Have final say on city vision
Plans for thousands of new homes and major business developments in Sunderland are to be put up for a final round of public consultation.
As part of its Local Plan, Sunderland City Council is looking to build 13,410 new homes by 2033, as well as provide at least 95 hectares of land – the equivalent of more than 100 football pitches – for new businesses and jobs.
More than 5,000 people responded to the initial draft during a consultation last year. Many, including residents in areas such as West Park, were unhappy about green belt land being earmarked for possible housing.
This led to a number of key changes to proposals, with the plan now saying:
Brownfield land will be maximised for future developments with 90% in the current urban area.
The number of possible development sites in the green belt has been reduced from 15 to 11 (including West Park, Glebe House Farm, Offerton, and Peareth Hall, Springwell).
Following the consultation, there will be no allocation of a temporary Gypsies’ or travellers’ site.
The overall annual housing requirement has been reduced slightly from 768 to 745 a year.
Coun Michael Mordey said: “The majority of respondents in the consultation opposed the identification of sites in the Green Belt for possible development. People were concerned about the impact development would have on existing communities, including impacts on schools and roads.
“Residents were also strongly opposed to the inclusion of a temporary site for Gypsies. People were concerned that the housing requirement was too high and that brownfield sites were not prioritised.
“Therefore, as this is a listening council, the plan has been updated to reflect more of the opinions about what our residents want.”
A new consultation is now scheduled to begin next month.