New townhouses proposed on site of former Sunderland garage

The service station site, which sits off Ryhope Road within the Hendon ward, is understood to have been vacant for around two decades.

Although previous planning applications have been approved by Sunderland City Council for new homes on the site, none of the plans have materialised.

This includes a recent application approved by the city council’s planning department in May, 2020, for a development offering eight four-bedroom townhouses.

The site previously housed structures associated with the former petrol station which had fallen into disrepair, with the site being described as an “eyesore” by local councillors.

Following enforcement action from Sunderland City Council in the form of an “improvement notice” the petrol station structures were later removed.

At the time of writing, the site remains vacant and partially screened by hoardings and fences.

New plans from applicant ‘Newcastle Car Wash Limited’ include a fresh bid for eight townhouses on the site with parking spaces to the rear.

A design and access statement submitted to council officials notes the plans are similar to a previous housing application for the site but with extra information around “construction management and site remediation”.

Plans include eight four-bedroom townhouses with around 12 car parking bays and associated gardens.

Applicants noted that the development aimed to “address an imbalance in Sunderland’s housing stock, particularly shortages in the number of 3–4-bedroom houses”.

To “minimise any disruption and maintain highway safety” within the development, vehicular access would be taken from Westholme Terrace.

Vehicular access is also proposed from the unnamed access road to the rear of the site where a designated parking area is proposed.

The design and access statement adds: “The proposed development’s residential use will integrate well with the area’s existing uses, and further align with local policy VC1 regarding ‘local centres’, as the site is situated within a mixed-use area comprising of residential use and commercial use.

“This blend of uses will be conducive to creating a sustainable place to live which will improve the vitality of the area, offering a diverse range of uses that meet essential community needs through locally accessible services and retail facilities.

“Further, by bringing a long-term vacant site into use, the proposed development will be removing a site that could potentially cause anti-social behaviour to the detriment of local residents”.

A covering letter submitted with the plan states the retaining wall on-site “will be removed regardless of this proposed development due to instability”.

While some activity will take place on-site, developers stressed this is “independent of the outcome of the main planning application and would not in itself require permission”.

A decision on the housing application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Information on Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website lists a decision deadline of January 30, 2024.

For more information on the plan or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/02154/FUL