Plans for new council depot to be resubmitted as project bosses explore 'cost-effective solution'

Earlier this year (2025), the local authority submitted an application to its own planning department seeking permission to develop a site at Cygnet Way in the Rainton Bridge area.

The site at Rainton Bridge Business Park has been earmarked as the new location for the council's 'Houghton Depot', which is currently based at Market Place Industrial Estate around 2km away.

According to planning documents, the existing Houghton Depot is "in poor condition and is no longer considered to be fit for purpose" and the new relocated depot would provide a range of council services for the Coalfields area.

This includes winter maintenance and gritters, refuse collection (including domestic, recycling and bulky waste), local services such as street cleansing, grounds maintenance and parks and arbor services.

A design and access statement notes that a new "state-of-the-art facility" is required due to the "many and varied changes in commercial and domestic circumstances over time" and the "restrictive" nature of the existing depot site.

Issues with the existing depot include the energy efficiency of the buildings, increased traffic and road safety issues in the area, accessibility issues with the depot itself, and the site being "too small to meet needs and demands".

It was argued that the new depot would allow the council to work "more effectively" and "further support the local community by providing a purpose built depot", as well as providing "better and greater access to major roads".

It was also noted that the depot would be "fully electric with no mains gas provided to the site" and that air source heat pumps and solar panels would form part of the main depot building.

Sunderland City Council's planning department received the planning application in March, 2025, and a decision was expected by the end of June, 2025.

However, the scheme looks set to be delayed after Sunderland City Council withdrew the planning application on June 4, 2025.

A "notification of intent to withdraw application" published on Sunderland City Council's planning portal website notes the withdrawal decision followed discussions "on the [site's] redline in relation to fire safety".

The email noted that "various options" had been presented to project bosses and that it was "agreed that the cleanest route would be to withdraw the application and resubmit with an amended redline taking into account the required buffer land".

It was noted that the original application would be withdrawn "with a view to making the necessary changes to the design and supporting documents and resubmitting [the application] as soon as possible."

Sunderland City Council, in a statement, stressed there are "no issues with fire safety" related to the planning application.

The council statement added: "The council is withdrawing and resubmitting its application to reflect the most cost-effective development solution."

The proposed depot site is located at the southern boundary of theRainton Bridge Business Park, near the Evolve Business Centre.

When the council planning application is resubmitted, it will be subject to a council consultation exercise before a decision is made, either by council planning officers or the Planning and Highways Committee.

For more information on the withdrawn planning application, visit Sunderland City Council's planning portal website and search reference: 25/00578/LP3