Royal status the difference between making or losing millions says urban expert

AN urban designer from Sutton is calling for the town's "royal" status to be restored as a matter of urgency or risk losing millions more pounds.

Nick Corbett, who has worked on projects in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and on the revamp of Derby city centre, believes everything is in place during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year for the Royal Town name to be reinstated.

The royal name was given to Sutton in 1528 by King Henry VIII at the request of his friend and Sutton's historic benefactor Bishop Vesey but was lost when in 1887 the new Sutton Coldfield Borough Council was created but forgot to renew the Royal Charter.

Mr Corbett, a regeneration expert who has helped revamp Kensington High Street in London and the commercial heart of Derby, believes "now is the time to put everything in place, now is the time for action."

The Roughley resident, who left the town in 1988 but returned in 2003, said: "Royal Town status is the key to the door for regeneration. Developing and celebrating the Royal Town brand.

"We have a fantastic High Street and need a highway improvement scheme to reduce traffic there and a relief road to take traffic from Brassington Avenue for vehicles going in the opposite direction.

"The old High Street could be a major visitor attraction and the council house in Sutton could become a boutique hotel.

"That was what we did in Derby, creating a five-star hotel attracting a different clientele to the city. Derby rediscovered its heritage investing in a "streets and squares" model.

"We're losing millions and millions of pounds every year from not having the Royal Town status. People are spending their money away from the town but with the jubilee this year, everything is lined up. It is a unique opportunity."

The town first applied to correct the 1887 "oversight" in 1911 when the town's clerk applied to then Home Secretary William Churchill for reinstatement.

But the clerk applied for Sutton to become a Royal Borough, a status it has never had and the request was refused.

A second application by the mayor of Sutton in 1973 was also rejected, Mr Corbett believes because the town was about to become part of Birmingham and the timing was wrong. He is hoping for third time lucky.

Andrew Mitchell MP told the Observer: "Everything that can be done is being done" although he admitted the process was like trying to "push water uphill".

"When there is something to say on it we will say it," he said. "It is a matter that rests with the Government and the Palace. I'm doing everything I can to get it back."