Bid to open shop in fire-hit Traveller’s Rest pub in Sunderland blocked as more than 200 people complain

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee, at a meeting this week, refused plans for the former Traveller’s Rest public house, which sits adjacent to Mill Terrace in the Shiney Row ward.

The application, submitted earlier this year, sought permission to change the use of the building from a derelict pub to a convenience store with shop units, storage areas, a chilled alcohol area, toilets and internal cycle parking for staff.

However, during a council consultation exercise the plans sparked public opposition, with 21 letters of objection from residents and three petitions containing 210 signatures against the development.

Concerns included inadequate parking in the area, traffic hazards and risk to pedestrian safety from on-street parking, possible anti-social behaviour issues from youths congregating, increased litter and a lack of need for the shop.

The application went before the council’s Planning and Highways Committee for decision on Monday, November 25, after being referred to the panel by Shiney Row ward councillor Mel Speding.

A report from local authority planning officers recommended the proposals for refusal and said the shop would lead to “conditions prejudicial to pedestrian and highway safety”.

Council planners said the principle of the shop development was acceptable and would “provide additional commercial facilities for the local community”.

However, it was argued that the plans would “attract vehicles to and from the site, and without adequate incurtilage parking or servicing provision, is likely to lead to conditions which are prejudicial to pedestrian and highway safety.”

Check out the latest developments in Sunderland

The recommendation came following an objection from the council’s Future Transport team, who stated the arrangements for customer parking were “not acceptable”, with the area already being busy “due to the nature of the road”.

Comments from the applicant, set out in the council report, said there was no designated car parking to be provided by the proposals, but stressed the previous pub use did “not provide a parking or servicing area”.

A covering letter submitted in support of the proposals also noted the pub had been closed since March, 2023, due to fire and has “remained unviable to redevelop as a pub since then”.

It added the site had been “acquired in March, 2024, at auction for a low price due to lack of interest” and that there was “no prospect of the pub being redeveloped as a pub and reopened”.

Applicants said that the shop proposal would “adequately bring a derelict pub back in use as a sustainably located convenience store […] having no adverse impact on residential amenity or parking”.

After being put to the vote at Monday’s Planning and Highways Committee at City Hall, councillors voted unanimously to refuse the shop plans.

Council planners, in a presentation to councillors before the vote, noted the shop would see customer parking and servicing on the A182 which faces “heavy traffic” and is close to junctions serving a nearby primary school, as well as being “relatively narrow, with bends dips and rises”.

Go beyond the story - sign up for our Sunderland Echo newsletters

Planning officers cited highways data and said there had been records of 20 accidents along this section of the A182 in the past 23 years, including at nearby junctions, “indicating that the road has a poor safety record”.

Councillor Iain Scott said bringing a community building back into use was a “sound idea” but agreed with council officers’ refusal recommendations linked to the lack of parking.

The councillor also referenced a previous application to convert the former New Inn pub in Hetton into a convenience store, where a similar reason was given by the council to reject the application, with the refusal decision later upheld by a national planning inspector at appeal.

“It’s an excellent idea to bring this [building] back into use […] but it’s just the highway safety that is the pertinent and key issue here,” Cllr Scott added.

Councillor Michael Dixon, raising similar concerns, said: “When I was there yesterday somebody parked over the road outside Milburn Terrace on the single yellow lines and there was a tailback and it was dangerous.

“I fully support the officers in refusing it on highway grounds, it would just be totally impossible.”

Cllr Dixon asked whether anything could be done with owners about the future of the “terrible looking building” and council planners said they had powers in relation to “unsightly land and buildings” which could be explored.

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the Planning and Highways Committee, added: “It has been empty and subject to a fire and it would be really beneficial to the area, because of the state of it, for it to be brought back into use.

“To be brought back to what is the question? I think it’s a difficult site for any developer or owner to manage.

“But as a convenience store I don’t think it would work and it would be dangerous for residents accessing that.”

Get the latest updates - follow us on our Facebook page

Following the vote to refuse the planning application, a representative for the applicant at the meeting spoke out and said there would still be the same parking issue around other uses for the building.

The speaker also referenced the New Inn pub site in Hetton, which was previously refused planning permission for a shop use over highway safety issues, and said the pub buildings could remain vacant because of issues with new uses.

Planning and Highways Committee chair Cllr Thornton, responding, said: “We have said that we sympathise with you and we feel it’s a shame and we would rather these buildings be brought back to use.

“However, we have to put the safety of our residents first and when you’re bringing these applications you really need to consider that.”

The Traveller’s Rest fire happened on March 25, 2023, and firefighters spent almost four hours putting it out.

No one was injured in the weekend blaze but a joint investigation was launched by police and fire services following the incident.

For more information on the shop plan refusal for the former pub site, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/01481/FUL