Ice rink, festivals and markets among plans for two new events spaces in Sunderland city centre

Proposals were submitted earlier this year by City Council chiefs in a bid to gain permission to offer a variety of activities at Keel Square and on land forming part of the Riverside Sunderland site.

Both applications sought to secure temporary uses at both sites for a period for no more than seven years

Planning documents outline the range of temporary uses will likely relate to “Expo events, food, music or dance festivals, markets, outdoor cinemas, sporting events, games courts, play spaces and ice rinks”.

The temporary installations could include “stages, shipping containers, marquees, kiosks, stalls, toilets, fencing, floodlighting and other associated infrastructure”.

Both applications went before the latest meeting of the city council planning and highways committee on Thursday, September 22, and were unanimously approved by councillors.

This was in line with reports from planners released ahead of a decision being made, which recommended that both got the go-ahead.

Speaking at the meeting, officers added the nature of events and facilities used will be “strictly controlled” by way of planning conditions.

The Riverside Sunderland application centres on plot 12 of the Vaux site off Plater Way, which is currently 0.5ha of brownfield land bounded by City Hall to the east.

Planning documents state the proposed interim use has been designed to “support the ambitions of the Riverside Sunderland Masterplan by revitalising and complementing this area of Vaux” in advance of permanent development coming forward.

A planning statement also details how the site will host the Sunderland Future Expo 2023 and “will feature events and experiences to engage visitors”.

It adds it will provide “the stand-out destinations for exhibitions, performances, talks, screenings and meetings.”

Meanwhile documents supporting the Keel Square plans outline how the site has a premises licence for the sale of alcohol, live music and recorded music, films, dance performances and more.

It adds the premises licence restricts the hours of operation of various uses and for the sale of alcohol however.

Sunderland’s Keel Square has already played host to entertainment this year in the form of a new roller rink with live DJ which was running throughout the school summer holiday.