Looking forward to Christmas 2024 in Sutton

Ashfield District Council have released an artist impression imagining how the new Portland Square could look for Christmas 2024.

One of the Council’s regeneration projects is the redesign of Portland Square, Sutton’s town centre focal point, from drab and outdated to modern, attractive and usable. The plans form part of the Council’s £62.6million Towns Deal which is funding 16 transformational projects across the District.

The new-look Portland Square will feature two raised lawns with inbuilt seating, ambient lighting, planting and semi-mature trees to bring greenery back into the urban setting. Alongside the planters will be CCTV cameras, streetlighting, a new level flooring and more room outside businesses for outdoor seating.

Work is expected to start on site in spring 2024, with the completion around autumn 2024.

Cllr Matthew Relf, Executive Lead for Growth, Regeneration, and Local Planning said

“It’s exciting to start to imagine how the very near future of Sutton town centre could look. The plans for Portland Square are ambitious, not just with the physical changes but how we aim to create a cultural shift towards a thriving night-time economy. In combination with the development of Cornerstone Theatre, Sutton’s future looks bright.”

To complement this, the Council are also redeveloping the derelict Fox Street site (behind Lloyds bank) to create a flexible outdoor space. The site will house a new 41-space car park which will host the regular markets, events, and special markets. The river Idle, which runs through the back of the site, will be cleaned and restored, providing a natural focal point.

The improvements to Fox Street will be funded by the £6.27million Future High Streets Fund, with work expected to start in March 2024.