Airbnb suites planned for Sunderland pub The Albion at Ryhope - this is how it would work

The Albion, off Ryhope Road, is a popular venue in the village and was recently refurbished as a restaurant and bar.

Earlier this year, owners lodged plans to transform sections of the ground floor into bed and breakfast accommodation.

According to designs submitted with the application, the ‘Airbnb’ rooms would be based in two existing bar areas which would be walled off.

Customers would be able to access the rooms from separate entrances in the lobby, with each room providing living and dining space and a bathroom area.

Plans also included removing a raised seating area at the north west of the venue to provide two dedicated parking spaces.

Following consultation, Sunderland City Council’s planning authority approved the application on Monday, July 6.

The County Archaeologist concluded that the plans would not impact the “historic significance of the building.”

Meanwhile, the council’s environmental health department requested that separating walls and ceilings between the pub and rooms meet building regulations to “ensure future occupiers are not disturbed”.

A decision report goes on to say: “The proposal would cause no harm to the [Ryhope village] conservation area and is unlikely to cause significant harm to the amenity of existing residential occupiers in the locality.

“The prospective occupiers are also considered to be afforded an adequate level of amenity whilst the proposal would provide an appropriate level of in-curtilage parking and have no negative impact on highway or pedestrian safety.”

According to planning documents, The Albion was built during the 1920s-1930s and is known for its mock-Tudor style and ‘distinct chimneys’.

In recent years, the building was taken on by new owners who oversaw a major revamp with the venue renamed as ‘The Albion At Ryhope Restaurant & Bar’.

Under planning conditions, the ‘Airbnb’ rooms must be created within the next three years or fresh permission must be sought from Sunderland City Council’s planning department.

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