Decision delayed again over controversial supported accommodation plans in Washington

Controversial plans for a supported accommodation scheme in Washington have been delayed again, as part of efforts to give objectors a final chance to have their say.

Sunderland City Council has been developing plans to convert The Sheiling, off Fatfield Road, into a supported living development for “up to five single females”.

Council planning documents confirmed the service would be operated by the council’s “specialised partner” Changing Lives, providing housing for those aged 18-25 who “find themselves homeless”.

The overall aim is to provide support to help residents “live safely in the scheme and gain skills to allow them to move on to living in their own property”.

During a council consultation exercise on the plans, the supported accommodation scheme sparked public opposition with hundreds of objections posted on the council’s planning portal website.

A range of concerns were raised including privacy, the suitability of the scheme’s location, anti-social behaviour, impact on house prices and increased traffic and noise.

Several objectors also raised concerns about safeguarding, given the property’s close proximity to schools, as well as wider criticism of the council’s approach to consultation on the plan.

A decision on the plan was due to be made at a meeting of Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee on October 30, 2023.

Following concerns raised by a public objector about the suitability of the property for supported accommodation, councillors put the decision on hold to allow for a formal site visit.

This aimed to give councillors a better understanding of both the building and traffic levels in the area at peak times.

The plans were expected to return to the following meeting of the decision-making panel in 2023, however, the decision date was pushed back into the new year.

At a meeting to discuss the application on January 8, 2024, the plans were again recommended for approval by council planning officers.

However, councillors were told that two members of the public who had registered to speak on the supported housing plans were not in attendance.

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the Planning and Highways Committee, proposed deferring a decision on the plans due to the “level of public interest” in the application.

Some councillors said they were willing to make a decision on the application at the meeting, given previous delays and the potential impacts of further delays.

Councillor Ciaran Morrissey agreed with including residents in the decision-making process but raised concerns about deferring the application for a second time.

Cllr Morrissey told the meeting: “We know that there was quite a lot of people came last time, we know that it was advertised this time as well.

“I feel if we’re essentially deferring it a second time and having it on the agenda at a third planning meeting then we’re doing a bit of a disservice to the applicant and to the people who would be affected”.

Councillor Iain Scott also raised similar concerns about delaying the application further and said there was a “real need” to discuss it.

However, councillor Michael Dixon said he would support deferring the decision as the committee didn’t know the reason for the non-attendance of objectors.

Councillor James Warne added he would support deferring the application to give objectors “one last opportunity to come and voice their concerns”.

After being put to a Planning and Highways Committee vote, a majority agreed to defer the application until a meeting on February 5, 2024.

It was noted that there had been no correspondence about why the public objectors had not attended and that the deferral aimed to provide a “fair” solution.

Councillors agreed that the public objectors registered to speak would be sent letters informing them of the new committee date.

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the Planning and Highways Committee, speaking earlier in the meeting, outlined the proposals for deferral.

Cllr Thornton said: “Two members of the public have registered to speak in objection to this application, so I don’t think it’s right and fair to carry on without them in attendance.

“The next committee we have is February 5, 2024, and I would ask that the planning officers write to those residents who actually registered to speak just to reinforce that if they have registered, that they come along.

“We don’t want to delay applications at all but I just don’t think it would be fair to carry on without them being here having registered to speak.

“With the level of objection, I think it’s only fair that we hear them again”.

The final reasons for deferral, agreed by councillors, included giving registered speakers another chance to attend and “air their views”.

Cllr Thornton added: “I just think we need to be fair to our residents, we don’t know the reason why they haven’t come along.

“The letters will be written to them”.