Former Sunderland riverside gym set to become warehouse development

Back in August 2021, Sunderland City Council validated a planning application for the Xercise4Less gym building off Wayfarer Road in the Southwick ward of the city.

According to planning documents, the building originally housed a call centre for a furniture retailer before planning permission was granted for a gym at the site in 2014.

New plans aimed to open up new uses for the now-vacant building, including for general industrial purposes or for storage and distribution.

As part of the plans, new exterior cladding was proposed for the building alongside the removal of 105 parking bays to create a service yard area.

The proposed refurbishment also included the removal of part of the existing sub-floor to create ‘open plan double height warehouse space.’

After considering all representations, Sunderland City Council approved the planning application on Thursday, November 18.

A report prepared by council planners said the principle of the development was acceptable and would help to safeguard a “key employment area.”

Council planners also said that the proposals would “not compromise visual or residential amenity or highway safety.”

The planning report goes on to say the development is unlikely to unacceptably levels of noise harmful to those nearby.

It reads: “The proposal identifies a service yard to the rear of the application premises on the site of an existing car park, and loading doors are located on the river facade of the building effectively attenuating any propagated noise from the loading of vehicles.

“Given the orientation of the building, topography, nature of surrounding uses and position of intervening buildings, it is considered that the proposed use as class B8 [storage/distribution] is acceptable and is unlikely to generate adverse levels of noise at the nearest sensitive receivers.”

The planning application lists Cable Properties & Investments as the applicant for the scheme.

Under planning conditions, work to convert the former gym must commence on site within the next three years.

For more information on the application, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 21/01569/FUL

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