100 homes approved in final phase of Doxford Park regeneration

On Monday, Sunderland City Council’s area Development Control Sub-Committee backed proposals for a parcel of land north of Mill Hill Road.

The plans, from Gentoo Group, will see 100 new homes built with the majority having four or five bedrooms.

The estate will be accessed from either Mill Hill Road or a new access from Oak Tree Drive, off Silksworth Road.

During consultation however, neighbours raised concerns over the development.

These included increased litter, noise and the impact of a proposed 250-home development immediately to the north.

During the planning meeting at Sunderland Civic Centre, Coun Pat Smith voted against the plans.

Her concerns included highway safety around the Oak Tree Drive access and increased traffic from extra housing in the area.

“I thought that when this estate was done, the road would come in from where it came previously and wouldn’t touch this road,” she told planning officers.

“Now I find it’s coming in from this road on a blind bend where the highway safety has obviously not been taken into consideration.

“It’s a 30-40mph road as I understand, if this was going to be done it should be somewhere with a 20mph and I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Highways officers said they were satisfied with the plans from a safety point of view.

Coun Smith added: “I’m pleased you’re satisfied because people in Silksworth are not and more so the people living round.”

The application site was previously occupied by 135 houses which were demolished between 2008 and 2015.

Following feedback, Gentoo reduced the number of homes planned for the site from 113 to 100 with an aim of providing more public open space.

The decision is subject to a section 106 agreement, which will see Gentoo pay more than £390,000 to the council towards education and ecology.

This includes reducing impact on school places and protected nature areas, alongside providing 10% affordable homes on the site.

The approved plans also mark ‘phase six’ of Gentoo’s redevelopment plans which have seen nearly 550 homes built in the Doxford Park area so far.

Caption: Land To The North Of Mill Hill Road Doxford Park Sunderland Picture: Google 

Artist impressions of how some homes could look in ‘Phase 6’ of the proposed Doxford Park development. Picture:Gentoo

Chris Binding , Local Democracy Reporting Service