Improvement plans approved for leaky Sunderland apartment complex

Sunderland City Council’s planning department recently received an application for City Green off St George’s Way, near the city’s Park Lane Interchange.

Plans from applicant Gentoo included works to the eight-storey building’s facade and the removal and replacement of windows.

According to an application submitted to council planning officials, the works aimed to “remedy defects to the building facade relating to water ingress”.

As the site is located within the Ashbrooke Conservation Area, the application was also submitted with a heritage statement.

The heritage statement, prepared on behalf of Gentoo, confirmed the works would “remediate defective water ingress issues at the building”.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on May 26, 2023.

A report prepared by council planning officers said the proposals were acceptable and represented a “change of materials” to the building’s “existing arrangement and built form”.

It was noted that Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, as a consultee, had no objections from a fire safety perspective.

The council decision report adds: “[The proposal] is considered to be an acceptable form of development which would not cause unacceptable harm to the amenities of residential neighbours, the conservation area or street scene in general and would not cause harm with regard to fire safety.

“It is therefore considered acceptable and recommended for approval”.

Council planners, in the decision report, added the works would not have a negative impact on the area’s “historic qualities”.

Planned works include the “removal of pre-cast concrete panels to enable full sealing around windows” and new “aluminium rainscreen panel of the same colour”.

Those behind the scheme also confirmed that “defective” windows would be “removed and replaced” with a uPVC frame with the same colour and geometry as existing.

The heritage statement adds: “For the avoidance of doubt, no changes to the existing geometry of the elevational treatment have been proposed as part of this planning application and all colours will be specified to match the existing colour palette.

“It is for this reason that, in our opinion this application proposed, would have no significant detrimental impact to that of the existing building within the Ashbrooke Conservation Area.”

Under planning conditions, works at City Green must take place within three years.

For more details on the planning application and council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 23/00454/FUL