Sunderland 'seafront gardens' plan for new Blacks Corner bistro at Seaburn tram shelter

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for land adjacent to Seaburn’s Grade II-listed tram shelter, which is undergoing a major transformation.

The development is part of the wider seafront regeneration scheme, and has involved major repairs to the historical structure to give the site a new lease of life.

The team behind Blacks Corner bistro and deli have already had success in sympathetically re-purposing old buildings in East Boldon.

Back in January, 2022, plans from the business to transform Seaburn’s Victorian tram shelter into a hospitality venue were given the green light by city councillors.

A new planning application, submitted at the end of August, 2023, now aims to provide extra facilities for customers by creating sheltered outdoor seating within new garden areas.

The proposed site covers parcels of grassed land directly behind the tram shelter and opposite the coastal promenade and beach.

Submitted site plans show one seating area with four tables and a larger seating area with around eight tables, along with picket fencing, weatherproof parasols and planting to provide “natural screening”.

It is understood that the ‘bench seating’ would include recycled materials from benches previously found inside the tram shelter, with the outdoor areas benefiting from heat lamps and “gentle lighting”.

Plans also include a relocated bin storage area, as well as cycle racks and associated hard and soft landscaping.

A design and access statement submitted to council officials provides more details on the scheme.

It states that a secure bin store would be designed to “reference the historic changing huts found at the seafront previously”.

Meanwhile, the sheltered seating area is expected to “increase and sustain profitability in the business”.

The design and access statement adds: “Without outdoor seating the restaurant would only comfortably seat 12 covers with reduced access for dog walkers, pushchairs, and guests with immunity concerns (covid).

“Our current East Boldon community garden provides a space for all of those people to gather and enjoy fresh air in a safe and well-maintained environment.

“The bench seating would be re-assembled by hand re-purposing the old internal bench seating that was previously inside the tram shelter.

“The paint removed and sanded back to the original wood patina this would weather naturally in keeping with the coastal surroundings”.

Those behind the scheme said impacts on nearby residential areas had been considered and that the outdoor area’s opening hours would “remain consistent” with Blacks Corner.

Other elements of the scheme include a cycle rack to make the tram shelter a “lifestyle location”, as well as a dog water station to allow dog owners to “refill and hydrate and even clean their dogs down”.

The design and access statement continues: “Although the proposal will result in some loss of open amenity greenspace, the amount lost is considered negligible in the context of the wider areas available adjacent [such as] the promenade and Cliffe Park.

“The proposal also incorporates significant landscape enhancements, to offset the areas of open space lost with the added benefit of remaining open to the public.

“It is also considered that the use of the site for seafront gardens offers a variation to the recreational opportunities in this area, the regeneration benefits of which outweigh the impact of the partial loss of open space”.

A decision on the planning application is expected to be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Information on Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website lists a decision deadline of October 24, 2023.

For more information on the plan or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/01878/FU4