Operating hours extended for new Sunderland Tesco and Cooplands development in Southwick

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved an application for the former Southwick Social Club site off Church Bank.

Back in April, 2023, plans were approved for a retail development on the site housing a Tesco store and a unit for bakery business Cooplands, with plans to create around 20 jobs.

The multi-million pound commercial scheme has been brought forward by Newcastle-based developer Modo Bloc, as part of a drive to regenerate the wider Southwick area.

As part of the original planning approval, Sunderland City Council imposed a planning condition on the development’s “hours of operation”.

This included operating hours of 8am-8pm, Monday to Sunday, to “protect the amenities of the area” and to comply with planning policies.

In August, 2023, developers behind the planned Tesco and Cooplands retail scheme applied for longer operating hours at the stores.

This included a bid for “hours of operation to be carried out between 7am and 11pm, Monday to Sunday”.

A planning application submitted to council officials stated the new hours were being requested to “allow for more flexibility in the hours of operation and to be consistent with other retail operators.”

During a public consultation exercise on the plans there were no objections or comments from neighbours.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on September 25, 2023.

A council decision report said the amendments would “not have a negative impact on highway or pedestrian safety”.

The council decision report added: “A noise assessment has been submitted in support of this application.

“The public health team has been consulted as part of this application process and have raised no objection.

“It is considered that the proposed amendments to the hours of operation would not have a negative impact on neighbouring amenity and as such the proposal is considered acceptable in this respect”.

The noise assessment submitted with the plans stated that deliveries would not create “adverse impacts” in terms of noise.

It was noted that the car park being fully occupied during expanded operating hours would likely result in an “overall negligible impact when assessed against the respective measured baseline noise levels”.

The noise assessment added: “It is concluded that noise should not be a prohibitive factor in the determination of this planning application.”

For more information on the planning application and council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/01794/VAR