Plans revealed for homes on Vaux site
Plans have been revealed for vibrant new properties on the for the former Vaux Brewery site in for the first of 1,000 “ultra-sustainable smart homes” under the ambitious vision for Riverside Sunderland.
A planning application for the first 132 properties
– a mix of one, two and threebedroom new homes – on land overlooking the River Wear has been submitted to Sunderland City Council.
The application sets out proposals for the first tranche of housing on the site, which is due to be completed by 2023, in time for the Sunderland Future Living Expo, a public event that will showcase a new way of city living and the transformation of Riverside Sunderland into a vibrant new place to live.
The planning application for 91 houses and 41 apartments designed by architects Proctor & Matthews and MawsonKerr is expected to go before the planning committee in spring 2021.
The scheme – managed by igloo Regeneration on behalf of the council - will provide spacious ecofriendly smart homes, built using modern methods of construction, that will include a variety of amenity spaces, including terraces, courtyards and communal gardens.
It represents the start of one of the four new communities over the next decade, with construction of the 132 homes expected to start in the summer.
Cllr Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said the ambition is to create a world-class new place to live in the heart of the city, with Riverside Sunderland eventually becoming home to 2,500 new residents and 10,000 workers, who will bring with them spending power that will boost the economic fortunes of the city centre.
“This is a hugely exciting step forward for a site that we have an absolute determination to transform into a vibrant mixed-use destination that is a world-class place to live, work and play,” he said.
"We expect work will start very soon on a further high-quality commercial office space, led by Legal and General who committed £100million to Riverside Sunderland last year. These new homes will compliment all of that, adding a vital new dimension to this important part of our city centre.”
The scheme will also see the creation of Kingsley Gardens, a community growing area with orchards and allotments on the edge of Galley’s Gill.
igloo Regeneration’s chief executive, Peter Connolly, said: “These homes set a precedent for the quality of housing to be delivered in cities. The homes will not only transform the feel of the place and create a new neighbourhood in Sunderland, but they will also be a shining example of how working closely with a community can create a mix of housing that reflects the rich fabric of the community and the scale of their ambition.
“All eyes will be on Sunderland in 2023 when we host the Future Housing EXPO and these homes will be presented as examples of next generation, zero-carbon living in tech-enabled smart homes. I look forward to homeowners and visitors enjoying the streetscapes brought alive by the planned rewilding.
"Looking out of the windows at feeding birds and listening to the sounds as you walk through an area will all add to that crucial sense of health and wellbeing.”
Andrew Matthews, Founding Director at Proctor and Matthews Architects, said: “Our proposal for the new Vaux housing will create a new vibrant 21stcentury urban quarter.
"Our design avoids the ubiquitous perimeter block model which has become the default position of many recent urban city plans; instead our design looks more carefully at regional and historic patterns of development to create a new hierarchy of streets, squares and mews, providing spaces for social interaction.
"Drawing on the city’s historic industrial skyline, the Vaux masterplan captures the river Wear’s dramatic topography and looks to create a new distinctive bound
ary to the River’s south bank right at Sunderland’s heart.
“A range of housing types are proposed to support a diverse community including young families and professionals, as well as key workers and the elderly.These are the vibrant new homes planned for the former
Vaux Brewery site as plans go in for the first of 1,000 ‘ultra-sustainable smart homes’ under th vision for Riverside Sunderland.”
Will Mawson, director at MawsonKerr Architects, added: "The project ambition; to create sustainable, low carbon homes incorporating varied and innovative layouts, aligns closely to our practice ethos. This milestone is an important moment in the history of the site with a new urban district of homes designed specifically for Vaux and Sunderland. Given the nature of the promontory site and the scale of the city quarter, the proposal has a strong character developed with an exemplar team of designers and consultants.”
Alongside new homes, proposals for a £31million “smart” footbridge are also moving forward.