Sunny side of our streets

Nov 16 2007 By The Journal

THIS year has been exciting for Sunderland arc and Sunniside Partnership and one that has seen significant progress towards their ambitious plans for the city.

Shaking off its legacy of industrial decline, the next few years will bring high quality job opportunities, world-class facilities, a lively riverside environment and a new international reputation to Sunderland, reinventing the city as a truly 21st Century place to, live, work and play.

Supported by our partners Sunderland City Council, One NorthEast and English Partnerships, together with additional support from TyneWear Partnership, our focus is on creating vibrant new communities.

Our aim is to bring 11,500 new jobs, 3,800 new homes and 315,000sqm of business space to the city.

From the spectacular scheme planned for the former Vaux Brewery site to the new and exciting Holmeside retail triangle, taking in historic Sunniside on the way, the next 12 months will be a year of major change.

Supported by the City Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP), a strong framework is now in place to push these exciting developments forward.

Chief executive of Sunderland arc, David Walker, explains: “This summer an independently appointed Government inspector endorsed the city’s overarching strategy for regeneration.

This has been a crucial step forward, clarifying the planning framework for Central Sunderland and encouraging investors and developers to choose this fast-rising city.

“Over the past few years we have felt the frustration of others to see these plans come to fruition. The planning process is time consuming but at last we are now embarking upon a dynamic phase.”

Over the last 12 months Sunderland arc’s flagship scheme, Vaux, has reached some critical milestones. The plans, which include up to 1,000 new homes and a lively office area supported by bars, restaurants and two major new hotels, received approval from the Secretary of State in March this year.

Further endorsement was given to these proposals following a public inquiry into planned alterations to the City Council’s UDP.

On this occasion a Government inspector concluded that major retail development such as a supermarket was not suitable for the Vaux site, strengthening the arc’s plans for an office and residential-led development.

Our partner One NorthEast has now appointed valuers to put a price on the site, which is currently owned by Tesco, with a view to making them an offer before the end of the year.

On top of this, work looks set to begin on creating a new three-star hotel, offices and high quality apartments on Farringdon Row in the New Year. Stadium Village will soon open its new Olympic-sized swimming pool and a detailed planning application for the redevelopment of the Holmeside Triangle is due to be submitted in 2008.

Already under way is the transformation of Sunderland’s eastern city quarter – Sunniside.

Since its inception in 2003, Sunniside Partnership has levered in over £50m of private investment and is already well on its way to achieving its target of £130m over its 14-year lifespan.

Home to the largest concentration of listed buildings in the city, great progress has already been made in restoring this important area to its former glory.

A thousand new homes are planned and further additions such as the Argent Business and Conference Centre and the stunning £2m Sunniside Gardens have brought the area bang up-to-date. The gardens will be followed by more improvements to Sunniside’s streets and public spaces in 2008.

Next year will also see the completion of a new £6m arts and business centre called thePlace, which will accommodate performance space, art gallery/exhibition spaces, cafés, meeting rooms and a range of business suites and artists‘ studios.

With the regeneration of West Sunniside well under way a masterplan for the North-East and South-East sector is now being drawn up, which aims to bring a further 1,800 jobs to the area. Ben Hall, director of Sunniside Partnership, said: “We are all working towards a brighter future for the city. While the arc is tackling the large brownfield development sites and addressing the large floor plan offices, we are offering the spaces needed by a different type of smaller business and creating a unique business community bustling with niche shops and culture.

“This joint but varied approach is helping Sunderland to re-establish itself as a city of real opportunity.”

Follow our progress at www.sunderlandarc.co.uk and www.sunnisidepartnership.co.uk