Tag Archives: Sutton Council

Worcester Park 2031 – Your chance to plan our future

Business, Community, Council, Environment, Planning, , , ,

Sutton 2031 – Your chance to plan our future

An artist’s impression of the Tramlink extension.
An artist’s impression of the Tramlink extension.

Sutton Council has launched a major consultation into the development and growth of the borough over the next 15 years.

Sutton 2031 asks people to help shape a new Local Plan, the document that provides the planning framework for future development.

Between 18 February and 8 April, local people are encouraged to give their views online or to attend any of the 22 exhibitions and meetings to discuss the Local Plan with our planners. To find out details or take part in the consultation they should visit www.sutton.gov.uk/sutton2031

Why is Sutton 2031 important?

The Greater London Authority predicts Sutton’s population could rise by 31,272 to 228,521 by 2031. To meet that challenge Sutton must provide new housing, and the infrastructure to support it, including additional schools, employment, improved transport and more health facilities.

The Local Plan designates the location and size of these developments, and also the pace of growth. The amount of people working and living in the borough will determine the amount of infrastructure needed to support them.

For example, the Greater London Authority forecasts Sutton will need 7,000 more jobs by 2031. If they were all office jobs, the borough would need to find the space of around nine football pitches to accommodate them.

By being proactive in planning for future growth the Local Plan can help retain the borough’s character and environment by protecting Sutton’s heritage and green spaces, and helping to cut pollution.

The consultation also includes the Town Centre Masterplan and London Cancer Hub Development Framework. Masterplanners are currently working on both of these projects and Sutton 2031 will give people the chance to review and comment on their draft proposals. Their views will be taken into account as part of the design process.

Cllr Jayne McCoy, Chair of the Housing, Economy and Business Committee, said:

“The London housing crisis is already putting Sutton under pressure so now is the right time to decide what the future of our borough should look like. Together, we need to ensure that growth works without losing Sutton’s essential character.

“We understand people love the suburban nature of our borough, the tree-lined streets, quality parks and open spaces. They also value our heritage, our district centres and high streets whilst seeing plenty of room for improvement in Sutton town centre.

“We have arranged our widest ever programme of consultation asking residents to help us determine the right places to concentrate growth, and achieve a quality of place that enhances all that is good about the borough.

“The message to our residents, businesses, developers, landlords and our young people is to get involved, and get everyone you know to get involved. What is in Sutton 2031 will affect you, and it will certainly affect your children. This is your opportunity to shape the future of our borough.”

Town Centre Masterplan

The development will bring retail, residential, and leisure opportunities to the area.
The development will bring retail, residential, and leisure opportunities to the area.

The Town Centre Masterplan is to help improve Sutton Town Centre so that is it fit for the future. As our main commercial district and the fourth largest centre in south London, its future success is critical to the borough. It must provide high quality services in a high quality setting, while also evolving the retail and leisure offer, increasing employment opportunities, providing new homes and generating revenue for local services.

The London Cancer Hub

The London Cancer Hub is a proposal to expand the operations of the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Foundation NHS Trust onto brownfield land in Belmont. It aims to bring together 10,000 scientists, clinical and support staff in a world leading Hub for cancer research, treatment, education and enterprise. Sutton Council has purchased part of the site for a secondary school with a planned specialism in the sciences to help our young people to start careers in this exciting sector.

Worcester Park

A key part of the Local Plan ‘Issues and Preferred Options’ document are the ‘potential site allocations’ that may be needed for development within Sutton up to 2031. The Other District Centre Potential Allocations section lists possible building sites in the borough’s district centres, including:

Worcester Park

  • S37 – MCMILLAN HOUSE 54-56 Cheam Common Road (already being converted from office space to residential use)
  • S44 – LIBRARY CAR PARK Stone Place
  • S45 – 1 LYNWOOD DRIVE Central Road
  • S46 – 165-181 CENTRAL ROAD Central Road
  • S47 – 1-9 WINDSOR ROAD Windsor Road
  • S48 – TELEPHONE EXCHANGE Longfellow Road
  • S49 – STONEPLACE CAR PARK Stone Place
  • S50 – SCOUT HUT Braemar Road

North Cheam

  • S35 – VICTORIA HOUSE London Road (proposed redevelopment under consultation)
  • S36 – CHEAM LEISURE CENTRE 316 Malden Road
  • S38 – CORNER OF 667-681 LONDON RD COVEY ROAD
  • S39 – WILSONS VAN CENTRE London Road
  • S40 – PETROL GARAGE SITE 688 London Road

Have your Say

Sutton Council will be seeking your views on the Local Plan Issues and Preferred Options document from 18th February to 8th April 2016.

