Decision day for Home Bargains store which could create dozens of jobs in Sunderland

A computer generated image of what the proposed new store would look like.

Plans for a multi-million pound Home Bargains store in Sunderland creating dozens of new jobs are set to go before councillors for decision next week.

Earlier this year, Sunderland City Council’s planning department received an application for land to the south of Leechmere Road in the Grangetown area.

Plans for the site, which sits near an existing Asda superstore, included the demolition of a “reservoir structure” which once served a nearby paper mill and landscaping to make way for a huge retail unit.

The site on which the proposed new Home Bargains store would be built.

The £10 million development, first revealed by Fintry Estates and Hargreaves Land in 2022, includes a Home Bargains store with around 2,804 sqm gross floorspace.

Those behind the scheme said the Home Bargains store would help regenerate the former industrial site which has been vacant for many years and blighted by fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

The seven Sunderland councillors standing down at the next election in May 2023

Members of the city council’s Planning and Highways Committee are due to make a decision on the planning application at a meeting next week.

A report prepared by council planning officers ahead of the meeting states the development would be acceptable, subject to planning conditions and outstanding matters around drainage.

Council planning officers, who have recommended the scheme for approval, said plans would also boost biodiversity on the site and would have no “unacceptable impacts” on ecology and residential amenity.

The committee report adds: “The proposed development would contribute to delivering growth and sustainable patterns of development, within the existing urban area, and in a relatively sustainable location with good access to public transport.

“It would contribute to providing new employment and provide a facility to meet people’s goods retail needs in South Sunderland.

“It would have no unacceptable impacts on existing town, district and centres, as it has passed both the retail sequential and impact assessment tests, subject to conditions being attached to any planning permission to define the permission and to safeguard the vitality and viability of, and investment in, nearby centres.

“The proposed development would have no adverse impacts on the amenity, recreation or nature conservation value of greenspace within the application”.

According to planning documents submitted to the city council in January, 2023, the proposals are expected to create around 60 full time equivalent jobs and other “spin-off employment”.

This includes local businesses and others in the supply chain, and construction employment associated with the development.

A planning and retail statement submitted to council officials notes the plans would provide more than 160 parking spaces,as well as pedestrian links, cycle parking and electric vehicle chargers.

Developers, in a design and access statement, added a service yard has been positioned to the rear of the proposed Home Bargains store, to help “minimise the impact” on neighbours.

The final decision on the application rests with councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee who will next meet on Monday, April 3, at City Hall.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 5.30pm in the council chamber and will be open to the public.