Sunderland's Jack Crawford House set for eco-friendly overhaul

Earlier this year, proposals were lodged for Jack Crawford House off Commercial Road in the Hendon ward.

This included solar panels, associated battery storage and new charging ports as part of a council drive to provide low carbon infrastructure as it adds more electric vehicles to its fleet.

More than 20 rows of rooftop solar panels will be installed in the project, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.

The plans also include ‘solar carports’ which will be installed over 18 parking spaces and three disabled bays in the car park at the south east of the office building.

Jack Crawford House and Washington Business Centre have both been identified in the first round of a planned framework of electric charging points at local authority buildings in the city, which form part of a ‘regional electric vehicle hub”.

A Design and Access Statement, submitted with the Jack Crawford House planning application, adds the development will help “maximise the potential of the site for delivering and storing renewable energy.”

Plans for the site were officially approved by the council’s planning authority on Monday, May 11.

Sunderland City Council’s cabinet member for Environment and Transport, Coun Amy Wilson, welcomed the decision.

“In March 2019, the council made its Climate Emergency declaration which outlined further environmental ambitions including reducing emissions and pollution, and improving air quality,” she said.

“The council is also committed to seeing Sunderland become carbon neutral by 2030 as part of its City Plan.

“This package of investments for Jack Crawford House is ‘future proofing’ and part of those commitments.

“Work here is about reducing more of the city’s carbon footprint as we move closer to our aims for 2030 and helping the council become more efficient as it reduces operating costs.”

Jack Crawford House is made up of an office building to the front and a depot and waste transfer station to the rear.

The council has also appointed a supplier to provide electric cycles for staff use between the Hendon site and the civic centre.

As a result, the solar carports will be extended to cover an area where electric cycles are housed to allow for charging and weather protection.

According to planning documents, the installation of low carbon infrastructure across the city will help the council explore eco-friendly alternatives for its fleet.

In the short-term, this includes converting up to 41 of its large goods and light commercial vehicles into low carbon or ultra low carbon vehicles by 2022 – and a further 56, totalling 35% of the fleet, by 2024.

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