South London bingo hall set to be flattened and replaced with two tower blocks with 281 flats

The front of Riva Bingo with a tower block above it
-Credit:Google Maps


A former bingo hall and office block in South London could be flattened and replaced with two tower blocks complete with rooftop play areas for children. The revised plans for 281 flats, co-working spaces and retail in Sutton town centre come four years after approval was given for development on the site which has never progressed.

At a planning meeting next week, Sutton Council looks set to approve the plans to demolish the 1960s tower block and former home of Riva Bingo at St Nicholas House. The now-empty site, deemed an 'eyesore' by many residents, backs onto the main high street with its frontage facing Sutton's busy St Nicholas Way.

Under revised plans from developers JRL Property Limited, the current site would be demolished and replaced by 281 built-to-rent flats housed in 19 and 11-storey towers. The plans include 56 'affordable housing' units, split between 30% London Living Rent and 70% Discounted Market Rent.

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St Nicholas House
Plans for a 19-storey block of flats alongside an 11-storey building in Sutton Town Centre have been submitted to the council -Credit:JRL Property

The plans include affordable co-working office space on the ground floor, a residents' lounge, a cinema, a parcel room, and a concierge office. Retail space has not been included in the plans.

A 220m² communal garden with a children's play area would sit between the two towers. Rooftop play areas for young children and private balconies for each apartment are also planned.

In accordance with Greater London Authority planning guidelines, the development will have minimal parking provision, with an emphasis instead placed on 'active travel' - cycling or walking for instance.

However, there will be 17 disabled-use, three commercial-use and 14 residential-use parking spaces in the basement. Access to the parking and service areas will be via the existing entry on St Nicholas Way, located in the north west corner of the site.

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While the council intends to grant permission for the development at next Thursday's meeting, it is not the first time it has been debated. The developers first approached the council with plans to retrofit the building in 2018.

However, officers raised concerns about the lack of a new public realm and the absence of plans to open up the views of the nearby Grade II* listed St Nicholas Church. Following another application to retrofit, JRL eventually put forward the current plan to split the redevelopment into two tower blocks.

Rev Frances Arnold raised concerns over the lack of light received by the church as a result of the proposals but supported the redesign. During the 2020 meeting, Conservative councillor Tony Shields questioned the consequences of bringing more residents into the town centre. He noted that the proposal 'would add pressure to the NHS and GP services' nearby.

He added: "There is nothing from the local NHS and doctors to say that they can provide for this...How can putting 500 people on top of the Robin Hood NHS centre not have an effect."

Councillors also raised the potential impact on school places. However, officers insisted there was enough provision in the local area and that the council could use funding from the developer's Community Infrastructure Levy payments to bolster services.

Sutton council offices
Sutton Civic Offices in St Nicholas Way -Credit:Tara O'Connor

Residents have previously criticised 'overdevelopment' in Sutton high street, with many saying they don't want the town centre to look like 'another Croydon'. The recently approved plans to build 970 flats at the old B&Q site at the top of the high street have acted as a lightning rod for debate on this particular issue.

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The Planning Committee approved plans for the St Nicholas House redevelopment in 2021, yet despite this and the developers setting a two-year starting timeframe, no work has yet been undertaken on the site. The delays have been blamed on hang-ups over the development's design, the introduction of a second staircase, and landscaping. Following the amendment, council officers have indicated they are now satisfied with the revised proposals.

The council has also suggested that the loss of the Riva Bingo Hall could be mitigated by providing space within the new development. Failing that, they highlighted the presence of the Rose Hill Mecca Bingo when considering the loss of the amenity for elderly people in Sutton.

The 12-storey St Nicholas House was constructed in 1965 for Surrey Motors, a company founded in 1919. Alongside Riva Bingo, the building has previously hosted office space for an employment agency. A decision on the revised planning application will be heard by the Planning Committee next Thursday (February 6).

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