Plans to replace St Nicholas House with two towers face opposition due to concerns about overdevelopment and community impact.
These towers could provide 281 new apartments. The plans include a basement for car parking. It has 14 spaces for residents and three spaces exist for other uses.
The plan includes lots of bicycle parking. Residents would get 470 spaces. Visitors would have nine spaces. The developer says it offers varied housing. They plan 31 studio flats. Ninety-three are one-bedroom flats for two people.
Twenty-nine are wheelchair-accessible, one-bedroom flats. Thirty-eight are two-bedroom homes for three people. Fifty-seven are two-bedroom homes for four people. Ten are three-bedroom homes for four, and twenty-three are three-bedroom homes for five. Twenty-eight of these homes will be affordable.
The area gets a good public transport score. Transport for London gave it a 6a rating. This means excellent public transport access, with services that are frequent and well-connected.
St Nicholas House is near train stations. It’s a seven-minute walk to Sutton Station, while West Sutton station is a 17-minute walk away. However, people aren’t all happy. Residents worry about too much building. They don’t want Sutton to look like Croydon.
Elizabeth Mapwashike objects to the plan. She dislikes knocking down St Nicholas House and feels the council ignores residents. She wants them to stop these new buildings. Victoria Harding thinks they don’t need more flats. She says the town lacks support.
She wants community spaces returned. Ruairi Brown says the council hurts Sutton’s culture. He thinks they favor developers and high-rise buildings. He feels they price people out.
Some think it will hurt local businesses. The Sound Lounge may be affected. Kristy Wingrave-Newell values The Sound Lounge. It helps the community and offers support. She says Sutton has enough empty skyscrapers.
She thinks residents need places to spend time. Sutton needs welcoming spaces, not just tall buildings. Some shops are already disappearing. Evelyn Horn worries about resources. More flats need more doctors and schools.
She says the community’s needs are ignored. She also thinks the tower is ugly. Sutton Council will keep reviewing the plans. They must decide by May 12, 2025. JRL Property did not comment yet.