Major plans aiming to kickstart the regeneration of a derelict former glassworks site are due to go before city councillors for decision next week.
Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee will discuss an application for land at Deptford Terrace near the Queen Alexandra Bridge in the Millfield ward.
The multi-million pound vision from Jomast Developments Ltd, submitted to the council back in 2022, included creating hundreds of jobs on a site which has sat vacant for more than a decade.
Proposed plans include six industrial and warehousing units suitable for general industrial use or storage and distribution, as well as seven trade warehouses with ancillary trade counters or light industrial units.
A drive thru coffee shop is also planned on the site, as well as an electric vehicle (EV) charging hub with a retail kiosk and associated access, parking, servicing and landscaping works.
The electric vehicle charging station would provide 26 spaces, including 10 ultra rapid EV chargers and around 351 parking spaces, including accessible spaces, would be provided across the site.
Original plans submitted in 2022 included reference to a large foodstore, other food and drink facilities and a petrol filling station, however, these elements were removed by the applicant during the planning application process.
A council report said the move followed discussions with council officers over the “acceptability of the proportion of the proposed development including non-employment uses” under planning policies and the “acceptability of the proposed development including a hot food takeaway drive thru facility”.
The final scheme, according to planning documents, includes 95 per cent of floorspace being for ’employment uses’ and five per cent of floorspace being for ‘non-employment uses’.
The amended scheme is due to go before councillors for decision at a crunch meeting next week and council planning officers have recommended it for approval.
Council planners, in a committee report published ahead of the decision-making meeting, noted there were no objections from the council’s environmental health, highways or ecology departments, subject to conditions.
It was also argued that the plans would have “no unacceptable impacts on the vitality and viability of, and investment in, nearby town, district and local centres subject to a condition to control the specific nature of the proposed retail kiosk and coffee shop drive thru”.
The committee report adds: “The proposed development would contribute to creating new jobs, the development of employment land and the delivery of physical and social infrastructure to meet identified needs.
“The electric vehicle (EV) charging facility would contribute towards minimising the likely effects of climate change.
“The proposed development would also contribute to the growth and regeneration of South Sunderland via the regeneration of a vacant site, within the existing urban area and in a sustainable location with good access to public transport.
“Given that the majority of the proposed development would be for employment uses, with only a small proportion being for non-employment uses, it would broadly accord with employment policies within the [council’s] adopted Core Strategy and Development Plan (CSDP).
“Only a small proportion of the proposed development would conflict with Policy EG2, however this would still provide some supporting and complementary function of the wider development.
“However, to ensure that the site is built out as an employment site, a condition is recommended to ensure that the employment development is practically complete and made available for use prior to the commencement of any development associated with the drive thru coffee shop.
“Conditions are also recommended to ensure that proposed units could not change to other non-employment uses and to control the proportion of each unit that can be used as a trade counter.”
A previous outline planning application for a range of uses on the site, including offices, homes, leisure and retail uses, was approved by councillors in October, 2013, however a section 106 agreement between developers and the council was not subsequently signed, meaning planning permission was not formally granted.
A planning statement submitted with new plans for the site said “previous historic planning applications have failed to deliver economic development” but that the land now “benefits from excellent connectivity”.
This is because of the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor which, developers said, “underpins the viability of new commercial development.”
Developers have previously said more than 135 jobs could be created during the initial construction phase, followed by more than 300 full-time roles.
However, this estimate was related to the original plan including industrial units and the foodstore, petrol station and other food businesses, and it is unclear how many jobs the amended development will create.
A council report states that the applicant is “in discussion with a number of potential occupiers, with a view to occupying the new floorspace within the proposed development.”
A final decision on the application rests with councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee, who will next meet on Monday, 25 November, 2024.
The meeting will take place at City Hall from 5.30pm and will be open to the public.
Any planning approval would be subject to a legal agreement to allow the council to secure a financial contribution from applicant Jomast Developments Ltd and Cowie Properties LLP.
This aims to secure a £207,000 financial contribution for “the purpose of the management of Hendon Local Wildlife Site, or an alternative site as appropriate, to ensure that Biodiversity Net Gain habitat enhancements and compensation can be secured and delivered.”
For more information on the regeneration scheme, or to track its progress, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 22/01123/FU4
The initial planning reference for the scheme was 22/01123/FUL but this was changed to 22/01123/FU4 during the planning application process.
