Latest plan to convert historic former miners’ hall into flats withdrawn

Earlier this year, Sunderland City Council’s planning department received an application for Enterprise House at Herrington Burn on the border of the Copt Hill and Shiney Row wards.

The building was once known as Philadelphia Miners’ Welfare Institute and Hall but in recent years, has been used as offices.

Applicant JJ Property Lettings sought permission from the city council to transform the building into nine flats, with a mix of three one-bedroom flats and six two-bedroom flats.

Those behind the scheme added the development would bring a vacant and “under-used” building back into “beneficial use”, as well as creating construction jobs and boosting the local economy.

Vehicular access arrangements were expected to remain as existing under the scheme with a “reconfigured formal parking layout”.

During a council consultation on the plans however, two public objections were received raising concerns about the proposed access to the development.

One objection from B & K Developments Ltd, who are understood to own the adjacent land known as ‘Herrington Burn House’, raised concerns about the access to the proposed flats at Enterprise House.

A representation from the company, published on the city council’s planning portal website, said: “The site is accessed via our company’s land which is obligated to provide access for its existing use.

“If a change of use to flats was granted, that obligation ceases to exist.

“We would like to state that we will not be allowing access to [the] miners’ hall if there is any change of use to the building”.

A decision on the planning application was expected in April, 2023, however extensions were granted by council planning officials on several occasions.

The most recent time extension was until July 28, 2023, with a report from council planning officers stating the delay on the decision was to “provide time to consider matters relating to access”.

According to information on the council’s planning portal website the flats plan for the site was officially withdrawn on July 27, 2023.

Several attempts have been made to convert the former miners’ hall into a residential use, including a planning bid from JJ Property Lettings for 10 apartments last year, however this was later withdrawn.

A reduced housing scheme for nine flats was also submitted in late-2022 and withdrawn in November the same year.

For more information on the latest planning application and withdrawal decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/00293/SUB