Councillor Richard Parkin has confirmed that initial steps to revive the Falcon Lodge Youth and Community Centre in Sutton Coldfield are now underway, with plans submitted to Birmingham City Council by the Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust.
Plans to demolish and rebuild
The facility has been closed since 2024 when the lease held by charity Compass Support ended. The Sutton Coldfield Community Trust has applied for planning permission to demolish the existing building, which is no longer considered fit for purpose and requires significant renovations.
A spokesperson for the Trust said: "This is part of exciting plans from the Trust to construct a new tailor-made facility, based on the wishes and needs of Falcon Lodge residents, that would provide a valuable local resource for the whole community."
Temporary facilities during construction
Following demolition, temporary buildings will be placed on the site to ensure services continue while plans for the new build progress. The Trust will then conduct extensive consultation with residents, neighbours, schools, charities, businesses, churches, and groups to understand their needs.
The Trust added: "Finally, with a suitable design in place, the new community centre would be constructed, creating a new facility, based on the wishes of local people, that will provide a modern, adaptable hub for generations to come."
Councillor's long-term commitment
Councillor Parkin, representing Sutton Reddicap ward, said: "This is the start of hopefully an exciting journey for the future of Falcon Lodge. I've been working on it behind the scenes with Birmingham City Council and the trust and various other partners now for more than two years, so it's been a long journey to get to this point."
He emphasised the centre's services have been "badly missed" and that the return is "much needed." He praised residents for their patience and highlighted the impact on young people: "We want to bring that back again for young people, because it's the young people that have been missed - they're bored, there's not enough for them in the local area."
Future impact on the community
Councillor Parkin concluded: "This is the first stage, but I'm looking ahead and I'm thinking, this could make a big difference to all generations of people, but particularly young people as well. I would like to thank everyone at the Trust for their incredible hard work over the past two years in reaching this stage. They've been absolutely brilliant."
The process is expected to span several months, with further updates to be shared as plans progress.
