Decision day set for new ‘pavilion’ at Keel Square in Sunderland city centre

Plans for a towering ‘pavilion’ structure and exhibition space in the heart of Sunderland are due to go before councillors for decision next week.

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee will discuss an application for a new focal point at Keel Square.

The ‘Sunderland Pavilion’ will serve as an exhibition space and centrepiece for Expo Sunderland, a series of events celebrating “innovation and ambition” in the city taking place up to 2026.

Plans submitted by the city council’s regeneration company Siglion aim to replace the large digital screen at Keel Square with a new temporary transparent structure set in a metal frame.

The pavilion would be open to visitors in the summer, hosting exhibitions and showcasing local talent and innovation, along with a viewing platform.

The structure would also include screens offering visual displays, with some appearing 3D due to the translucent material used, as well as having the potential to live stream content from around the world.

The project has funding support from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 5G Innovation Regions Grant, following a successful bid from the council that centred around the city’s digital capabilities.

Sunderland City Council planning officers, in a report prepared ahead of the Planning and Highways Committee next week, have recommended the scheme for approval.

The council committee report notes the project would “showcase pioneering innovative concepts for the future home beyond 2030 in Sunderland”, as well as “celebrating advancements in the construction industry and technology”.

One example, outlined in supporting planning documents, includes “Nissan’s principles of providing a comprehensive solution for renewable and sustainable living” and the showcasing of “second-life systems, utilising batteries previously used in the Nissan LEAF”.

Council planning officers said the location of the pavilion had been informed by the “constraints and opportunities” of the site, including the “context of the conservation area and the presence of adjacent listed buildings”.

It was noted that the structure would be in place for a temporary period of two years and was “partly being sought to obscure the construction activity associated with Culture House”.

The council committee report adds: “The proposal will help to promote the city as a tourism and leisure destination, thereby supporting the aims of the Sunderland Business Improvement District (BID) and the North East Economic Plan; whilst helping to realise the council’s ‘Our City Plan’ aim for Sunderland to be a more dynamic and vibrant city.

“In conclusion, given the temporary nature of the proposal and considering continued evolution of Keel Square as a public open space, it is considered that it is acceptable in principle”.

The pavilion’s steel frame is expected to be built off-site, according to a council report, and all structural components would be “easily moveable and removable, facilitating a flexible space that can accommodate various configurations for diverse uses”.

Its design also aims to “foster ongoing interaction between the public and the pavilion on Keel Square, while also accommodating adaptable spaces capable of meeting diverse needs and aspirations during Expo Sunderland”.

The final decision on the pavilion structure plan rests with councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee, who will next meet on April 8, 2024.

The meeting will start at 5.30pm at City Hall and will be open to the public.

Planning permission for the advertising screens linked to the pavilion will be decided under a separate ‘advertisement consent’ application in future.