It can refer to crime or construction but it’s the latter that’s being done with intent.
Cranes now dominate the horizon in the South London town, marking a wave of housing developments that are reshaping how thousands live, shop, and travel in the borough.
Council Leader Barry Lewis believes this transformation will breathe new life into the town centre while preserving the suburban heartlands that draw people to Sutton.
During a walk around with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Cllr Lewis shared his hopes for the regeneration effort and why residents should not fear change.
“Building more in the town centre means that Wallington, Worcester Park, Carshalton and Cheam can hang on to their nice gardens and family houses,” he said.
Much of the development is centred on large-scale schemes rising along Sutton’s sloped High Street. Projects such as Beech Tree Place, Elm Grove and Chalk Gardens are leading the change.
Beech Tree Place on St Nicholas Way is among Sutton’s flagship developments, set to provide 92 affordable homes where 1950s housing for older residents once stood. “It is really coming along,” said Cllr Lewis, gesturing towards the rising structure overhead.
Progress has not come without setbacks. A major delay followed when the original developer, Real LSE, entered administration in August 2023.
Work stalled for almost nine months, costing Sutton Council more than £730,000. Construction has now resumed, with completion expected by June 2026. The council also plans to add safer crossings to connect residents to the town centre via the busy St Nicholas Way.
Cllr Lewis admitted that road and crossing upgrades may come after the opening of Beech Tree Place. “It will never come all at the same time,” he said, suggesting improvements would be phased in.
Across the road is St Nicholas House, formerly home to Riva Bingo. Plans have been approved for 281 shared-living homes on the site of the now-vacant 1960s tower block.
While demolition has been slow, Cllr Lewis believes the shared-living model could offer flexible options for those staying temporarily in Sutton. “At its worst, it could be a massive HMO, but at its best, it is almost hotel living,” he said.
Further down the high street, the Elm Grove Estate is set for complete redevelopment, with around 300 homes planned, half of which will be affordable. This redevelopment for new and existing residents will also include a new pedestrian route linking Sutton High Street with Throwley Way.
Social housing
Across town, the redevelopment of the Gibson Road car park and Secombe Theatre site is set to deliver 740 new homes, with half designated as affordable. However, construction is not expected to begin until the 2030s.
The borough is facing a severe shortage of social housing, pushing many residents to seek accommodation elsewhere. Sutton’s current housing target, set by the Mayor of London’s plan, requires 469 net additional homes each year.
The council is delivering more than 500 affordable and social homes over the next five years. Earlier this month, Sutton’s Liberal Democrat administration reaffirmed its opposition to building on green belt land, meaning new development will need to focus on existing urban sites.
At the top end of the High Street, the Chalk Gardens development has stirred strong opinions. Some residents mourn the loss of the long-standing B&Q store that once dominated the site. The scheme will bring 970 homes, with 35 percent affordable, along with landscaped gardens and space for a possible health facility.
“If you are under a certain age, you will know there is a big need for housing,” said Cllr Lewis. “And if you are older, you will know we are building because your children need somewhere to live.”
While an influx of new residents will bring investment into the town centre, it also raises concerns about pressure on local services such as schools and GP surgeries. Last year, GPs at the nearby Robin Hood Health Centre warned of rising demand due to population growth.
Cllr Lewis, however, said the town centre is prepared. “People ask, will there be enough school spaces, and the answer, almost sadly, is yes,” he said. “We are not in the same boat as inner London, where schools are closing. At the moment, we are at a peak in secondary schools.”
He added that primary schools are just about full, and that without more people moving in, pupil numbers could decline. The council said infrastructure, including sewerage, is reviewed during the planning process. “We will be able to deal with the increase in poo traffic,” Cllr Lewis joked.
New civic centre and council HQ
In 2021, the council purchased the 4.7-acre St Nicholas Centre for £26 million, with plans to create a new civic hub alongside shops, restaurants, bars and affordable homes.
“If we did not acquire it, someone else would,” said Cllr Lewis. “And we would have had little control over what happened to such an important town centre site”.
The former Debenhams will become the council’s new headquarters, with all departments relocating by 2029. Retail tenants like Primark and Pandora will remain, forming part of the town’s wider leisure offer.
Cllr Lewis believes combining council services with retail will boost footfall and help revitalise the high street. “The more people you have, the friendlier it is,” he said.
But concerns about safety remain. This week, a stabbing at K1 Barbers near the bottom of the High Street sparked renewed debate over visible policing.
Cllr Lewis insists Sutton is still one of London’s safest boroughs but acknowledges the need for a strong police presence. While the 24-hour front desk at Sutton police station will remain, the town centre team has been reduced from 11 officers to just four.
“Our police are brilliant, but they are under immense pressure,” he said, noting he had written to the Home Secretary to ask for more officers on the beat.
Transport
Sutton has some of the lowest TfL coverage in the capital. With no Tube or Overground stations and only one tram stop in Beddington, residents are heavily reliant on buses, trains, cars, and bicycles.
Cllr Lewis supports better investment in trains and buses, particularly for areas like Carshalton Beeches, where journey times to Central London have worsened. “It used to be 35 minutes to Victoria,” he said. “Now it is 45. We have gone backwards.”
He also expressed support for extending the Overground from West Croydon to Sutton, but stopped short of making any commitments.
Cllr Lewis, a keen cyclist, also backed micro-mobility schemes such as Forest e-bikes, which are now more widely used in Sutton than in Kingston. However, when asked about Lime bikes, he was less enthusiastic.
“The more people you get using them, the more you open yourself up to people abusing them,” he said.
During our discussion, Cllr Lewis remarked how much his hometown had changed in recent years. “It’s hard to remember what it was like from when I was coming round here at 18.”
While most development is focused on the town centre, the coming decade will bring transformation across the wider borough. In Belmont, the planned expansion of the London Cancer Hub promises significant investment and growth in Sutton’s greener southern areas.
However, with tens of thousands of new residents projected and more private developments on the way, Sutton is undeniably facing an unprecedented period of change. The coming years will be a true test of the borough’s infrastructure, services, and planning.
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