Wickes building a new home on Wearside
A major building supplies store on Wearside is set to move to a new purpose-built hub after winning planning permission.
The business has been looking for a new home due to issues at its current site at Thomsen Retail Park, Wessington Way.
Now, the firm has won a bid to move to the former Dewhirst clothing factory site in the Pennywell area.
When completed, the new store will provide the same range of products for both trade and DIY.
It will boast an “outdoor project centre”, service yard and a storage compound.
Customers will also benefit from 64 car parking spaces on site, alongside facilities for traders and cyclists.
Councillors threw their support behind proposals for the future of Wickes at a meeting last month.
A report, presented to the council’s area development control sub-committee earlier this week, said the exDewhirst site was the best option for Wickes following a search for alternative locations in the city.
If the planning application was turned down, councillors heard, Wickes could potentially leave Sunderland.
The jobs supported by the existing store – 19 full and part-time – were a “significant consideration” in this context, a planning report added.
Following discussion, councillors rubber-stamped the plans. Proposed opening hours include 6am-9pm, Monday to Saturday and 9am5pm on Sundays.
The decision will also see Wickes join several other retail businesses on the former clothing factory site.
This includes a KFC drivethru, which opened this year, and a planned Aldi supermarket and Marstons pub.