Sunderland City Council reveals potential £60m worth of development plans to be discussed at next meeting

Nearly £60m worth of development and regeneration projects are to be discussed as the City Council meets to plan next year's budget expenditure.

Totalling a potential investment of £57.83m, projects proposed for as early as 2024 include an £8m investment into provision for autistic children, £15.6m redevelopment of Bishopwearmouth Crematorium with refurbishments, upgrades and a new second chapel, £1m of upgrades at the Joplings Building, and a further £6m towards the £12.7m Coalfields depot redevelopment in Houghton.

There are also plans to invest in leisure activities across the city with £6m identified for upgrades and improvements at sports and leisure centres and an additional £2m of upgrades at Sunniside Leisure.

The Council are also looking at potentially investing £10m towards creating safer accommodation for domestic abuse victims.

Smaller sums of the budget could also potentially be earmarked for other developments including extra car parking at Herrington Country Park (£900,000) and updates to Farmborough Court Intermediate Care Centre (£750,000).

Also discussed at the meeting will be updates to help fund anti-social behaviour work (£340,000), Special Educational Needs transport (£200,000) and updates to Barnes Park café (£150,000).

Cabinet Secretary, Paul Stewart said: "As capital spending these are long-term projects designed to help and also grow our city. We have to keep investing, improving and looking after our city's assets if we are to meet and provide what's required now but also as we look ahead. "We'll look at these projects at the meeting and subject to further considerations and external funding, see about taking them into the next budget."

Expenditure from this year's (2023) current capital programme includes works at Riverside Sunderland and completing its high-level footbridge, more social housing, and regeneration in both Coalfield and Washington.

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Graeme Miller said: "We must keep investing in our city – in its built environment, its facilities and in what the council and its partners can and continue to provide. "Investing and updating with our capital spending helps maintain and improve what is already established and helps attract others to invest, improve or introduce new offers. "All the investments, both now and in coming years, have to be seen in the long-run and how they fit into our ongoing City Plan for a more dynamic, healthy, smart, safer and vibrant Sunderland." The development proposals for next year's budget will be discussed at the City Council’s Cabinet meeting on Thursday November 9.

Subject to further council decisions and external funding being granted, the projects could be included in the budget that is decided early in 2024.