Midlands developer starts work on £35.9m development in Sutton Coldfield
A groundbreaking ceremony has marked the start of work on a specialist housing community in Sutton Coldfield which will provide 137 new homes.
Midlands-based developer Deeley Construction has broken ground on the £35.9 million development at the former Royal Works site on Coleshill Street in partnership with Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life.
It will feature 137 high-quality one and two-bedroom independent living apartments to support the diverse needs of Sutton Coldfield’s growing and ageing population.
The new development is being delivered with funding from Homes England and will consist of one five storey and one four storey block, with the design intended to create one close-knit retirement community.
When completed, the development will have an emphasis on affordability and choice for residents. It will feature communal lounges and dining spaces, a hair and beauty salon and rooms for wellbeing, activity and treatment.
The buildings energy sources are highly sustainable benefiting from the use of Air Source Heat Pumps and Solar power with the structure being designed and built to better the building regulations requirements in terms of U-values (thermal transmittance) and air tightness.
Work getting under way in Sutton Coldfield marks the start of the second development delivered by the Deeley – Anchor partnership.
Deeley Group, through Deeley Developments, has provided a turnkey solution on the site, with the company acquiring the land and negotiating a deal with Anchor to enable the development to proceed.
The £35.9 million scheme is the largest value development delivered in the Deeley Group’s 88-year history. Work is expected to be completed on the scheme in Winter 2026.
Eleanor Deeley, Joint Managing Director at the Deeley Group, said: “We’re proud to partner with Anchor to deliver a high-quality and sustainable development which will meet the housing needs of the community in Sutton Coldfield.
“This is a challenging brownfield site, however using our expertise in similar developments and by working closely with Anchor we have brought the scheme to this stage and it’s great to see work now underway on site.”
Victoria Mager, Anchor’s Director of Development Delivery, said: “This promises to be another excellent development as part of our partnership with the Deeley Group and the start on site at Mill Place is a significant milestone in the project.
“The start of construction at this exciting new development is a key step in helping Anchor to achieve its vision of creating 500 homes a year over a rolling ten-year period and we are looking forward to expanding in this new location.”
TSA Riley is acting as employer’s agent for Anchor on the scheme. Dan Macpherson, Executive Director at TSA Riley, added: "We’re delighted to be working with Anchor on this significant project in Sutton Coldfield, in partnership with Deeley Group, Homes England and Birmingham City Council.
“The development will provide 137 much needed and invaluable homes for older people and will further relieve the burden on local NHS services and housing once completed and occupied.
“This scheme represents a number of retirement projects we are currently involved in with Anchor and other providers, nationally, which help to address the housing needs of an ageing population in the UK.
“With a strong track record in delivering similar projects across the country, we are focused on ensuring that this project is completed to the highest standards, providing both effective project management and cost management services.”
