Sutton Park charges face a delay
An earlier council report suggested the charges could start in summer 2026. The authority now says it has reconsidered its approach to each park, leaving Lickey Hills as the only site where charges are being progressed during 2026/27.
For Sutton Park, cabinet members are being asked to postpone charges while an independent review examines how the park should be run. They are due to consider the recommendation on Tuesday, November 10.
The city council and Sutton Coldfield Town Council have long wanted to explore placing Sutton Park in an independent trust, potentially with trustees appointed by both authorities. They plan to jointly commission an external study of a trust and other partnership arrangements.
Richard Parkin, the Conservative councilor for Sutton Reddicap, said cabinet approval would put charges on hold during the study, which is expected to take eight to 10 months. Cabinet members would consider its findings around this time next year.
Parkin thanked residents and campaigners who opposed the charges and linked the park's future to the town's approaching Royal Charter anniversary. Local benefactor Bishop Vesey helped secure the charter from King Henry VIII in 1528; Sutton Coldfield will mark its 500th anniversary in 2028.
The Royal Sutton Coldfield Pride in Place Regeneration Plan describes Sutton Park as one of Europe's largest urban parks, covering more than 2,400 acres, and identifies it as a National Nature Reserve. It estimates annual attendance at 1 million visitors, citing the city council's 2025 mobile phone tracking data.
What was proposed for Lickey Hills
The Lickey Hills consultation proposed charging for parking between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day of the year. Drivers would pay £1 an hour for stays of up to four hours or £5 for all-day parking. An annual season ticket would cost £52, while coach parking at Beacon Hill would cost £28. Blue Badge holders and registered volunteers would be exempt.
Those are the terms consulted on, rather than charges already in operation. The council says it is now progressing the Lickey Hills scheme, while the Sheldon Country Park proposal remains under review.
Lickey Hills spans 524 acres about 10 miles southwest of central Birmingham. The council's consultation pack puts annual attendance at roughly 500,000, with about 26% of visitors coming from Worcestershire and beyond. Its three parking lots can accommodate approximately 445 vehicles.
Residents and politicians challenged the charges
Opposition emerged in both consultation responses and political criticism. In one informal consultation, 919 respondents, or 78.4%, said access to Lickey Hills should remain free.
Birmingham Local Conservatives also cited results published with the council's January 2026 cabinet decision. According to the group, opposition to parking charges accounted for 92.5% of responses at Lickey Hills, with 1,099 objections; 94.1% at Sutton Park, with 5,184 objections; and 92.1% at Sheldon Country Park, with 383 objections.
Conservative group leader Robert Alden previously called the charges "unfair, unjustified and completely out of touch with the people of Birmingham." Bromsgrove's Conservative MP, Bradley Thomas, said: "We're quite literally paying the price for Birmingham City Council's financial mismanagement." He also argued that access to green space and healthy lifestyles was particularly important.
The financial case behind the scheme
The parking plans formed part of the council's response to a financial crisis. After declaring itself effectively bankrupt in 2023 under Labour leadership, the authority pursued service cuts and considered other savings measures.
According to Birmingham Local Conservatives, the Labour cabinet approved a decision on January 16, 2026, to borrow £981,700, almost £1 million, to implement parking charges across the three parks.
The council previously argued that charging would align Birmingham with comparable destinations elsewhere in the UK and help cover maintenance costs. It said parking revenue would go directly toward maintaining and improving park facilities.
Its consultation pack projected annual gross revenue from 2028-29 onward of about £48,000 at Sheldon Country Park, £330,000 at Lickey Hills and £683,000 at Sutton Park. These were estimates for the proposed three-park scheme.
The same pack estimated combined annual upkeep and maintenance costs of approximately £1.75 million, including about £261,000 for Lickey Hills. It said the projected parking revenue would not cover the three parks' total costs.
