Sutton Life Centre will meet local demand, say Lib Dems

2.36.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 30th Apr 2009

Work has now started on the Sutton Life Centre - one of the most exciting projects undertaken by Sutton's Liberal Democrats in recent years.

It will provide community facilities for local people of all ages, including a unique learning centre for schoolchildren. It has been developed in response to calls by Sutton residents for more youth facilities in Sutton, and in particular for services that help young people to play a positive role in the community.

At its 27 April meeting, Sutton Council accepted a £4 million government grant towards the project, and gave approval for construction to begin. It will be completed by summer 2010.

The building, at the junction of Alcorn Close and Sutton Common Road, will feature a new library, youth centre, games court, climbing wall, coffee shop, eco and environment gardens, and a coffee shop, will replace or improve current services for local people. More than 75 % of the building's use will be by Sutton's residents.

The learning zone will be open to schoolchildren from across London and the southeast. The business plan sets out how up to 40,000 pupils will pay t visit annually so that running costs are not paid for by Sutton's taxpayers.

The Sutton Life Centre will provide a permanent base for the long-running and very successful Junior Citizen Scheme, currently used by every primary school in the borough.

Cllr Graham Tope, the Lib Dem lead for leisure services, said: "The hi-tech facilities will also appeal to older children and be used to tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour."

Cllr Tony Brett Young, the Lib Dem lead councillor for children and young people, said that opinion polls had clearly shown that local people wanted more facilities for young people in Sutton and especially services that would help them lead active and positive lives.

"The Life Centre will help to meet this need, but will also offer a variety of facilities for local people of all ages. It is based on the huge success of the Phoenix Community Centre in Wallington, another Lib Dem project which underlined the benefits of having a council with a vision for the future."