To get involved and have your say they are holding a series of events where you can meet with planning officers to ask questions and find out more in person. In the Worcester Park area:

  • Saturday 5 March 2016, Exhibition: 10-12:30, Worcester Park, near HSBC
  • Thursday 17 March 2016, Presentation: 19:00+ (see the agenda for the scheduled timing of this item).  Cheam North and Worcester Park Local Committee, Christ Church with St Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park.

You can also contact the Planning Policy Team by email to sutton2031@sutton.gov.uk and on 020 8770 6453.

Free Grit for Sutton residents and businesses

Business, Community, Council, , ,

Sutton Council are offering free grit to residents and local businesses for the fifth year running.

Each household or local business can collect 10kg of free grit courtesy of Sutton Council to use on footpaths, pavements or roads in front of their homes or business premises.

They can also collect grit for their elderly friends and neighbours or residents/local businesses who don’t have cars.

Proof of residency for any resident or local business is required in order to collect the grit.

By collecting and using grit appropriately our residents help the borough keep moving and help the gritting team reach the places in the borough that are hard to reach with the gritting lorries.

The free grit can be collected on the following weekends:

· Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 and Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 November

· Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 and Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 December *

It is available at:

· B&Q, Carshalton Road, Sutton: 7am – 5pm Saturday, 10am – 4pm Sunday

· Woodcote Green Garden Centre & Nurseries, Woodmansterne Lane: 8.30am – 5pm Saturday, 10am – 4.30pm Sunday (*please note the grit is not available from this site on 13 & 14 December).

· Clockhouse, The Green at the Mount: 9am – 3pm Saturday and Sunday

· Kimpton Park Way Reuse and Recycle Centre: 9am – 5pm Saturday, 9am – 2pm Sunday

Please take a suitable bag or container to collect the grit at Kimpton Park Way. Grit at the other locations will be ready bagged.

B&Q are offering 10% off the cost of a snow shovel when you collect your grit from them – subject to availability and closing date of Sunday 14 December 2014.

Elderly or disabled residents who currently receive an assisted bin collection can have the grit delivered to them. Please call 020 8770 5070.

Temporary closure of ‘Pig Alley’ footpath

Council, cycling, Planning, Travel, , , , , , ,
Pig Alley, Worcester Park
Pig Alley, Worcester Park

The section of public footpath running between Boscombe Road and Trafalgar Avenue, known locally as Pig Alley, will be closed from Monday 10 November 2014 for approximately one month. The closure is necessary while a shared use footpath for pedestrians and cyclists is constructed along this section of the footpath.

This will form the first section of a new cycle route which will eventually run from the Garth Road / Green Lane junction in the London Borough of Merton along Green Lane to the stables then via the current footpath to Trafalgar Road and onwards towards Sutton. Subsequent sections of the route will be constructed as funding is identified and allocated. It is hoped the section from Boscombe Road to the stables in Green Lane will be constructed next year.

Cycle route plan – section 1

Cycle route notice – section 1

Should McDonald’s open until 01:00?

Community, Council, Planning, ,

McDonald’s at North Cheam have submitted a planning application to extend their closing time from 00:00 to 01:00 seven days per week.

Is this a good idea? What impact will it have on residents living nearby?

Visit Sutton Council’s web site at http://gis.sutton.gov.uk/FASTWEB/detail.asp?AltRef=A2014/70341 to view the application and submit your comments.

Free childcare for Sutton’s two year olds

Children, Council,

Sutton Council is appealing for parents of two year olds to come forward to find out if they can benefit from free childcare as part of a scheme to support low income families.

The scheme provides eligible children with 570 hours of free education a year (normally taken as 15 hours a week of free early learning for up to 38 weeks a year).

