Revamp plans approved for Grindon Mill Garage by Sunderland development chiefs

Earlier this year, Sunderland City Council’s planning department received an application for the Grindon Mill Garage, off The Broadway (A183).

This included dismantling the existing forecourt canopy and four pump islands and replacing them with a new raised forecourt canopy and four new pump islands.

The plans, submitted by applicant Rontec Service Stations 1a Ltd, were approved by Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved on Monday (November 7).

A council planning decision report found no issues with road safety, appearance or the impact the scheme was likely to have on nearby homes.

The layout of the petrol filling station is expected to remain “otherwise unchanged”, while the new canopy roof is also expected to be around 0.6 metres higher than existing to “increase the clearance underneath it”.

The council planning decision report adds: “[The new canopy roof] will no longer extend over the forecourt area but the area covering the pumps will be increased slightly in response to the adjusted positioning of the pump islands.

“The design of the roof will be similar to the existing roof and the development is therefore not considered likely to be detrimental to the visual amenities of the area.

“The outlook from the properties to the rear will not substantially change; the area the roof will cover will be smaller and although it will be slightly higher, it will be of a similar depth to that existing.

“The residential amenities of these properties are therefore not considered likely to be adversely affected.

“Given the above, the proposal is unlikely to result in any serious detriment to highway safety, the residential amenities of neighbouring properties or the visual amenities of the host property and the street scene in general”.

The Grindon Mill Garage sits near the roundabout where the A183 meets Pennywell Road and houses a shop, a drive-through car wash and other services.

Under planning conditions, redevelopment works at the petrol filling station site must begin within three years.

For more information on the plans, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search planning reference: 22/01915/FUL