I have a lovely variegated shrub which will get larger. It's a Ligustrum lucidum 'Tricolor' which also has sprays of white flowers in the summer. Otherwise - I'd recommend Eleagnus maculata, or Ilex x altaclerensis 'Golden King'. They're slow growing, and you could keep them to the size you want. The Ilex (holly) is a smooth leaved variety, so no prickles!

When removing the tree, don't let them grind the stump immediately, or you will get even more suckers! First, drill holes in the stump and fill them with brush killer, covering each hole with packing tape. The sooner after the tree is felled you can do this, the better. That should kill the stump, and most of the roots, stopping most of the suckering. A few suckers may still appear, up to 5 years after removal--clipping them and immediately painting the cut ends with brush killer will kill the roots they sprang from, and eventually eliminate the problem. As long as you don't spill too much brush killer into the soil, it should be safe to plant 3-6 months after the first treatment. Be sure to dig out all the dead roots in a volume of soil 70 cm wide by 70 cm deep before planting the new plant. Even without the brush killer, dead wood underground interferes with the health of new plants.

Thanks for the quick responses.