Plans have been submitted for a new racket sports club at the Gracechurch Shopping Centre car park in Sutton Coldfield
The side of the Gracechurch Shopping Centre car park in Brassington Avenue, Sutton Coldfield
A new sports club and fitness facility is set to be built atop a Birmingham shopping centre car park is planners give the go-ahead.
The owners of the Gracechurch Centre in Sutton Coldfield are planning to transform the top of the site’s multi-storey car park into a racket sports arena, with a clubhouse, and fitness club, restaurant area and outdoor terrace.
A planning application reveals plans for four new padel courts, one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, surrounding a tennis court in the middle, to play ‘tennis, padel and pickleball’.
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The padel courts have Perspex walls, used in the game, and are around a third the size of a normal tennis court.
All will be enclosed, with a 5.2-metre high netting so stray balls do not fly off the top of the building into traffic!
The courts would be lit by ‘low-glare, directional LED lighting systems’, with eight six-metre high poles around the padel courts and eight seven-metre-high poles around the tennis court.
The planning statement says ‘lighting is only typically required during the winter months and ‘will be automated to switch off at 10pm’.
The new racket sports club and fitness centre would be built on top of the Gracechurch Shopping Centre in Sutton Coldfield is Birmingham city planners give the go ahead (Image: Google)
Next to the courts will be a health/fitness club, with changing rooms a ‘fitness leisure area’, a restaurant area, flexible hot spot workspaces and an outdoor terrace.
An aerial view of the site shows the racket and fitness club on top of the Gracechurch Centre, which includes extending the top floor onto the House of Fraser rooftop, where the fitness club would then go.
And an accompanying document says it would result in the loss of 112 ‘surplus’ parking spaces in the multi-storey, almost all of floor seven of the car park’s 123 spaces.
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The proposals also states: “Level 8 has not been accessible to the public since December 2024.”
The centre though has 854 parking bays in total across all its eight floors and a survey in June said in excess of 500 spaces were available at all times.
There are said to be 812 other car parking space sin the town, excluding the station car park for rail users and Wyndley’s car park for swimming and leisure club users.
The new club is expected to create an extra 136 vehicle trips over the course of the day (66 in and 70 out stated).
A plan view of the proposed new racket sports club and fitness centre on the top of the Gracechurch Centre in Sutton Coldfield (Image: PHD Architects )
The plan is to open the racket club come fitness centre seven-days-a-week from 7am to 10pm. It would create up to 15 jobs.
An accompanying planning statement says by PHD architects states: “The proposed redevelopment of the Gracechurch Centre rooftop into a multifunctional sporting and leisure facility builds upon this regional synergy.
“It leverages Sutton Coldfield’s strategic location and demographic growth, particularly the rise in young families and active residents seeking high-quality recreational spaces.
“By enhancing leisure infrastructure within the town centre, the development contributes to the broader vision of a healthier, more connected Greater Birmingham.”
The proposal the Gracechurch Centre owners say is a ‘forward-thinking investment’ which will transform an ‘underutilised urban space into a ‘vibrant hub for leisure, wellbeing, and community engagement’.
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The statement continues: “This multifunctional facility will serve as a vibrant community hub, supporting Sutton Coldfield Town Council’s Strategic Plan and Birmingham’s Playing Pitch Strategy by promoting active lifestyles, social inclusion, and economic vitality.
“The restaurant and multi-use areas will encourage longer visits and attract a diverse range of users, including families, remote workers, and local groups, while the changing facilities will support year-round sporting use.
“The development diversifies the town centre, contributing to broader objectives of improving public health, supporting local enterprise, and making efficient use of brownfield land.
“Collectively, these benefits enhance the town centre’s long-term vitality and viability by increasing footfall and attracting additional retailers.”
Cllr David Pears (Sutton Trinity), whose ward includes the Gracechurch Centre, gave his first take on the proposal and said: “It’s good that they are wanting to continue investing in the town centre.
“it’s good that it’s another attraction to bring visitors into the town.”
Planning application number: 2025/06396/PA has been submitted to Birmingham City Council and the public consultation period is open until January 7 next year.