Decision due for major housing development in Sunderland
Set to be presented before councillors next week, the fate of 75 new homes hangs in the balance.
After being in the pipeline for quite some time, housing plans for Sunderland’s city centre are due to be discussed by the council’s planning and highways committee next week. If they are approved, the properties will be on a site bound by High Street West, Villiers Street, Coronation Street and Nile Street.
Developer TOWN submitted the application which recently went live on the local authorities planning portal website allowing people to view documents and expressed their opinion.
The plans, as well as delivery much-needed homes, will also reinstate two streets demolished in the 2000s which were historically home to printers, cabinet makers and textile workers.
Supported by more than £4m from the government’s levelling up fund, the project is a key element of a 10-year place strategy for the Sunniside area aiming to grow new and existing creative industries, increase the residential population and to bring under-used buildings and spaces to life.
Ahead of next week’s meeting, Sunderland City Council’s planning department have published a report recommending the housing scheme for approval.
However, as the site doesn’t provide on-site parking, Northumbria Police raised concerned about ‘a large number of vehicles trying to use the limited/restricted parking’ in the area and associated ‘neighbourly disputes’.
Although, in response to this, council planners in the report said ‘car parking for the site is considered acceptable for a city centre-located development as the site benefits from nearby car parking and good transport links’.
Obviously subject to planning permission being granted on Monday, construction work on the council-owned site could commence later this year.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at City Hall at 5.30pm and will be open to the public.
Image: TOWN
