£280m A19 headache revealed

A new multi-million crematorium could be built with additional car-parking facilities to ease current problems.

Parking both in and outside Sunderland Crematorium, in Chester Road, Sunderland, are among the issues facing the existing premises.

Now plans have been revealed for a new purposebuilt crematorium on the same site with “extended car-parking facilities”.

The £7.5m scheme is part of a near £200m Sunderland City Council spending blueprint aimed at creating a “more dynamic, healthy and vibrant Sunderland”.

Other ideas include a footbridge over the River Wear, a £9m car-park for 500 spaces on the former Vaux site and improvements to the city’s main railway station.

While waiting for further details to emerge, councillors from different parties serving the crematorium area have broadly welcomed the plan.

Labour councillor Amy Wilson, whose Pallion ward includes the site, said: “It is something the city needs and we are only just coping at the moment.

“I have been to services where it is difficult to get in and get parked because of the numbers attending and it only adds to the stress.”

Coun Martin Haswell, who represents Pallion for the Liberal Democrats and is the party’s deputy leader on the council, added: “Like a lot of people in the city, I have a connection with the crematorium.

“It is starting to struggle with the modern age and traffic and modernisation would be welcome.”

Coun Antony Mullen, a ward councillor for the opposite side of Chester Road and the Conservatives’ deputy leader on the council, said: "The Conservatives support the upgrading of Sunderland's crematorium and particularly the measures to ease parking problems in the neighbouring streets.

“Residents in the area of Barnes ward opposite the site raise parking issues with the Conservative team often.”

Sunderland City Council’s cabinet discussed the overall blueprint for the first time on yesterday.

A report to the meeting notes a new crematorium “will help improve the experience for users”.