Sunderland Civic Centre branded 'a monstrous carbuncle' which should be demolished - with train station, shops and housing among ideas put forward for site

We reported yesterday how a £44,500 report on the state of Sunderland Civic Centre was finally set to be made public - with information on the future of the 1970 complex to be released "in due course".

Sunderland Conservatives leader Robert Oliver commented it was common knowledge that the Civic Centre was "showing its age", housed few staff relative to its size, and "something has to happen".

Readers set out their thoughts on our Facebook page, with a number of people suggesting the Civic Centre's proximity to bus and Metro services at Park Lane Interchange would make the site perfect for a new train station for the city.

Tom Boys said: "A new train station would be ideal situated there."

Heather Fagan Heather added: "We (would) have a transport interchange all in one place."

Ian Naylor,however, added: "They will have to build some long flights of stairs and a lot of lifts then to get to the level of the railway!"

It has long been mooted by some in the city that a new Civic Centre may be built on the Vaux site, the idea of which has been met with a mixed reaction in the past.

Kevin Stephenson said: "I like the idea of shifting to the Vaux site, demolishing the monstrous carbuncle on the hill and building some decent affordable urban housing."

Whatever the use of the site, most seemed to be in agreement that the building should go.

Ian Naylor added: "I would think everyone would like it gone, you don't think that if the money was available it wouldn't have been flattened long before now."

Pauline Letchford said: "The car park dropping to bits around you ...and they have a cheek to charge."

Sarah Jane O'Neill said: "Demolish it and replace it with shops, use one of the disused purpose-built offices sitting empty."