'Roof garden' part of major makeover planned for Hetton community centre

A community centre on the outskirts of Sunderland is set for a major makeover under new plans submitted to council development chiefs.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for Easington Lane Community Access Point (ELCAP), which sits off Brick Garth in the Hetton ward.

The charity offers events, activities, transport and room hire in the local community, with activities at the site ranging from sports to family cookery.

New plans for the charity’s base include the demolition of part of an existing community hall and a new single-storey infill extension with a roof garden.

In addition, plans include alterations to the existing vehicle access and parking areas, replacement cladding to the community hall and the installation of air source heat pumps and solar panels.

Charity ELCAP submitted the application to council officials in recent weeks, along with supporting documents.

A design and access statement outlines renovations and extension works planned at the site which encompasses two buildings, including a former miners’ welfare hall and a community hall.

Plans include a central entrance point for both buildings with ramped access, a new kitchen and larger dining space, the creation of secure minibus parking, improvements to toilets and improved energy efficiency of buildings.

It was noted that the infill extension would create a large reception area with a skylight above, a replacement dining space with a more “spacious layout”, and an external seating area.

The layout of the existing community hall and miners’ hall toilets would also be redesigned to provide a more “efficient layout”, along with a new ‘Changing Places’ accessible toilet facility.

Those behind the scheme said the works aimed to create more space for services and facilities, and to allow the charity to use on-site space more creatively, and that the demolition of the community hall annex was being proposed to allow a kitchen to be relocated.

The design and access statement adds: “The new extension has to comfortably sit between two buildings of significantly different scale and materiality.

“With the existing buildings already utilising brick, stone and black timber cladding, introducing another material would not sit comfortably with the current buildings.

“The new entrance has a deliberately simple brick massing taking a design key from the existing community hall entrance.

“The simple style of the entrance is expanded to create the rear design of the extension and [to] break down the massing of the wide rear elevation”.

A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website lists a decision deadline of June 26, 2024.

For more information on the planning application, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/00851/FUL