Council reveals £134m of ‘new start’ investments for the city
New investments of around £134million are being prepared by Sunderland City Council.
The proposed ‘new starts’ will be examined at the council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday, at City Hall.
This includes plans to develop a business case for a multi-million pound arena at the former Crowtree Leisure Centre site.
If approved, the new investments will increase the council’s capital investment programme to more than £627million over the next four years.
Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “Cities can no longerrelyonshoppingattractions alone.
“We have to create a richer mixofattractionsandactivities and we are looking to this with a city centre arena.
“As part of a more dynamic, healthyandvibrantsmartcity, an arena complementing the Empire Theatre, the new Auditorium,andournewCulture House, can become a major venue of choice and destination for residents and visitors.
“This could be a mixeduse venue for music, sporting and cultural events, and have capacity for perhaps 5,000 to 10,000 people.
“Our city centre is an ideal location for such a development, it could feature restaurants and a food hall, retail and newpublicspaces,andbecome a major attraction and feature for Sunderland and the wider
North East region.”
Subjecttofurtherdecisionmaking, the council is looking at investing £82.157minto the ‘CityofSunderlandArena’project that it would then recoup througharrangementswithan arena operator.
Further details will be brought forward to future cabinet meetings, subject to the council’s budget process.
Other new starts proposed for the council’s capital budget include:
:: £24m for the ongoing regeneration of the Sunniside district (Nile and Villiers Street).
:: £4.5m of updates and improvements to city parks.
:: £2.6m of further investment for the South Hylton Day Centre project.
:: £1.4m for the Elemore Green Space and Social Enterprise development in Hetton.
:: £6.5m for a replacement CoalfieldsDepotandprovision of a Salt Barn.
:: £200,000 for the refurbishmentofArtsCentreWashington.
:: £250,000 of improvements to the Raich Carter Centre.
:: £500,000 earmarked to “modernise” Houghton and Washington libraries.
The capital new starts are in addition to several investments already agreed and/or under way across the city.
These include the new high-level pedestrian and cyclebridgeatRiversideSunderland,theCultureHouseatKeel Square, the Vaux Housing and Future Living Expo and investmentatNorthernSpireParkto develop the site for housing.
Further investment has alsobeenprovidedforsupported living for adults and for those facinghomelessness,aswellas investment into the redevelopment of Sunderland’s central railwaystation,citycyclingnetworks,schoolsandallotments/ open spaces.
Funding has also been allocated for a new Housing, Innovation,ConstructionandSkills Academy to develop skills for residents in construction.
The council’s final budget meeting is on March 2.