Sunderland's new Holmeside Car Park brings extra benefits

Community charities based across Wearside have benefited from a raft of donations by the civil engineering contractor behind the new Holmeside Car Park.

Organisations including More Than Grandparents, Veterans in Crisis, Grace House North East, Blandford Street Community Project and Fighting All Cancers Together (FACT) have collectively received more than £6,000 from CR Reynolds.

The Yorkshire-based firm is contracted to help redevelop the city centre with improves to pedestrian and landscaped areas around the new Sunderland train station, including transforming land in Holmeside into a new multi-purpose car park.

The car park is funded by the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund which ‘aims to improve productivity by investing in public and sustainable transport infrastructure’.

The 4,800 m2 site is close to completion and city leaders say it will serve Sunderland’s new train station and transport hub, as well as provide additional capacity for commuters and those visiting the city centre.

The 196-space car park includes EV charging points, a mobility hub and secure cycle storage.

The car park will also be included in the council’s ‘Free After 3’ initiative offering free parking after 3pm on week days ‘to support city centre businesses and amenities’, Sunderland City Council said.

This will be welcome news for drivers and traders who have bemoaned the loss of the free parking scheme at the de facto city centre car parks, though the council adamantly stresses the free spaces available at more outlying car parks which it counts as being in the city centre.

The Holmeside car park will open in the autumn, which also coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and a time when one of the charities benefiting, FACT, will be delivering its special ‘Kindness Kits’ to some of the most vulnerable people it helps.

Money donated by CR Reynolds has helped the organisation, which supports more than 300 people across Wearside, to create more than 100 kits comprising of toiletries, household products, food items and clothing.

Joanne Smith, founder and CEO of FACT, said: “Living with and beyond cancer brings its own set of difficult challenges. As well as the wellbeing and medical aspects, the financial impact that many families face can rapidly become overwhelming so the Kindness Kits can go a long way.

“The donation from the team at CR Reynolds is very much appreciated and will help us to further support our service users here in Sunderland. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month so the donation is very timely to help us raise awareness of how important early detection and prevention is, as well as the care and support patients, their friends and families can access.”

CR Reynolds and Sunderland City Council said they liaised with Sunderland Voluntary Sector Alliance to attract bids for donations.

Chris Butts of CR Reynolds said: “We have worked in Sunderland for a few years now and wanted to give something back to the community that we have served as part of the project.

“As well as these donations, we also worked closely with Sunderland College to welcome 18 work placement students onto the development site and engage in career fayres for those interested in civil engineering as a career.

“We’re delighted to have played a role both on a development and community level and hope the donations make a real difference.”

Council chiefs say the new station car park is a key part of the redevelopment of Sunderland city centre, adding another dimension to the Holmeside area.

Cllr Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “This is another great addition to the city centre which will provide ease of access and encourage more people to use and park close to the shops, cafes and other local amenities including Mowbray Park and the Winter Gardens.

“The additional cycling hub and EV charging facilities also encourage sustainable, low carbon travel and this is something which has been at the heart of our redevelopment plans. We’re excited to see it open.”