Guidelines for creating thousands of new jobs and hundreds of new homes at Riverside Sunderland have been backed by council bosses.
Riverside Sunderland covers the former Vaux brewery site, neighbouring Farringdon Row, Galley’s Gill, Riverside Park and High Street West.
On the north side of the river, it also includes the Bonnersfield and Sheepfolds area where housing and mixed use development is proposed.
Last year, financial services giant Legal & General announced it would invest £100 million into the city centre and at the former Vaux brewery site where business and office use is a priority.
Sunderland City Council bosses have said that the emerging Riverside Sunderland project will double the resident population of the city centre from 2,500 to 5,000 and increase employment by 50 per cent to 18,000.
This week, the authority’s ruling cabinet agreed to launch a consultation on a document which will help shape the development in future years.
The ‘supplementary planning document’ (SPD) sets out the principles and parameters for businesses, developers and housebuilders involved in the project.
This includes the context, vision and objectives for Riverside Sunderland, land use, design and layout and open space and accessibility – with other factors ranging from building heights and appearance to future planning application requirements.
Cabinet member for dynamic city, Coun Rebecca Atkinson, outlined the SPD at Tuesday’s virtual cabinet meeting which was broadcast live on the council’s YouTube channel.
“Riverside Sunderland will play a big part in achieving the goals of Sunderland’s City Plan helping us to become a dynamic, healthy and vibrant international city,” she said.
“We have bold ambitions and aspirations for Riverside Sunderland which over the next 20 years will be established as a successful business location, a popular place to live and a focal point for community life.
“To deliver on our aspirations, it’s vital that the council has an up-to-date planning framework to guide development within the Riverside Sunderland area.
“The SPD will provide such guidance and clarity around what would be considered to be an appropriate development.”
City leaders agreed to a four-week consultation with the public, local businesses and statutory bodies which is expected to launch later this month.
The consultation will be carried out in line with the council’s updated ‘statement of community involvement’ which includes temporary changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This includes the suspension of face to face consultation events, workshops, focus groups or exhibitions.
According to cabinet papers, consultation documents will be made available on the council’s website and hard copies can be posted on request.
Hard copies will also be made available at the council’s principal office “where this can be done within government guidance and social distancing requirements.”
Comments on the Riverside Sunderland consultation will help shape a final draft document which will be prepared later this year.
