Plans to encourage housebuilders to create new homes in Sunderland

City of Sunderland Portfolio Holder Health, Housing and Adult Services Councillor Graeme Miller (left) with Neil Milburn Barrett Homes North East Development Director at the Sunderland City Council Housing Summit at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday.

The city’s first Housing Prospectus has been launched, aiming to attract more development on Wearside.

Last year 895 new homes were completed in the city – the highest number of housing completions in Tyne and Wear – and the new prospectus outlines a range of opportunities for both larger housing developers and smaller home builders, which include larger family homes and executive housing, older people’s housing, specialist housing for the care sector and graduate housing.

It was launched by Coun Graeme Miller, Sunderland City Council Portfolio Holder for Health, Housing and Adult Services, to housing developers, investors and social landlords at the Housing Development Summit held at the Stadium of Light.

Coun Miller said: “Our Housing Investment Prospectus announces to developers that Sunderland City Council is truly ‘open for business’ and our commitment to working with all our partners to provide more, and a better choice of housing within Sunderland.

“Sunderland is an ambitious city and a great place to develop housing with £2.3billion of capital investment over the past 10 years with further regeneration planned for the city centre, and we want to share and achieve our housing ambitions with all those present at the summit and beyond.”

Les Clark, chief operating officer for economy and place at Sunderland City Council, added: “This was the second housing development summit we have held in Sunderland, and the success of the first played a key role in helping to shape the investment prospectus unveiled here today at the second.

“We have worked hard to address any concerns raised by our housing partners in this strategy, and identify opportunities for us all to work together on future new developments to provide new and wider range of homes for people.”

Among those at the event was Barratt Homes development director, Neil Milburn.

He said: “I was delighted to attend today’s event, which sends out a clear message of intent from Sunderland City Council that there is support for small and medium home builders to continue the new housing developments we all need to provide the right homes in the right places.

“Removing risk is a key requirement to any development plans, and ideas like a small site register of land becoming available is something we all welcome.”