Groundwork to start on plans for stunning new housing development overlooking the river on Sunderland's Vaux site

Groundwork to assess a section of land on the former Vaux Brewery site – now part of the wider Riverside Sunderland district – will begin on July 28 as plans move forward for a range of new homes to be built on the edge of the cliff which overlooks the River Wear.

City leaders say the vision to create a new urban community, including a range of city centre homes, offices and ancillary leisure venues, is taking shape in the area, which has also been backed by £100million of investment from Legal & General.

Site investigations will go on for around a week, to ensure that the area west of The Beam – the flagship building completed on the site in 2019 – can be built upon, and it is expected that more detailed plans for homes – including the number and house types - will follow later this year.

The housing development is part of a wider masterplan, that will see both sides of the river better connected to the city centre, with the creation of a new urban quarter that will offer a vibrant place to live, work and play.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said the site investigations marked an important moment in the regeneration of the city centre.

He said: “We know that our city centre will greatly benefit from having more people living and working in it. More people spilling into our retail district by day and evening will support our traders and ensure that we create a more sustainable, dynamic and vibrant city centre that has a compelling offer for visitors too.

“Building new homes in Riverside Sunderland is a key part of our vision for the area, and this week is an important step towards that. We’re hopeful that investigations will go well, and the way will be paved for a stunning new community that will greatly enhance our housing offer in Sunderland, as well as benefitting the city centre.”

Work underway this week will determine the ground conditions and feed into the planning application process, de-risking the site and helping determine the design of housing best suited to the area.

It is thought that a planning application for homes at Riverside Sunderland will be submitted by the end of the year. If site investigations go to plan, work could begin on homes on the site by summer 2021.

The Riverside Sunderland development forms part of a wider vision to build more than 7,000 new homes across the city in the next decade.

Schemes from Miller, Avant, Karbon, Story and Linden Homes are all moving forward in Sunderland.

It comes after Sunderland was named the ‘third richest city in the UK’ according to scientists who looked at the assets the city has to offer vs the things that lead to a rich and fulfilled life. It was also named as the best city to live for under 30s, in a report by OneFamily.

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