Lib Dem councillors temporarily block plans for new glass making centre as row rumbles on over closure of current site
Sunderland’s Lib Dem councillors have triggered a rarely used procedure to temporarily block plans for a new glass making facility in Sunderland.
At a cabinet meeting last month (July 24) councillors made decisions to appoint consultants and contractors to deliver “design and enabling works” at the ex-Peter Smith Antiques building and entering into a “partnership and delivery agreement with Sunderland Culture” linked to the project and associated works.
The cabinet’s approval means the council is set to leverage a UK Shared Prosperity Grant of £2.4m from the North East Combined Authority to deliver a programme of essential repairs and enabling works to secure the integrity of the heritage property, built in 1882, in readiness for future fit-out.
However Sunderland’s Lib Dem leader Cllr Paul Edgeworth has triggered a 'Call In' procedure over concerns as to “whether the Council had seriously tried to save the existing National Glass Centre - and that there are serious questions to answer about whether the replacement site is fit for purpose”.
The ‘Call In’ procedure temporarily blocks the plans until Council bosses can adequately explain their decisions and whether spending represents value for money.
Senior council staff and ruling councillors from the Cabinet will now appear in front of the Council’s Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on 11 September to answer questions about whether the site is fit for purpose.
Until that time all spending and decisions about the project have been paused, and can only go ahead if the Scrutiny Committee agrees that the plans can proceed.
The decision to close the current centre has faced opposition from the Save the National Glass Centre campaign group, which has amassed more than 30,000 signatures of support.
Cllr Edgeworth said: “Sunderland Council are asking us to applaud plans for a new ‘Glassworks’ development even though it will be a massive downgrade on the existing Glass Centre.
“The proposal isn’t a proper replacement for the National Glass Centre and the current plans will leave glass makers without a home for two years between the Glass Centre closing and a new facility opening - in which time talented makers and artists will have had to find work elsewhere and centuries of glassmaking history on Wearside will stop, possibly for good.”
The current Glass Centre is owned by the University of Sunderland and Cllr Edgeworth feels more could have been done to save the current building.
He added: “If Sunderland’s Labour councillors, MPs, regional mayor and Government wanted to save the National Glass Centre they absolutely could. All that is missing is the willingness to do it.”
Following the cabinet decision, councillor Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for housing, regeneration and business at Sunderland City Council, said the new Glassworks would ‘preserve glassmaking in the city.’
He said: “This is a fantastic step forward in our aim to restore a key heritage building to enable further investment.
“We’re pleased to have been able to secure funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to carry out works that will enable this important building to be preserved, and – of course – we’re buoyed by plans being prepared by Sunderland Culture to preserve glassmaking in the city.”
Councillor Johnston added: “Glassmaking is a centuries old skill that Sunderland is incredibly proud of and we look forward to preparing this building for a future use and working with Sunderland Culture as they develop plans for a new facility for creators and artisans to continue this tradition.”
Sunderland Culture – which bid for the £5m from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport – is leading the plans for Glassworks: Sunderland.
Nick Malyan, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, said: “This is another exciting step towards the creation of a new creative hub in Sunniside that will allow generations of glassmakers to continue to create, right here in Sunderland.”
Plans have not yet been submitted for the Glassworks, but design work and the submission of a planning application is expected to “commence in September 2025 and complete by the end of March 2026”.
The University of Sunderland have said the centre is closing due to the cost it would take to repair the existing building.
The university’s CEO and vice-chancellor Sir David Bell has published an open letter outlining the full reasons behind the decision.