Plans to convert Sunderland gym into student accommodation

Earlier this month, Sunderland City Council received a planning application for Olympia Fitness and Beauty Centre.

The site covers the first and second floors of 56 High Street West at the West Walk Retail parade, near Keel Square.

According to planning documents, the gym and office space is currently vacant.

Under new plans applicant Castlecap Investments Ltd aims to transform the upper floors into student apartment ‘clusters.’

A Design and Access statement submitted to council planners outlines the details of the scheme.

If approved, a total of 13 student bedrooms would be provided with associated communal rooms.

Floor plans show seven bedrooms on the first floor and six bedrooms on the second floor.

The planning statement goes on to say: “People are a fundamental consideration in any development proposal.

“Whilst it is challenging to create an inclusive development, which benefits the wider community, a key aim of the design process here is to achieve a mix of bedroom types to enable the creation of balanced development for students, which will provide an enduring benefit to the continued sustainability of the area.

“The development of the application site would provide a total of 13 bedrooms within an existing building, thus adding to the overall stock of residential and student apartments in the area and its potential to maintain andsupport the existing local services and facilities.”

A decision on the plans is expected to be made by early August.

Comments on the plans can be made by writing to the city council’s planning department up until Friday, July 3.

For more information, visit www.sunderland.gov.uk/online-applications and search planning reference: 20/00916/FUL

Planners will put together a report from the application details put forward by the developer, comments from the public, and opinions from expert consultees.

Reports usually go before a meeting of councillors for consideration, debate, and voting, though alternative arrangements have been in place during the pandemic.

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