New ‘homes for creatives’ planned for Nile Street in Sunniside area of Sunderland

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for 15 and 16 Nile Street in the city’s Sunniside area.

New plans are seeking permission to change the use of the buildings to three dwellings offering home workshops/studio space, as well as works to create commercial space and a “community project office”.

In addition the plans include the demolition of an existing workshop to the rear of the site and major renovation works to the remaining buildings, including the installation of shopfront-style windows.

A development proposal document submitted to council officials, entitled “homes for creatives in the heart of Sunniside”, states the new homes would “become a new place for creatives to live and work”.

The project is linked to local charity Back On the Map and has been developed by social enterprise Create Streets and developer TOWN.

Following engagement, the “Nile + Villiers masterplan” was developed setting out a wider vision for a mixed-use development of around 80 homes on a designated brownfield site in Sunniside.

Plans for housing in Sunniside were previously discussed by city leaders in 2021, with external government funding later secured for the project and a planning application now expected to be submitted in 2023.

Plans for 15 and 16 Nile Street are separate to the large housing development proposals and have been described as a “forerunner project” for the regeneration of the area.

If approved, the scheme would create three residential dwellings with accommodation space on the upper floors and ground floor spaces that could be used as extra living space or studio space for “creative homeworking”.

Plans show one residential dwelling planned at 15 Nile Street and two residential dwellings planned within the footprint of 16 Nile Street.

Two new non-residential studio spaces would also be provided as part of the development, with one becoming a project office for the wider Sunniside regeneration project.

The development proposal states the scheme would “contribute to the ongoing emergence of Sunniside as a live-work neighbourhood in the city centre for artists and makers by offering high-quality new homes to rent in the heart of the city”.

A planning statement submitted to council officials adds: “15 and 16 Nile Street have been vacant for a number of years and are showing the signs of neglect and internal damage due to water ingress.

“The past use of no 16 Nile Street was as a ground floor workshop and reception area and first floor meeting rooms and offices.

“The past use of no 15 Nile Street was as a ground floor printing workshop, store and reception area and first floor offices.

“This application continues the past commercial uses of the buildings but adds residential accommodation specifically linked to the commercial use”.

A decision on the planning application for 15 and 16 Nile Street will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Information on Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website lists a decision deadline of November 13, 2023.

For more information on the planning application or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/01266/FUL