Plans to “broaden the use” of part of a council business centre on Wearside have been approved by city cllrs.
Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee, at a meeting this week, approved plans for the Sunderland Software Centre at Tavistock Place in the city’s Hendon ward.
The multi-million pound centre, which opened its doors in 2013, has been a hub for the tech sector over the years, with tenants including games development firms, web developers, video production specialists and more.
A report to Sunderland City Council’s Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee in 2021 said the centre had suffered financially during the Covid-19 pandemic with many businesses working from home, or choosing to switch to virtual tenancies.
At the time, council chiefs said they were still seeking to use the centre to position Sunderland as a “centre of innovation and key location for software and technology businesses” with links to Sunderland’s Smart City Strategy.
The same year (2021), it was announced that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) would be taking on a temporary lease in a large part of the software centre building to create a Jobcentre, with a new access point put in place.
At a meeting of Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee this week, an application was discussed seeking permission for a technical change in planning classes for the part of the building previously occupied by the DWP, which has since vacated.
This included a “change of use of part of ground, first and second floors” from its previous DWP use to a range of potential planning uses, which have expanded due to national changes in planning use classes in recent years.
A report to cllrs said the proposed uses for the building would include “offices to carry out any operational or administrative functions” and “research and development of products or processes.”
The applicant behind the proposed changes was listed as “Sunderland City Council – Economy and Place”, although no council representative attended the planning meeting to speak on the application as applicant or to answer questions.
Cllr Michael Dixon said Sunderland Software Centre is a “very important building in the city centre” and asked if the planning application and change of use “broadens the type of use that can be made of the building for the future.”
Council planners, who have been processing the application, said the proposal would return the building back to its primary use but confirmed it would also “broaden out” the types of uses because of “substantial changes” to planning use classes in recent years.
They added that the council’s planning department does not get involved in the “end users” or prospective tenants of the building but could pass Cllr Dixon’s comments back to the relevant senior council officer.
In response to a question from cllr Andrew Wood, council planners noted the space previously occupied by the DWP is classed as “one planning unit” over several floors.
Cllr Michael Dixon, commenting on the planning application, stressed the importance of the software centre and said while it was “quite neglected in general discussions about the city centre”, he hoped it could succeed going forward.
“I feel pretty strongly about this building and I wish it well, there’s been a lot of history over the years about the occupation rates and we have had reports over the years that it’s been a certain amount,” he added.
“So I do hope that looking ahead we do get occupation amounts that are acceptable in terms of the building itself and for the prosperity of the city.
“We’re here for planning tonight but there is quite a lot of interest in that building and it’s almost like a sleeping giant and I wish it received a little bit more attention.”
A statement on Sunderland Software Centre’s website describes the site as a “vibrant workspace, popular with small and growing businesses that value working alongside progressive tech communities in this prime city centre location”.
It notes the centre “boasts bespoke office space, ultra fast connectivity, superior IT support and a range of high spec, collaboration, media and event spaces.”
For more information on the planning application and council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 25/01839/LP3
Information about the Sunderland Software Centre can also be found via its website here: https://sunderlandsoftwarecentre.co.uk
