Vistry Partnerships North East division has been named as the preferred developer for a major Wearside residential project
Sunderland City Council’s cabinet is set to agree the deal, paving the way for the creation of a new 275 home residential project on its civic centre site.
Vistry Partnerships submitted the strongest bid to acquire the site.
The residential project will include a significant provision of much-needed affordable housing with one to four-bedroomed properties, many benefitting from views across the adjacent Mowbray Park.
The scheme will include areas of formal and informal amenity space and enhanced pedestrian and multi-user links to the city centre.
‘A more dynamic, prosperous city centre’
Sean Egan, managing director with Vistry Partnerships North East, added: “We are delighted that our bid to create a modern new community, whilst enhancing the green links to other important parts of the city has been so well received by the council.
“We aim to create an attractive new residential quarter that sits comfortably within the surrounding architecture, with a focus on green space that encourages community use.
“It will be a fantastic new inclusive neighbourhood with its own distinctive character, providing a new housing offer on the edge of Ashbrooke and Mowbray Park whilst benefiting from the close proximity to the city centre.”
Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, added: “We’re delighted to have attracted such a strong field of proposals from developers who see the vast potential of this prominent city centre site.
“When this site is developed it will deliver a stunning new place to live that increases city centre population and footfall, supporting the daytime and evening economy.
“It will play a significant part in the development of a more dynamic, prosperous city centre, bringing more spending power into the heart of Sunderland.”
Subject to the land sale approval, a planning application is expected to be submitted in late autumn and demolition of the old civic centre could get underway in early 2022.
