Work due to begin on new Sunderland Tesco and Cooplands stores on former Southwick Social Club site

As reported by the Echo, Developer Modo Bloc gained planning permission from Sunderland City Council to built a new 4,000 sq ft Tesco store, as well as a unit for Cooplands bakery, on the derelict former Southwick Social Club site off Church Bank.

The disused site sits on a prominent corner of the town adjacent to Kings Road and Sunderland Road, and the development team say the new stores will bring ‘much-needed’ jobs to the community, with the stores employing around 20-30 people.

George Jenkins, MD of Modo Bloc, explained: “I am delighted the city council saw the merit in our proposals to breathe life and energy back into this location, helping bring more jobs to this part of Southwick.

“This is a small but exciting commercial development that has attracted two high quality retail tenants. It’s a perfect roadside location where demand will be high.

Modo Bloc director Ollie Stapleton added: “We hope to be on site in the coming months, helping to regenerate this part of Southwick.”

Modo Bloc is also looking at other commercial development sites around the region.

This includes seeking planning permission from South Tyneside Council for a £3million development project off Claypath Lane and the A194, in South Shields, where Modo Bloc hopes to build three units as well as a Starbucks Drive Thru store.

In 2022, the firm secured planning permission from Stockton Borough Council to build 22 light industrial units on a brownfield site on Cowpen Lane Industrial Estate, Billingham. Construction of the 30,000 sq ft of new industrial space is due to start in the coming months.