SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL: Bid submitted to demolish the former home of Edward Thompson printers

The building, which is located on Sheepfolds Industrial Estate, was home to the printing company for over 150 years.

Sunderland City Council has applied to its own planning department to bulldoze the two-storey unit known as the Edward Thompson building (Cameron Building).

Plans aim to remove the building and the pedestrian link bridge to its sister building on the opposite side of Richmond Street, known as Tombola House.

Tombola House is not included in the demolition plans, with plans for the opening where the pedestrian bridge was located to be “made good”.

A planning application from Sunderland City Council provides more details on the proposed demolition in the industrial estate, which is being brought forward on economic and health and safety grounds.

The planning application states: “The building has exceeded its useful economic lifespan and is now redundant. It is in a poor state of repair and is structurally deteriorating, posing a danger to the public.

“Demolition to be on the grounds of economic and health and safety reasons”.

Proposed demolition methods include machinery and “hand stripping”, with items separated for recycling.

The link bridge will also be “stripped of all non structural materials, detached from the two buildings and lowered to the ground, placed in the site compound and dismantled”.

Demolition works, if approved, are expected to take place at the end of July, 2023, with an estimated completion date of September 29, 2023.

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

Information on Sunderland City Council’s website suggests a decision is expected by July 5, 2023.

For more information on the planning application or to track its progress, visit the council’s online planning portal and search reference: 23/01264/DEM