Housing at the heart of Sunderland’s £1.5bn investment plan

It's a programme that takes inspiration from the UK's most dynamic cities, all of which have a vibrant city centres at their core. And housing is a key part of that mix.

“We are very clear,” says Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council.

“We need more people living in our city centre, to ensure it has the critical mass required to support the retail and leisure offer here. And in Riverside Sunderland, we have a huge opportunity to create that – with an attractive riverscape that is just a stone’s throw from the retail heart of Sunderland.

“Add to that the jobs we are creating in the city centre, with more and better office space, and the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together.”

For a city built by industry, Sunderland has enviable natural assets. A winding riverside moves through the heart of the city centre, rolling hills and green parkland flank the outskirts of the city centre and the riverside, and within walking distance is Sunderland’s stunning coastline – named by the Guardian as among the country’s most beautiful beaches.

“More and better homes are at the heart of our plans for Sunderland,” explains Mr Melia, who has been at the helm of the city council for 15 months.

“Vibrant new communities will absolutely transform our offer as a place to live, and we know that by creating attractive new family homes, we can grow the city, and attract more families – of all shapes and sizes – to choose to live here, and ultimately, work, rest and play in Sunderland.”

Sustainable new homes in or close to the city centre are expected to feature prominently in the developing vision for Riverside Sunderland, though further details are – Mr Melia explains – to be revealed over the next 12 months.

“We have some exciting plans for housing. The council has an ambition to build its own affordable housing, something it will do in a way that complements the plans of the city’s core housing partners.

“Over the next decade, this will see us construct over 700 homes every year across the city with 1,000 of those being located in the city centre. Sunderland Riverside will be one of the best places to live in the North East, comprising high-quality, ultra-modern homes that are constructed using the most technologically advanced methods. It’s a very exciting time for the city.”

Combined with more people working in the area, owing to the increase in new office space, council bosses believe Sunderland city centre could see the daytime population increase by 60 per cent, providing a welcome boost to the city centre economy and its resident business community.

And attractive new communities on the outskirts of the city are already taking shape.

“We have some beautiful suburbs that are well-connected to major commuter routes,” explains Mr Melia.

“One of the strengths of the city is the fact we have so much green space and it creates an attractive vibrant place to live in. Add great schools and amenities and more and better job opportunities coming forward thanks to our investment in new business spaces, and our offer is pretty compelling.”

Miller Homes was the first housebuilder to dig spades into the ground as part of the 750-home development on land just north of the city’s popular Chapelgarth and Moorside estates. The premium housebuilder recently opened a showroom to market the 160 properties at Potters Hill and has already received significant interest from prospective buyers.

And Story Homes has made a commitment to the city, with an announcement that it will be the second developer to work on Potters Hill – just one of a number of sites it has identified in the city that it would like to deliver high-quality housing developments on.

“We’re building plans for more leisure in the heart of the city, and this will add to the attractiveness of the city centre. It will ensure that we are able to create the magnet city centre our residents want and deserve. It will also attract people from outside of Sunderland – and that has to be the level of ambition,” says Mr Melia.

“And it’s not just about homes, it’s about the liveability of the city. We will be improving transport links; introducing more cycle paths; preserving the area’s landscape and heritage; building our events programme; improving our focus on support for residents and creating more spaces and places for people to enjoy. It’s an exciting period in the city’s development and housing is absolutely front and centre.”

To find out more about Riverside Sunderland, and how this exciting vision will stimulate the regeneration of Sunderland at large, visit www.riversidesunderland.com.