Walking back to happiness in the city

Ambitious moves to enhance a naturally beautiful part of our city could not have been better planned. The Riverside Sunderland masterplan has incorporated walking routes, play areas and new pathways aimed at giving people better access to this eyecatching stretch of the city.

It comes at a time when, courtesy of lockdown, more and more people have been spending time looking at their surroundings with new respect.

The closure of so many amenities, retail and entertainment venues has resulted in folk venturing to pastures new as part of their daily exercise routines.

While this new-found love of our city due to a world-wide pandemic could not have been predicted, we look set to reap the rewards.

Proposals include an accessible 1km cliff top trail where people can enjoy the expansive views across the Wear Gorge. The trail will link into the high level smart bridge as well as new ultra-sustainable homes planned on the former Vaux site. Coun Graeme Miller tells us today: “Riverside Sunderland is a naturally beautiful part of the city, but one that has been forgotten for many years.

“As part of the vision to bring back to life Riverside Sunderland, we are proposing a range of stunning new pathways, exceptional connectivity and areas where people can rest and play, making the most of the city centre’s riverside location, something we have underplayed in the past.”

The light at the end of the tunnel is looking brighter with each passing day.