Self-storage development planned for former Harveys and Carpetright unit in Sunderland's Castletown area

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for a retail unit adjacent to Chaffinch Road in the Castletown area.

The building, which sits off Wessington Way near several car dealerships, has been occupied by several businesses over the years.

According to planning documents, this has included HSS Hire, furniture store Harveys and Carpetright.

New plans from applicant Harbinger Sunderland Developments Limited aim to “reuse and refurbish” the site to make way for a self-storage business with flexible office space.

As part of the plans, a “full cover mezzanine floor” is proposed as well as refurbishing the outside of the building, replacing the roof and reconfiguring the parking area.

The proposed operator has been named as self-storage business The Store Room, with the development expected to create three full-time employees.

A planning statement submitted with the application adds key areas of green space around the site would be retained and that site access points would also remain unchanged.

The planning statement adds: “The proposal will provide a much-needed contribution to the economy of the area, whilst also delivering an improvement to the aesthetics of the site through a series of high-quality external alterations to the unit’s facade.

“The alterations will provide an appropriate visual improvement to the unit and its locality, maintaining an active frontage to Chaffinch Way, and Wessington Way beyond.

“In line with both the adopted and emerging draft policies, the proposals will promote and safeguard the site to deliver ongoing economic investment”.

A design and access statement submitted to council officials claims demand for self-storage facilities has been “accelerated by the Covid pandemic” with more businesses moving online and more people working from home.

Those behind the scheme added self-storage facilities are popular with “start-up businesses and small growing enterprises” and provide more flexibility in comparison to “traditional warehouse units”.

The design and access statement adds: “Many businesses ideally seek a combination of secure storage space, appropriately sized to their floor area or volume requirements […] together with support services, such as parcel collection and delivery, and flexible office or desk space that can be utilised to undertake associated business administration functions as required.

“The Storage Room will offer these comprehensive facilities in a high-quality building refurbishment, in size, scale, layout and design, that will complement the adjacent existing surroundings[and] in use, will offer a flexible amenity that can be expected to be of substantial benefit and value to a wide range of the local business and residential communities”.

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

Information on Sunderland City Council’s website states a decision is expected by May 5, 2023.

For more information on the planning application, or to track its progress, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 22/02630/FUL