Decision made on controversial 49-home Wearside development

Sunderland City Council's planning and highways committee gave the green light to Homes by Esh's proposed development on land off Burdon Road in the Doxford area after hearing further objections at City Hall.

The scheme will see 49 homes built with vehicle access via a new four-arm mini-roundabout at The Fold.

The scheme has previously sparked local concerns over the new access generating a “significant” increase in traffic, the wider design of the scheme and more.

A decision was due at a planning meeting on March 30 at City Hall, where several local residents raised concerns, but councillors voted to defer a decision to allow a potential alternative western site access to be explored.

When the application returned to the planning and highways committee on June 10, a committee report noted the 49-home scheme, with a southern access, was still being proposed.

A council report added developers had “discounted alternative access arrangements” with an argument centred on “legal/land ownership constraints.”

Despite plans being listed for discussion in June no decision was made, with applicant Homes by Esh requesting the application be withdrawn from the meeting following “concerns raised locally.”

Residents living near the proposed housing site have said the scheme would increase traffic and worsen highway safety.

But Ashbrooke Sports Club, which owns the site earmarked for housing, have also previously said the plans would clear the club’s debts and safeguard sporting provision in the city for decades to come.

The housing plans went before the planning and highways committee again last week, with a recommendation for approval from council planners.

They said there were “no material planning grounds to require the developer to propose an alternative vehicular access into the site”.

Residents, along with Doxford Park ward councillors Heather Fagan and Michael Peacock, repeated their objections.

They raised concerns about increased traffic, congestion, highway safety, construction vehicles and what they described as a “broken” site layout because of the proposed footpath link.

Those opposed to the plans also insisted an alternative vehicle access could still be explored and warned the proposed southern access would have a significant impact on neighbouring residents.

A representative for Ashbrooke Sports Club, which owns the land earmarked for housing, told councillors the development would help safeguard the future of the historic club by improving its financial sustainability.

A representative for Homes by Esh said alternative access options had been fully considered but were not deliverable, insisting the southern access was "the only viable vehicle access."

During the debate, some committee members questioned the predicted traffic levels associated with the development and the transport assessment submitted by the applicant.

However, council highways officers said the assessment was appropriate for a development of this scale and that road safety had been fully considered.

A planning report also concluded the proposed southern access could safely manage traffic generated by both the new housing development and existing homes at The Fold.

After debate, councillors voted by a majority to approve the application.