Work to start within days on new Sunderland seafront car park in Seaburn

City leaders have sunk around £10million into the coastline at Roker and Seaburn over the past decade or so in a bid to attract more visitors, boost businesses and make the most of one of Sunderland’s key natural assets.

Now a large new car park is to be built in Dykelands Road, Seaburn to ensure there is enough parking for new leisure developments taking shape – the first of which, STACK Seaburn, which opened earlier In August.

Full work on the car park is set to get started on Monday, September 21, with some minor works taking place this week.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We are seeing our seaside become an increasingly popular destination, with new developments such as STACK Seaburn bringing in the crowds – and more to follow when a new inn with rooms currently under construction opens in 2021.

“It is important that we make it as easy as possible for people to visit our seaside, and enjoy its fantastic leisure offer – and in doing so, we create the right conditions for small businesses in the area to succeed. We have world-class beaches, and a leisure offer that is developing into something really special. We want more and more people to come and enjoy it.

“We are putting in place the building blocks to transform Seaburn into a vibrant seaside destination, with an offer that will appeal to a wide range of visitors. Parking is one part of that effort.”

The car park, which will have its entrance will be next to popular restaurant Martinos, is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Cllr Miller said it is part of a range of parking upgrades to improve access to emerging leisure developments at the seafront. Parking is also being enhanced at Roker.

The car park will feature re-provided trees and soft landscaping to ensure it is an attractive addition to Seaburn, that compliments the area, which has itself seen significant landscaping improvements over the last decade.

There had been upset over the felling of trees to make way for the car park. But Cllr Miller said this would be addressed.

He said: “We’re re-providing trees where they have been removed to create access, and we’re adding more green landscaping to the car park too. We have a stunning seaside, and we want every park of that to look as attractive as possible, enhancing the natural beauty of the place.”

It comes after a £2.32million programme to improve the landscape and layout of Ocean Park at Seaburn was approved by Sunderland’s ruling cabinet this week.

Public realm upgrades will be made to the western footway, including visual improvements to the pumping station on the corner of Dykelands Road, and new east-west pedestrian links.

And work will also extend to Cut Throat Dene, with soft landscaping, biodiversity improvements and new equipped play facilities also set to enhance the area.

The new works are a continuation of these and are lined-up to support developments in the area, including the new STACK Seaburn, which opened its doors earlier this month.

Immediately next door to STACK, construction is underway on a new 40-bed Seaburn Inn, which is set to open early in 2021.

Other developments planned for Seaburn and Roker include regeneration of under-used and historic buildings along the promenade.

Plans will see a former toilet block at Roker, along with the former Bay Shelter and the old tram shelter at Seaburn – all of which were recently given Listed Status - transformed into cafés and restaurants, and plans are also afoot for 12 beach huts, that will stand just north of House of Zen.

There will also be upgrades to the infrastructure of Seaburn Camp to make it better for touring caravans.

There are plans for development of a second phase of Pier Point in Roker, after the success of the first phase.

Sunderland City Council has lodged proposals with its own planning authority for extra spaces at the Marine Walk Car Park in Roker, which services Pier Point, which will increase the number of spaces by 50%.

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