Crunch meeting delivers verdict on new affordable housing estate on outskirts of Sunderland

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee, at a meeting this week, approved an application for agricultural land at Tunstall Farm in the Ryhope area, described in planning documents as a “former poultry farm.”

Plans for the site included the demolition of existing agricultural buildings and the erection of 75 new “affordable homes” along with access arrangements, landscaping, sustainable drainage and other associated infrastructure.

The applicant is listed as Karbon Developments Ltd, Oaktree Living Ltd and Mr A Carr and plans were submitted last year (2025) with supporting documents which said the application would “create a modern residential community that aligns seamlessly with the surrounding locality.”

Council planning documents described Karbon Homes as a “housing developer, landlord and registered provider based in the North East” and noted the proposed housing development would be “supported by housing grant funding from Homes England”.

It was noted that the Tunstall Farm site had been “identified within the pipeline of sites to be delivered by Karbon” as part of an “affordable homes programme 2021-26”.

The proposed housing mix, outlined in a council report prepared for decision-makers, said the accommodation would include “one, two, three and four-bed dwellinghouses made up of ‘Tyneside flats’ (single-storey) [and] semi-detached and detached dwelling houses (two-storey)”.

It was noted that the proposed development would also be made up of “50 rent to buy dwellings and 25 affordable rent dwellings, which would be a mix of affordable rent and rent to buy homes”.

The proposed access to the housing development would be taken from Rotary Road and planning documents said “several pedestrian linkages would be provided to the existing footpath networks to the north at Rotary Road and through the SANGS [suitable alternative natural greenspace] areas towards the east and south to ensure that the proposed development would be permeable for pedestrians.”

In addition, plans for the housing site included two areas of amenity space “positioned to the north-east and south- west of the application site” along with car and cycle parking provision.

During a council public consultation exercise on the plans there was one objection raising concerns over visual impacts, overdevelopment and traffic generation.

Council planners, in a report published ahead of a decision-making Planning and Highways Committee this week, had recommended the housing plan for approval.

The council report said that the proposal would “contribute to meeting a housing need on a site that is allocated as a housing delivery site” within the council’s local plan and would “provide an acceptable density of development at this location and […] contribute to meeting affordable housing needs”.

It was also noted that subject to conditions, the development would have “no unacceptable impacts on highway and pedestrian safety, ecology, flooding / drainage, contamination and trees.”

The plans were presented for decision and won unanimous support from Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee at a meeting on March 2, 2026.

A previous planning and affordable housing statement from developers confirmed the site forms part of a wider strategic allocation under the “South Sunderland Growth Area (SSGA)”, where major housebuilding has been taking place in recent years.

A representative for the applicant, speaking at the planning meeting this week, confirmed the 75-home development was the “next phase to come forward” in the SSGA masterplan, which has “already seen the approval and build-out of large-scale residential development”.

It was noted that the new housing delivered as part of the Karbon Homes scheme would be classed as “100 per cent affordable development” and that the applicant would provide financial contributions towards education provision, sport and recreation, highways improvements and more via the Section 106 legal agreement process.

Council planning documents state this includes a financial contribution of “£150,150 towards the Ryhope Doxford Link Road.”

Councillors were also told the site would provide an “on-site open space and play facility”, as well as areas of “suitable alternative natural greenspace.”

The housing plan was welcomed by several members of the Planning and Highways Committee, including councillor Iain Scott.

Cllr Scott said: “This is a shining exemplar of what we can achieve when agents, applicants and the council work together to achieve a common goal in terms of providing affordable housing for the city.”

Councillor Michael Dixon added: “Reiterating what Cllr Scott has said, I have heard reports given to the council scrutiny committee I’m on by Karbon Homes and there are other examples in Sunderland.

“I think we encourage the construction of properties to be used for rented purposes and I will be supporting the application.”

For more information on the planning application, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/02557/FUL