City planning chiefs unanimously approve extensions to 'rock armour' sea defences protecting Port of Sunderland

Proposals were submitted earlier this year to extend the existing “rock armour” along the front of the Stonehill Wall coastal defence at the city’s port.

The wall is a coastal defence structure that protects businesses and infrastructure within the Port of Sunderland near the New South Pier and to the east of Hudson Dock.

The plans, submitted by the city council’s flood and coastal team, look to further improve the coastal defences by extending the rock revetment northwards along the front of the Stonehill Wall and South Pier.

Councillors at Thursday’s (September 22) meeting of Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee, unanimously approved the proposals.

The meeting heard planning permission was granted in 2020 for major maintenance and repairs to the Stonehill Wall and that the latest application “essentially represents a second phase of the defence works programme”.

A report from planners said the proposals raised “no concerns relative to the amenity of the area, built heritage, archaeology, highway and pedestrian safety”.

It added: “It is considered that the proposed development is acceptable in land use terms given that the development is concerned with the improvement of the coastal flooding infrastructure designed to protect the Port of Sunderland.

“The development is also compatible with a location which is at high risk of flooding given that the works affect flood defences.”

The proposals will see the revetment extend approximately 16-17 metres out from the front of the wall, into the tidal foreshore, and comprises two ramped layers of large granite blocks.

The revetment extension ends at the end of the curve at the southern end of the pier and covers an area of approximately 3305 square metres.

The Stonehill Wall was first constructed in around 1900 as part of the development of the New South Pier and it extends for approximately 240 metres and has an average height of an estimated 4.6 metres.

Repairs were previously completed to decking at the Stonehill Wall sea defences after damage in the winter and spring storms of 2018.

The plans come after the city council’s cabinet in September last year agreed the next steps for a project to create new rock revetment walls to update and improve the port’s Stonehill Wall and Hendon Foreshore Barrier sea defences.