The Sutton Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on 5 November 2025 to discuss several planning applications, including the demolition and erection of buildings for educational and commercial use, as well as extensions to existing nursing homes and schools. The committee will also review the minutes from its 1 October 2025 meeting¹ and a report from the Design Review Panel regarding the Northern Gateway Site.

Here are the key items on the agenda:

Northern Gateway Site Redevelopment

The committee will look at a proposal for the Northern Gateway Site, 246-254 High Street and 2-8 Marshall's Road Sutton, SM1 1PA, which involves demolishing existing buildings and constructing a part-one, part-four storey building for Sutton College . The new building would be for Use Class F1 (Learning and non-residential institutions) and include air source heat pumps, rooflights, outdoor amenity space, parking and cycle spaces.

The application has been referred to the committee because the applicant is the London Borough of Sutton, and it has received more than one objection.

The Strategic Director, Environment, Housing and Neighbourhoods recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement² to secure:

• A carbon offsetting contribution of £14,924.
• 'Be Seen' reporting obligations, which require monitoring and reporting of energy consumption and carbon performance.
• Connection of the site's heating and hot water system to a low or zero carbon district heating network if one becomes available within 500m of the site.
• A financial contribution to cover the council's costs of monitoring the implementation and management of the approved Biodiversity Gain Plan.

According to the report pack, Historic England has commented that the demolition would cause less than substantial harm to the Sutton Town Centre High Street Crossroads Conservation Area, but this is outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme.

The committee will also consider the report of the Sutton Design Review Panel, which met on 21 January 2025 to discuss the proposals. The panel's report states that:

Whilst we can see that a case could be made for its demolition, we cannot fully support this proposal until a sufficiently comprehensive case for the demolition of the White Building is provided to addresses embodied carbon concerns.

The panel made a number of key recommendations including:

• Demonstrate, through comprehensive testing of options, that it is not viable to retain the existing building.
• Craft a confident civic building that forms a strong corner to the urban block.
• Ensure that the main entrance is legible and that the site is permeable from Elm Grove and Marshall's Road.
• Ensure that the plan and elevation along Marshall's Road activate the public realm and deliver townscape benefits.

Carshalton High Street Development

The Planning Committee will also look at an application concerning 27-29 High Street, Carshalton, SM5 3AX. The proposal involves demolishing an existing single-storey building and constructing a three-storey building with two commercial units (class E³) on the ground floor and nine self-contained residential units (class C3⁴) above. The building would have balconies, amenity spaces, parking, and cycle and refuse stores.

The application has been referred to the committee because the planning agent is related to a council staff member.

The Strategic Director, Environment, Housing and Neighbourhoods recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

The report pack notes that a previous application for the same proposal was refused and dismissed at appeal (APP/P5870/W/24/3352826), but the applicant has sought to address the reasons for refusal in the current application.

Broadlands Nursing Home Extension

The committee will also discuss an application for Broadlands Nursing Home, 51 Burdon Lane, Cheam, SM2 7PP. The proposal involves subdividing the site and extending an existing annexe building to create a two-storey, 8-bedroom nursing home.

The application has been referred to the committee due to the receipt of 10 objection letters.

The Strategic Director, Environment, Housing and Neighbourhoods recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions and a Unilateral Undertaking⁵ to ensure that the use of the front forecourt and minibus service will be available for both properties, even if one ceases to operate as a care home.

Foresters Primary School Outbuilding

The Planning Committee will also discuss a retrospective application relating to Foresters Primary School, Redford Avenue, Wallington, SM6 9DP. This concerns the retention of an outbuilding with screening, to provide a nature studies classroom.

The application has been referred to the committee because of objections from local residents and because the council is the freeholder of the site.

The Strategic Director, Environment, Housing and Neighbourhoods recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

An addendum report notes that a further representation has been received, requesting a condition for adequate privacy screening that includes living green plants. The report states that the wording of condition (5) has been amended to strengthen the requirements for privacy screening. The amended condition now reads:

Within 6 months of the date of this decision, details of a privacy trellis screening to the timber fence on northern boundary with No. 4 Waterer Rise for the entire width of the outbuilding must be submitted to the Local Planning Authority and approved in writing, and the approved privacy measures installed and retained in perpetuity. The existing privacy screen installed on the north side of the existing veranda must be retained and maintained in perpetuity.

Land Adjacent to 18 Wandle Road, Hackbridge

The committee will also consider an application for land adjacent to 18 Wandle Road, Hackbridge, for the erection of a detached two-storey office building with refuse and cycle stores to the front.

The application has been referred to the committee due to the receipt of six letters of objection and a petition with seven signatures.

The Strategic Director, Environment, Housing and Neighbourhoods recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.