Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council (RSCTC) commissioned LUC to undertake an appraisal of Sutton Park, Birmingham's largest urban park.

The project aimed to assess current management and maintenance, and associated costs, and outline suggestions for further management and research. LUC was subsequently commissioned to identify appropriate sustainable financial governance models to help secure the long-term future of this important green space.

Our work provided vital insights to guide the future management of Sutton Park.

The project not only assessed the current state of the park and its management but also explored alternative governance models that could ensure its financial and ecological sustainability.

The initial phase of the project involved a site appraisal of Sutton Park which assessed current landscape and environmental management of the Park.

LUC reviewed existing information, conducted site visits, and consulted with key stakeholders to draw conclusions on the current status of the park.

This appraisal identified the need for additional financial resources to maintain the park's valuable habitats, heritage assets, and visitor facilities.

Following the appraisal, LUC was commissioned to explore potential funding and governance models and explore how these might be applied  at Sutton Park.

Our research looked at the wider context of parks governance, funding and organisational structures. From here, we developed a series of case studies of successful models and held interviews with site managers to better understand how these models work in practice. Analysis of our findings were then applied to Sutton Park's unique context in order to make recommendations to the client.

This analysis provided the RSCTC with a valuable framework to consider alternative management structures.

Our combined appraisal and governance study provided the RSCTC with a robust evidence base as to the current condition of Sutton Park, and the potential benefits of alternative governance models for future management.  

The project's recommendations will play a crucial role in guiding RSCTC in the next steps they wish to take in safeguarding the Park’s natural beauty and heritage for generations to come.