Decision date set for new Seaburn play park in latest chapter of Sunderland seafront development

Major plans for a new outdoor children’s play park at Sunderland’s seafront are due to go before city councillors for decision next week.

Members of Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee are expected to discuss a planning application for land off Lowry Road, near the Prego Restaurant and the former pirate play park site.

The council-led plans, which were developed with input from schoolchildren, aim to create a key visitor attraction as part of Seaburn’s wider seafront offer.

Sunderland City Council’s Labour cabinet agreed to progress the proposals at a meeting at City Hall on July 13, 2023.

This included the council agreeing to enter into a development funding agreement with its regeneration company Siglion Developments LLP to combine capital resources to deliver the scheme.

Senior councillors at the time heard Siglion would submit a planning application as well as start the process to appoint a construction contractor, with the planning application formally submitted in October, 2023.

The submission described plans for a new children’s play area with a bridge, public walkways, landscaping and several “discrete play areas”, along with the “redevelopment of the existing play area to provide grassed open space”.

Designs included climbing, scrambling and ‘rope play’ building structures, as well as play towers, tree houses, swings and climbing walls, with CGI visuals showing large ‘pyramid structures’ with slides.

In line with the council’s ambition to make the city’s play parks ‘more inclusive’, the plans also included bespoke play equipment for those with accessibility challenges, ensuring as many families as possible can enjoy the facilities.

It was argued that the play park plans would “promote and facilitate active and healthy lifestyles”, as well as boost the local economy by “acting as a catalyst for drawing more people into the surrounding area”.

During a council consultation exercise on the plan, one public objection was received raising concerns about the park attracting vandalism and anti-social behaviour, as well as increased littering.

Council planners, responding, said there were “no grounds to suggest that this would be the case” and that the scheme would include “a number of new litter bins”.

Sunderland City Council planning officers, in a report prepared ahead of a decision-making meeting next week, have recommended the play park plans for approval.

It was noted that the play area had been designed to “become a park of regional significance, with a view to attracting visitors from across the North East and beyond”.

The council committee report added: “The implications of the new development on the visual and residential amenity of the area have been considered and is deemed to be acceptable without causing undue detriment.

“The site is sustainably located and well served by existing highways infrastructure including the adjacent car park and nearby cycle parking.

“The ecological, flood risk and contamination implications of the development have also been subject to relevant scrutiny and further to the imposition of relevant conditions, is acceptable on these grounds”.

A report presented to Sunderland City Council’s cabinet in July, 2023, listed the estimated cost of the play park scheme as £1.495 million with the ‘actual cost’ set to be confirmed once a construction contractor is appointed.

The long-term maintenance and management of the play park would also be the responsibility of Sunderland City Council, if plans are approved.

A decision on the planning application rests with members of the Planning and Highways Committee, who will next meet on Monday, February 5.

The meeting is scheduled to take place from 5.30pm at City Hall and will be open to the public.

For more information on the play park plan or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/02164/LP3