One of Sunderland’s best-known former hospitals is set to be demolished after almost 80 years, with council planners giving the green light for the buildings to be flattened.

The former Sunderland Eye Infirmary, on Queen Alexandra Road in Ashbrooke, has stood empty since services transferred to the city’s new £50million Specialist Eye Hospital earlier this year.

Now the historic buildings are set to be knocked down, potentially clearing the way for a development of around 62 homes.

Housebuilder Story Homes submitted plans to demolish the former hospital, with work originally scheduled to begin in early October. However, the buildings remain standing.

The former Sunderland Eye Infirmary site in Ashbrooke.

placeholder image — The former Sunderland Eye Infirmary site in Ashbrooke.

Sunderland City Council granted prior approval for demolition on October 16, ruling that the proposed works and subsequent treatment of the site were acceptable, subject to conditions.

The decision follows earlier proposals to transform the site into a residential development of around 62 homes.

Those plans were revealed in a separate application seeking to establish whether an environmental impact assessment would be required before the housing proposals could progress.

Council planners subsequently ruled that an assessment was not necessary, clearing the way for the demolition application to be considered.

The former hospital has served the city for 80 years.

Planning documents state that the former infirmary, which was officially opened in 1946, is “no longer considered to meet modern standards” and is surplus to requirements following the move to the new eye hospital.

The documents also confirm that work to decommission the hospital was completed in early August and that a thorough asbestos survey has been commissioned ahead of demolition.

The approved works include demolishing the main hospital building and smaller buildings on the site, as well as removing the car park. However, an electricity substation and boundary wall will remain.

Any asbestos-containing materials will be removed by a specialist contractor before the buildings are safely demolished down to their foundations.

A detailed investigation of the site will then take place ahead of any potential redevelopment.

Previous planning documents indicated that demolition would take around nine months, with measures put in place to manage traffic during the work.

A council report also confirmed that nearby residents, businesses and ward councillors would be contacted before demolition begins.

They will be given further information about the work, including how long it is expected to take, permitted working hours and contact details for the demolition contractor.

Some pieces of the infirmary’s history will be preserved, with three foundation stones due to be saved and incorporated as a feature within the new Specialist Eye Hospital.

For more information, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal and search for reference 26/01786/DEM.

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