Amusements, apartments and café given green light
Plans for a new ‘family entertainment centre’, café and apartments along the seafront at Roker have been given the stamp of approval by city development chiefs.
Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved redevelopment plans fort he oldRok er Amusement s building at Marine Walk.
This includes bulldozing the vacant building to make way for a modern two-storey development offering both accommodation and familyfriendly facilities.
The plans were submitted to the city council in 2022 and included a “family entertainment centre” and ancillary café at ground floor level.
On the floor above, three apartments were also proposed as well as an area for four parking spaces at the southern end of the site.
A planning, design and access statement, prepared for applicant Seldons Leisureworld Ltd and submitted to council officials, provided further details of the proposed development.
This included the building’s design mirroring the Pier Point development at Marine Walk and plan store locate the RNLI store to mitigate the loss of the existing store.
After considering the planningapplication and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it in late-May, 2023.
Council planners, in a decision report, deemed the scheme acceptable subject to conditions and the signing of a legal agreement, which is expected to secure funds from developers to help reduce impacts on wildlife.
It was also noted that plans would “make a positive contribution” to the seafront and would help to“meet the needs of visitors to the coast, whilst increasing the vibrancy and activation of this area of Marine Walk”.
The council decision report added: “From a land use perspective, the redevelopment of the largely brownfield site will provide Marine
Walk with a replacement leisure use which will improve the vibrancy and vitality of the promenade, in keeping with the council’s seafront policies and aspirations.
“In terms of visual amenity, the demolition of the tired and unattractive amusements and the replacement with a sensitively designed building taking inspiration from traditional timber structures that have historically lined [the] lower promenade, will serve to enhance the character and appearance of Marine Walk.”