£2.3million work to 'strengthen Seaburn's identity as a destination of choice' approved by Sunderland chiefs

A £2.3million development project at Sunderland’s seafront will help “strengthen Seaburn’s identity as a destination of choice”, city leaders have said.
Seaburn promenade. Picture by David Allan, supplied by Sunderland City CouncilSeaburn promenade. Picture by David Allan, supplied by Sunderland City Council
Seaburn promenade. Picture by David Allan, supplied by Sunderland City Council

Sunderland City Council has invested more than £10million into Roker and Seaburn in recent years as part of efforts to increase visitors to the city’s stunning coastline.

Senior councillors have now approved the next stage of works to compliment new leisure and housing developments in the area.

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The £2.3million will fund ‘public realm works’ which include infrastructure upgrades, visual improvements, new pedestrian links and new play facilities.

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Cabinet member for Dynamic City, Cllr Rebecca Atkinson, outlined the plans at a cabinet meeting on September 15, stating the redevelopment of Seaburn as a leisure and residential development is progressing ‘at pace’.

“A new car park at Dykelands Road is due to commence later this month and Avant Homes are due to commence development of their housing scheme from October this year with occupation of the first property by March 2021.

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“A targeted programme of infrastructure investment at Ocean Park is required to ensure that these emerging development proposals are embedded into a coherent and high-quality environment which will strengthen Seaburn’s identity as a destination of choice and build upon previous successful investment into foreshore areas of Seaburn, Cliffe Park and Recreation Park.”

The planned public realm works include upgrades to the western footway of Whitburn Road and its junction with Dykelands Road, new east-west pedestrian links and visual improvements to the pumping station.

Soft landscaping and biodiversity improvements at land adjacent to Cut Throat Dene, west of Lowry Road, are also proposed.

Other plans include new equipped play facilities to replace existing facilities and the reprofiling of the channelled areas of the watercourse at land adjacent to Cut Throat Dene to the east of Lowry Road.

Cllr Atkinson added a detailed work programme would be prepared to “ensure delivery alongside ongoing developments and wider seafront events.”

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City leaders agreed for the infrastructure improvements to be funded from the capital programme and to approve detailed designs and a contractor will now be sought to carry out the work.

A report to cabinet read: “To not deliver the programme of works would result in a series of new developments at Ocean Park being surrounded by disjointed public realm.

“This would undermine the regeneration impact of new developments and the aspirations to transform Seaburn into a destination of choice.”

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