Usworth Recreation Park pavilion to become new community centre after plans approved

Plans to convert an old park pavilion into a community centre in Washington have been given the seal of approval by city councillors.
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Earlier this year, Sunderland City Council submitted an application to its own planning department for a building in Usworth Recreation Park, off Manor Road, in the Concord area.

The single-storey building, referred to as the Usworth Park Pavilion, sits near the bowling green but is currently boarded up and used as storage.

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New council proposals aimed to refurbish the pavilion with a range of works and to change its use to a community centre.

The pavillion in Usworth Recreation Park, Washington.The pavillion in Usworth Recreation Park, Washington.
The pavillion in Usworth Recreation Park, Washington.

This included recovering works to the roof, replacing rainwater goods, relocating the entrance doorway, window works and resurfacing a paved area to provide level access to the building, as well as a new patio area, new steps and a cycle store and refuse storage area.

In addition, it was proposed to “strip out” the existing toilets and changing rooms from the main building to make way for a large multi-purpose community space, new toilets and a kitchen.

The plans were recommended for approval by planning officers at a meeting of Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee at City Hall on Monday, November 28.

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Council planners, in a report prepared for decision-makers, said the location for the new community centre was acceptable and that there were no highway safety concerns.

The report confirmed it is the council’s intention for the building to be “managed and operated by members of community groups living locally”.

And the proposed alterations to the building, the report added, represented a “practical solution to retain the character of the building whilst facilitating its reuse”.

After being put to the vote, the plans won unanimous support from councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee.

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Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council and vice-chair of the panel, said: “I’m delighted to see this building being given a lease of life again.

Washington, like other parts of the city, is very short of this type of building use so I’m delighted to see it come forward”.

Under planning conditions, work on the community centre change of use must be brought forward within three years.