for Sutton is compelling. As a business destination it offers affordable office space, good transport links, a skilled workforce and a number of designated development sites.

On a recent visit, London Mayor Boris Johnson said Sutton’s regeneration would enable it to compete with neighbouring business districts.

Demolition of the empty buildings and removal of the two gas holders is nearing completion as part of a £50million development by LXB Retail Properties. On June 1, Linden Homes is scheduled to start work on the residential side of the scheme, building 186 one and two-bedroom apartments in four blocks. Construction is expected to last 18 months before final fitting out of the homes commences. The contemporary buildings will incorporate design features of the site’s old gas cylinder frames. A new 12,221sq m Sainsbury’s supermarket will be the centrepiece of the scheme. Work is due to start on the retail store on September 1 when contractor Galliford Try, which is also building Subsea 7’s new offices in Brighton Road, moves on to the site. The new supermarket is expected to start trading in late 2016.

He said: “London is going to be a multi-polar world with centres of economic focus and interest and Sutton is definitely going to be one of them.” He added that the proposed Tramlink extension between Wimbledon and Sutton, which has the support of the council and the majority of businesses, would improve accessibility and could spur wider economic growth.

www.developsutton.london

The transformation of the six-acre gas works site at the north end of Sutton High Street is due to start within weeks.

The development also includes a large public square in the south-eastern corner of the site which will be fitted with seating areas, public art and water features along with raised planters and tree planting. Shops and restaurants will line the square.

Major improvements to the junction of Crown Road and High Street are also planned to cope with increased traffic and access to Sainsbury’s 364 space car park. Planning permission was granted in January 2014 for the development, which will form a new northern gateway to the town centre. Giles Haywood, development surveyor at LXB, said the decision to invest in Sutton was twofold based on the site’s potential and the town’s attributes: its proximity to central London, good transport links and current regeneration.

“A site is only as good as what you can derive from it. From the council’s perspective they were looking at a scheme that could potentially unlock that site.” With Sainsbury’s on board and the council’s support for the redevelopment of the gas holders element of the site Mr Haywood said there was potential to deliver a scheme that would incorporate residential and leisure and commercial units as well as public realm improvements. He said: “As an area Sutton is still quite good value, I think that is why house builders and developers are now looking at it.” And he believes the current level of interest and investment in Sutton can be sustained.

“You can see it by the schemes coming out of the ground now. You get a snowball effect of private money being put into the area.” In total the development will create up to 500 new jobs.

NEW HOTEL BOOST TO ECONOMY Hotel chain Premier Inn is coming to Sutton on the back of the town’s regeneration. Planning permission has been granted for a 127-bed hotel and restaurant on the site of the now closed Sutton Superbowl in St Nicholas Way. The £13million development is seen as a step towards addressing a shortage of hotel accommodation in the town centre and it is hoped it will also boost the night-time economy. Under the plans the current three-storey building will be increased to five-stories, with the ground floor converted for restaurant use. Sutton is one of a host of new sites acquired by the hotel chain. Acquisitions manager John Rumsey said: “We are proud to be a part of the town centre’s regeneration and keen to play a role in supporting the local economy. We look forward to starting work on site and opening our doors to customers as soon as possible.” Work is expected to start later this year and once open the hotel is expected to generate 70 new jobs.

www.developsutton.london

Accreditation

D ROA

CA D

B R IG H

AY EY W

E STRE HIGH

TON R OAD

1 T

LAS

W AY

OA VE R GRO

ROAD CHEAM

OAD

Subsea 7

Construction has started on engineering contractor Subsea 7’s new offices in Brighton Road. The £39million scheme will create 120,000 sq ft of office space which will house up to 780 employees.

Sutherland House

Developer Criterion Capital is converting the 11-storey building, in Brighton Road, into 128 one and two-bedroom homes specifically for the private rental sector. The ground floor of the former office block will be retained for retail use.

Once completed Subsea 7 will be an environmentally sustainable building, generating its own power from a large photovoltaic solar farm on the roof and further electricity via an efficient gas fuelled combined heat and power unit.

www.developsutton.london

Sutton Station

Sutton Point

A 1.3million scheme of improvements is in progress to transform Sutton Station into a ‘gateway’ to the town.

A striking 22-storey tower sits at the heart of CNM Estates’ landmark redevelopment of Sutton’s South Point offices.

The project, carried out by Sutton Council in partnership with Transport for London, Network Rail and Southern Railway, includes upgrading station facilities with additional bike racks, an electronic bus countdown and a new side entrance linking directly to Quadrant House offices, which opened in October. Outside a number of public realm improvements are being introduced to make the station more accessible and safer. A civic clock, new signage and a revamp of existing retail units is also planned.

The new tower will be flanked by two smaller buildings - one incorporating a link to the main tower. It will combine a mix of one, two and three-bedroom residential units as well as shops, restaurants, leisure, office space and a hotel. Included in the scheme is a dedicated tram stop and transport hub for the proposed tram link extension which Sutton Council is lobbying for.

L&Q Group

L&Q Group’s development in Sutton Court Road will create 96 one and two-bedroom apartments for the shared ownership and private rental markets. The 14-storey building, due for completion in March 2017, will include a commercial unit kiosk, with disabled parking and cycle storage at ground level. The upper levels of the tower block will be constructed in a reinforced concrete frame with rain screen cladding and curtain walling.

Times Square

Sutton’s largest shopping centre is in the midst of a makeover. New owners Lumina Real Estate Capital are upgrading the 126,000 sq ft mall, creating a new entrance, bigger shop units and two new shops fronting the High Street, one of which has been taken by TK Maxx and is due to open later this year. The revamped centre is looking to attract top retailers currently missing from the town centre.

Gas works

Sitting at the north end of the High Street the old gas holders site is to be transformed into a landmark development. The £50million scheme features a new Sainsbury’s supermarket with 364 parking spaces together with 186 apartments fronting on to High Street and Vale Road. LXB Properties are also creating a new public square surrounded by shops and restaurants.

ROB

G LLIN

CAMDEN ROAD

ROA

CE REN

I N HOOD LANE

CLA

ICHO ST N

AD VE RO

SUTTON GREEN

C WOR

ESTE

AD R RO

OAD L E W IS R

H IG H S TR E ET

MANOR PARK

ROAD NHAM WL THRO

Lodge Place

Based in Lodge Place, just off Throwley Way, Windsor House is a mixed use development comprising 27 flats on the upper floors of the part six-storey building, with office accommodation on the first floor and a ground floor retail unit.

RA MULG

DI VEN

OA AR R

BEN HIL L AV E NUE

IC K R O A D

CED

GREYHOU ND ROAD

LR OAD HIL OAK

BRUNSW

R R PA ANO

OAD

SuttonSuperbowl/ Premier Inn

The former bowling alley in St Nicholas Way is set to become a 127-bed hotel. Premier Inn has acquired the site and has planning consent for a five-storey building with the ground floor converted to a restaurant. The £13million scheme will create up to 70 jobs and address a shortage of hotel accommodation in the town centre.

Burger King site

Planning consent has been granted for a mixed use scheme on the site of the former Burger King drive-through restaurant at the northern end of the High Street. The 0.52 acre site has planning permission for a building of up to six storeys with ground floor commercial units and 40 one, two and threebedroom flats as well as 26 parking spaces.

Accreditation Develop Sutton is a promotional initiative funded by Successful Sutton. Information correct at time of publication. May 2015.