100 jobs in the pipeline as huge Houghton retail park approved
Plans to transform a former colliery site into a huge retail development have been given the stamp of approval by Sunderland councillors.
Proposals to redevelop the Houghton Colliery site have been years in the making with SunderlandCityCouncil’scabinetagreeingtodisposetheland to developers in 2019.
While the multi-millionpound regeneration scheme has seen major changes since its inception, the final plans from applicant Hellens Land Ltd included two large units and a petrol filling station.
Retail giants Tesco and HomeBargainshavebeenlined up as occupiers for the main buildings,withanewpedestrianconnectionandareaofpublic open space planned at the south-eastern end of the site.
Thefillingstationwillbeoperated by Tesco, with the wider site also offering recycling facilities, a range of car parking spaces and electric vehicle charging points.
Formal proposals for the retail park were discussed at a meeting of the council’s Planning and Highways (West) Committee on Tuesday, November 30.
Planning officers, recommending the scheme for approval, noted the expected economic benefits including 100 full and part-time jobs and ‘spin-off ’ employment to local businesses and others in the supply chain.
Proposedbenefitsfromthe new plans also include “clawback of expenditure which currently leaks from the Coalfields”, increased local spending and linked trips to existing businesses.
Council planners confirmed that no “sequentially preferable”siteswereavailable intheareaandthatthescheme would not have a “significant adverseimpact”ontheviability of nearby town centres.
During the meeting, some concerns were raised by an objector in terms of potential negative impacts on local businesses, local wildlife and increases in HGV movements.
But Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive of Hellens Group, told the planning hearing that the retail scheme would regenerate a long-derelictsitewhilehelpingtoattract
and retain shoppers within Houghton.
Councillors heard that the development of the retail park had been challenging against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, but that Tesco and Home Bargains were “legally committed” to the scheme.
Planning and Highways
(West) Committee members were also supportive of the scheme, with Cllr Len Lauchlan saying it would be “beneficial” for the area.
Following discussion the planswonunanimousapprovalfromcitycouncillors,subject toseveralplanningconditions.
The ruling has been welcomed by local Houghton and Copt Hill city councillors, who have previously campaigned for the redevelopment of the former colliery site.
CouncillorKevinJohnston, Copt Hill ward representative and cabinet member for DynamicCity,saidtheplanswere “great news for Houghton”.
“This is great news for Houghton – for businesses that will see a boost due to the increased footfall the new development will bring – and for localpeople,withnewjobscreated and indeed an improved retail offer for residents to enjoy,” he said.
Houghton Colliery closed in the early 1980s and the site was subsequently grassed and planted over.