Plans for new food store on Sunderland social club site

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received a new application for the Red House Workmen’s Club, off Rawmarsh Road, in the Redhill ward.

Proposals include changing the use of the building’s ground floor to ‘food retail’ along with external alterations.

This includes the demolition of a two-storey flat roof section of the building and the creation of a new shop front.

In addition plans include first floor windows to serve the existing workmen’s club to the front elevation, ‘bricking up’ existing openings to the side elevation, a new deliveries entrance to the rear of the building and an access ramp and car parking.

Plans were initially submitted for the site in early-2022 sparking several objections from neighbours during a council consultation, and the application was withdrawn by applicants in June the same year.

At the time around five public objections had been posted on the council’s planning portal website raising concerns about increased traffic, the loss of part of the social club as a ‘community use’, parking pressures and more.

The resubmitted plans, from the same applicant PL Group Developments, still aim to create a local neighbourhood convenience store on the ground floor and to retain the building’s first floor as a social club.

However the new planning application includes the addition of a two-metre-high acoustic fence linked to an an “external plant compound”.

A ‘planning sequential assessment’ document, submitted to council planning officials, states the new shop would create jobs and benefit the area.

This includes the plans helping to “secure the future of commercial activity at this location by acting as an attraction for residents and enhancing the day-to-day convenience retail offer in the local area”.

The statement adds: “The proposed re-use of the ground floor of the building would also result in the creation of approximately 15 full-time equivalent employment opportunities for local residents.

“[It] would help to support the prosperity of this small community which is located in an area (LSOA) that is in the top 10% most deprived in England as defined by the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019.

“Finally, the proposal would secure the future and renovation of the working men’s club building which currently detracts from the visual amenity of the area due to its dilapidated appearance and limited engagement with the surrounding streetscape.”

The proposed ground floor convenience store would provide a retail space, a staff room, office space and a delivery entrance.

Planning documents suggest the future occupier would likely be a “national scale convenience retailer”.

People living nearby and businesses and other organisations operating in the area will have a chance to have their say on the plans as part of a planning consultation.

A decision on the plans will be made once the period of council consultation has concluded.

Information on Sunderland City Council’s website suggests a decision is expected by August 7, 2023.

For more information on the planning application or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/01108/FUL