£25 million bid to help support 4,000 new homes in Sunderland wins Government backing

The bid towards new roads and infrastructure to support housing growth in south Sunderland has been backed by the Government.

Sunderland City Council made the ‘South Sunderland Growth Area’ application to the Housing Infrastructure Fund last year in partnership with Durham County Council.

The funding award has now been approved as part of the Chancellor's budget announcements and will allow the council to deliver road infrastructure and junction improvements needed to help create 4,066 new homes at various locations across the city.

Three of the four main development sites Chapelgarth (750 new homes), Cherry Knowle (800 new homes) and South Ryhope (450 new homes) already have planning permission. Land north of Burdon Lane (up to 1000 new homes) and several smaller neighbouring sites are also earmarked for development.

The project, which is expected to meet the demand for one-in-five new homes in Sunderland in coming years, would also see the completion of the Ryhope Doxford Link Road, adding to funding already secured for improvements to the A19/A690 junction.

Cash will also support extensions to nearby primary schools and extra capacity at a secondary school.

Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, Councillor Rebecca Atkinson said: “The South Sunderland growth area is expected to meet the demand for around one-in-five of the new homes that Sunderland needs in coming years. It's a big part of our city's future as we broaden our housing stock and help prevent outward migration.

“By building new homes and offering more housing choice we continue our city's social and economic transformation.”

As part of the scheme, the council will work with Durham County Council on improvements at the A1018/A19 junction to reassign traffic heading to and from Sunderland away from Seaton Lane in Seaham, where congestion is an issue, and support further housing developments in both areas.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

How to subscribe to the print editionIt’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of.

Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.