Bid to make Sunderland Marks and Spencer a listed building as M&S store prepares to close

The building housing Sunderland's doomed Marks and Spencers store is set to become a listed building, if proponents get their way.

The retail giant announced plans in January 2023 to close the High Street West store when a new 47,000 sq ft store next to the Galleries Retail Park in Washington opens.

This is expected in the spring, although the city centre shop is still trading for now.

The building is owned by Sunderland City Council. However, lease agreements mean the local authority is unable to do anything with the premises until March 2027.

M&S hold the lease until then and remain wholly responsible for the building until that date.

This has led to fears that the three-storey property could stand empty for years.

Sunderland Conservatives now say they have applied to Historic England to give the building listed status "to protect certain parts of the building from major architectural changes - such as the vintage art deco exterior - or from being knocked down".

Listed building status is decided upon on the basis of historical and architectural significance.

Cllr Lyall Reed, deputy leader of the Sunderland Conservatives, said: “We’ve lost too many historical buildings in Sunderland and we need to make sure that the Marks and Spencer building doesn’t get added to the long list of lost beautiful buildings in our city.

“This listed building status would protect the building from any neglect, inconsiderate changes to its Art Deco architecture but most importantly it would help protect it from becoming just another Joplings Building in the city centre.”

Historic England says it aims to complete assessments within 21 weeks of receipt of an application.

High Street West buildings already listed include Mackie's corner, The Dun Cow, The Peacock and 110-112 High Street West which was approved for conversion into flats by Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee in September 2023.

Conservative and Lib Dem councillors have claimed that the imminent closure of Sunderland's Marks and Spencer is linked to the council's decision to end free-after-three parking in the city centre.

However, the ruling Labour council says that the decision is a commercial one made solely by M&S, and that the retailer has closed 65 outlets nationally in the last year.