A full restoration and refit has been completed, with a particular focus on preventative healthcare, acute admission avoidance, and the needs of older adults.
The century-old building has been transformed to meet local community needs, with modernised and extended clinical facilities, including a state-of-the-art diagnostics suite. A newly configured ground floor offers seven GP consulting rooms for Vesey Practice, relocating from nearby James Preston Health Centre. A new lift has been installed for access to the first floor, where a further five consultation/examination rooms will be available. A new locality base for community occupational therapists and physiotherapists is also incorporated. Services for children and families previously delivered at Sutton Cottage are relocating to the space vacated by Vesey Practice in nearby James Preston Health Centre.
The refurbished building interior has been designed to offer a contemporary, accessible environment that is intuitive for visitors to navigate, while also creating a more comfortable and efficient working environment. Design detail such as traditional cornicing and picture framing retain connections to the building’s history, balancing modernisation with preservation.
Building contractors Manton began onsite preparatory work in December 2024, with activity gathering momentum in early 2025.
Manton MD Phil Steele said: “Delivering the renovation and upgrade of this historic building into a modern healthcare facility has been a highly rewarding challenge. The building’s complex history brought a number of unexpected discoveries during the works, but addressing these in close partnership with the BCHC estates team has been a particularly satisfying part of the journey.”
Luke Spence, associate director of project design partners Design Buro, said: “Working with a building with sections originally constructed in 1897, the Sutton Cottage Hospital refurbishment presented a unique opportunity to create a modern healthcare environment while carefully respecting its historic character.
“Through close collaboration with Birmingham Community Healthcare, Sutton Group Practice and the wider stakeholder team, the design has transformed the facility into a light, welcoming, and patient-centred wellbeing setting, balancing modernisation with preservation, meeting current NHS standards and providing a high-quality environment for patients, visitors, and healthcare professionals.”
Birmingham Community Healthcare chief transformation officer Chris Holt commented: “We are delighted that after such a long period of planning and preparation and 18 months’ hard work onsite, the new Royal Sutton Coldfield Cottage Hospital is at last set to open for the community.
“The new facilities really exemplify the ethos of the national drive to build a neighbourhood health service. And an important part of that approach is providing services that are determined by local community needs. So, Sutton Cottage has a strong focus on frailty and the needs of older adults.”