Bid to have Sunderland's empty Marks & Spencer building listed is rejected

In early March the Echo reported that opposition Conservative councillors had applied to Historic England, to give the High Street West building the protection of listed status.

The BBC has reported that Historic England has rejected the application as "it did not meet the necessary criteria for listing in a national context".

The store was controversially closed and subsequently abandoned on May 25, with a larger M&S opening seven miles away at the Galleries in Washington.

The building is the property of Sunderland City Council, but M&S hold the lease until March 2027 and are responsible for the building until then.

The listed status bid was made after the chain announced in January the branch in High Street West would be closed after several decades.

The Labour council had not unequivocally said the building would be demolished.

However, on June 13 the council told the Echo: “The Riverside Sunderland delivery plan – which has been extensively communicated on a local, regional and national level – includes explicit reference to a remodelled High Street West, including the replacement of this building with high quality offices and further retail."

It is not yet known how long Sunderland residents will have to put up with another large empty building in their city centre, with the former Wilko and Debenham's among the others

The Echo has asked M&S what plans it has for their empty, three-storey shop between now and 2027, including the much-loved clock which still hangs from the facade. The company has not responded.

M&S branding was removed from the shop's front and rear almost as soon as it closed for good.

The Conservatives said in March that "listed building status would protect the building from any neglect, inconsiderate changes to its Art Deco architecture".

Among the criteria for listed status are whether the building has sufficient historic and/or architectural value, or the desirability of its fixtures and features.

The council has also bought the former Mothercare and Argos stores in High Street West as part of transformation plans.