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Arc boss on Vaux site issue
Sunderland arc chief executive David Walker gives his view 10 years on from the closure of Vaux.
"Seven years ago, Sunderland arc was given the task of securing the Vaux site to provide the new economic focus for the city, to maximise the number of jobs created and build on Sunderland's success in replacing the jobs lost with the decline of the old industries.
It became our number one priority and remains so to this day.
In its days as a brewery, the Vaux site provided jobs which helped to drive the economy of the city. The site can do this once again, but in a different way.
The Vaux site is Sunderland's best chance for the city to diversify its economy and bring in a concentration of new offices which will provide employment and spin-off opportunities for other investments both on the site and around the city, such as hotels, quality retail and leisure developments.
Without this kind of economic focus and the spending power of people employed on the Vaux site, other quality investments cannot be sustained.
Over the past seven years no one has been more frustrated by the lack of progress on the site than Sunderland arc.
In September last year, we launched our search for a developer partner to develop our plans for the site to attract new businesses into the city via the development of half a million square feet of office space, two hotels, ancillary leisure and retail and new homes.
We anticipate signing an agreement with the successful partner in the autumn and to then progressing their planning application early next year.
In the meantime, we continue our dialogue with Tesco and are closer now to a satisfactory outcome than we have ever been.
After all this time, I don't think anyone would thank us for not getting the outcome that this city deserves."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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