Plans approved for improvements at Sunderland's Ashbrooke Sports Club

Sunderland City Council’s planning department received an application for Ashbrooke Sports Club proposing a range of “accessibility works”.

The proposals aimed to “improve the access and usability of the sports club moving forwards.”

The club’s planning application proposed a two-storey building extension to create welfare facilities with an aim of “reducing travel for building users with disabilities”.

The welfare block was proposed to infill the area between the existing function room and stairwell and would provide toilet facilities.

A viewing platform area was also proposed to be extended as well as internal alterations across buildings on site, with the wider project aiming to “serve the needs of people with disabilities visiting the grounds”.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on March 28, 2023.

Council planners, in a decision report, stated the plans were “designed to improve the existing sports and leisure provision rather than expand the facilities”.

It was argued that the development would be “unlikely to generate additional traffic to the premises” and that there were no objections around highway safety.

In addition it was noted that the proposed viewing platform would face into the sports ground and was “unlikely to impact upon the living conditions of the occupiers of nearby residential properties”.

The council decision report added: “The proposed extension is for welfare purposes providing accessible facilities for club users and visitors, this is to be combined with a new ramped access to a viewing platform – itself an extension to an existing viewing area.

“The visual effect of these new additions is disjointed as an overall form, caused by the ad hoc nature of the various previous additions.

“However, the public benefit of the improvements is acknowledged and the impact on the wider conservation area is negligible balanced against that benefit”.

According to planning documents, Ashbrooke Sports Club has been located in Ashbrooke since 1887.

Under planning conditions, accessibility works at the site must be brought forward within three years.

For more information on the planning application, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 22/02576/FUL