Sunderland dental surgery could soon become a residential home if planning permission is granted

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for 13 Church Street in the Houghton ward.

According to documents submitted to council officials, the site was previously occupied by a dental practice but the business is no longer operating from the building.

New plans by Penshaw Pharmacy aim to change the use of the ground floor and convert the space into a one-bedroom apartment.

A design and access statement submitted with the planning application provides more details on the proposed scheme.

Those behind the apartment plan say the building is “in touch with the Georgian street scene with large windows, a side-gabled roof, a mixture of stone and brick walls and pilasters at the entrance”.

New plans for a ground floor flat aim to “maximise the space” with a mixed living and dining area, kitchen, bathroom, laundry/storage area and one bedroom.

In addition, it was confirmed that no demolitions are proposed, apart from the removal and addition of some internal partition walls.

Proposals also include the replacement of the window on the building’s front elevation, which is currently “dominated by wooden shutters”.

The design and access statement adds: “There is a car park located to the rear of the property which holds a fair number of spaces for the street. Alternatively, there is limited street parking.

“The area is well connected to public transport. There are regular buses, the closest stop is less than a two-minute walk from the proposed building’s front door”.

A submitted heritage statement also notes the “Georgian architecture and proximity to the church provides the building with historical importance”.

The statement adds that proposed works would “not have any adverse impact upon the historical features of the site or its neighbouring properties”, with the outer structure of the building “remaining untouched”.

A decision on the planning 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 December 22, 2023.

For more information on the planning application or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/02257/FUL