Bid unveiled to completely transform rooms above long-empty Sunderland city centre shop
Plans for new student accommodation in Sunderland city centre have been submitted to council development bosses.
Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for 23 – 24 Derwent Street near the Park Lane Interchange.
The site includes commercial space on the ground floor which according to submitted planning documents, has been vacant for some time.
New plans submitted to council officials are seeking permission to convert the building’s upper floors into “student accommodation studios.”
This includes an application for seven “single occupancy student studios” along with a “rear first floor extension and external alterations to elevations.”
At the time of writing, there was no supporting planning statement or design and access statement available to view via the council’s planning portal website.
However, proposed floor plans show how the student accommodation development would look across the Derwent Street site’s upper floors.
Plans include five studio student flats on the first floor, each with an en-suite shower room with toilet and wash basin, along with living space and study space.
A range of room sizes are proposed on the first floor, from the smallest room being 24sqm to the biggest room being 45sqm, and other first floor rooms measuring 25sqm, 35sqm and 36sqm, floor plans confirm.
Proposed plans for the second floor include two studio flats each with an en-suite shower room with toilet and wash basin, living space and study space, with the rooms measuring 25sqm and 28sqm.
A decision on the planning application is expected following a council consultation exercise.
Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website lists a decision deadline of March 11, 2026.
For more information on the plan, or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 25/02920/FUL