Looking forward to Christmas 2024 for new-look Portland Square in Sutton
December 2023
Ashfield District Council has 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the council’s regeneration projects is the redesign of Portland Square, Sutton’s town centre focal point, from drab and outdated to modern, attractive, and usable.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 £62.6 million 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.
Councillor 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.”
Ashfield District Council has 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the council’s regeneration projects is the redesign of Portland Square, Sutton’s town centre focal point, from drab and outdated to modern, attractive, and usable.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 £62.6 million 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.
Councillor 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 £6.27 million Future High Streets Fund, with work expected to start in March 2024.
The improvements to Fox Street will be funded by the £6.27 million Future High Streets Fund, with work expected to start in March 2024.