The scheme is available to residents who earn less than £16,190, receive Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Income Support, or other benefits, from the term after a child’s second birthday, thanks to funding from the government.

The free childcare can be provided by nurseries, childminders, pre-schools or playgroups.

There are currently around 250 two year olds in Sutton benefiting from the scheme, but this is a fraction of the number who may be eligible. The council wants to ensure that everyone who is entitled to this support receives it.

Councillor David Callaghan, Chair of Sutton Council’s Children, Family and Education Committee, said:

“Free childcare will give a real boost to low income families in Sutton and ensure that children get the best possible start in life. However we know that not everyone who is entitled to this free childcare is getting it so it’s important that families get in touch with the council to find out if their children are eligible.

“Support is there for parents who wish to return to work or adult education, and we don’t want anyone to miss out.”

For more information visit www.sutton.gov.uk/familyinfo.

People can also contact Sutton Family Information Service at Sutton Council: call 020 8770 6000 or familyinfo@sutton.gov.uk.

Sutton Council responds to Environment Agency flood alert

Council, News, ,

– Council continues to work with partners to reduce flood risk
– Long term flood prevention work is paying off in Beverly Brook and Wallington Bridge

Sutton Council has extended its sympathies to families affected by flooding across the country as more wet weather is forecasted for this weekend.

The council is continuing to work with partner organisations to manage local flood risk after the Environment Agency issued a low risk flood alert for the River Wandle this morning.

Flooding of low lying land and roads is possible, although Sutton remains largely unaffected despite the water table continuing to increase.

Recent days have seen an escalation of the sustained work between Sutton Council and partners Thames Water and the Environment Agency to identify and tackle potential flood risks.

This work has included reducing the risk of flooding occurring again in Carshalton High Street. This week, Sutton Council blocked an outlet that allows spring water to drain from a pond in Carshalton Park and go underneath the High Street. By blocking the outlet, the water is now channelled to Carshalton Ponds instead, and so far the High Street has not flooded again.

The council is also monitoring water levels around two Carshalton schools. This week it arranged for water to be drawn from Wrythe Lane in Carshalton after the rain caused surface water to collect in the road and outside Carshalton High School for Girls. The council is also working with All Saints Carshalton CE Primary School to monitor the level of the adjacent Grotto Canal.

Longer term prevention work undertaken by Sutton Council and partners in areas including Beverly Brook and Wallington Bridge is also paying off.

Both areas had flooded in the past and, as a result, Sutton Council lobbied the Environment Agency for and part funded a £1.7m flood alleviation scheme for Beverly Brook which was completed 18 months ago.

The A237 under Wallington Bridge has also stayed dry after Sutton Council introduced soak away chambers in neighbouring Woodcote Road and Manor Road to remove surface water. Previously the water collected under the bridge to a depth of over a metre.

Although risk of flooding to properties is currently low, residents and businesses are asked to be vigilant and to prepare a flood plan in order to protect themselves, family, pets and property. People are also asked to look out for neighbours who are vulnerable and who may need additional support.

Niall Bolger, Chief Executive of Sutton Council, said:
“Everyone would have seen the news about the devastating effect of flooding and our sympathy goes out to all those affected.
“We all need to be vigilant and do our part in informing the Environment Agency of any flooding problems and of course to be prepared ourselves.
“All of the agencies are working hard to reduce the flood risk in Sutton as much as we can and so far we have been largely unaffected. That situation can change very quickly so it is important residents monitor the Environment Agency website updates.”

People should keep a regular eye on local water levels and weather conditions, and monitor the local news for updates and alerts.

Anyone who is worried about flooding should contact the Environment Agency via:
• Floodline: 0845 988 1188
• Twitter: @EnvAgency
• Website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Homes or businesses experiencing loss of power should contact:
• UK Power Networks (emergencies and power cuts) on 0800 028 0247 or via Twitter @UKPowerNetworks
• National Grid (Gas emergency) on 0800 111 999 or via Twitter @nationalgriduk

Street flooding caused by overflowing drains should be reported to the council using the ‘report it’ feature on their website www.sutton.gov.uk or by calling 020 8770 5000.

Advice on flooding and contacts for the Environment Agency and other services are also available on the council’s website www.sutton.gov.uk