Students are playing a role in helping shape city’s future

Council bosses in Sunderland have recruited a team of international students to help them shape the way people in the city live in future.

Three groups of students from Northumbria University’s advanced practice programme are working as part of a team that is developing plans for the Sunderland Future Living Expo – a threeyear programme of events to create new homes in the city's Riverside area.

The Masters students will be doing 12-week long research projects on development initiatives focused on the Riverside Sunderland masterplan and working on plans for a prototype low-carbon house.

Cllr Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “Our aim with Riverside Sunderland is to create a place that is truly exceptional, and through the Expo programme we are bringing together academics and industry experts to test new technologies and ensure we are well equipped to develop world-class homes.

“We are creating an engaging programme of Expo events and experiences that will excite people about Riverside Sunderland, a new urban quarter of the city, which will see 1,000 new homes built.

“Collaborating with the university students will ensure that Riverside Sunderland is shaped and developed using the latest thinking and technologies to create a world class place to live, work and play. Nortumbria University’s advanced practice manager, Anne Macdonald, said: “Our course is designed to give students practical industry experience – working on real projects to apply their knowledge and ingenuity. Riverside Sunderland is such an exciting development, we are thrilled to play our part in it.”