Sunderland pub to be demolished to make way for 19 homes

Contested plans to bulldoze a city pub to make way for 19 homes have been approved.
The derelict pub is set to become houses.The derelict pub is set to become houses.
The derelict pub is set to become houses.

An application was lodged by the The Inn Place Partnership for The Inn Place, in Knollside Close, off Doxford Park Way, Sunderland.

This included demolishing the pub and creating a new housing estate with a mixture of two,three and four-bedroom properties.

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Sunderland City Council’s area development control sub-committee has now backed plans despite concerns over designs and traffic.

The building – which is also known as the Hall Farm and District Social Club – was originally built in the late 1970s and has operated as a licensed bar since 1989.

A planning officer’s report, presented to the committee, stated the building had “no historic interest and low architectural interest” with the brown field site being suitable for development.

During consultation, a letter was also received on behalf of the nearby Aldi food store raising concerns about the design of the estate.

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Following discussions with the developer, the scheme was revised with greater distance between the homes and the supermarket.

Coun Colin English, who represents the Doxford ward, voted against the plans over concerns about vehicles accessing the estate on the same road used by Aldi customers.

Speaking at the Sunderland Civic Centre meeting, he asked whether additional traffic would “compound” existing traffic issues, noting the impact of other housing developments in the area.

“There has to be a point where we look at applications as a whole,” he added.

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A council officer, responding, said that traffic generated by the estate would be similar to levels generated by the pub.

The cabinet member for housing and regeneration, Coun Stuart Porthouse, also criticised the designs for new housing, describing them as “featureless”.

He added while more should be done to improve the appearance of new properties, the committee’s “hands were tied” by planning policy.

Following discussion, councillors voted through the housing plans, with one vote in opposition.

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Under planning conditions, two of the two-bedroomed properties will be classed as affordable housing with the applicant also signing a section 106 agreement.

This will see The Inn Place Partnership pay £13,319 – £701 per property – towards providing or improving play facilities in the Doxford ward.

Chris Binding , Local Democracy Reporting Service