SEA CHANGE
Riverside Sunderland is at forefront of city masterplan
BY COLIN YOUNG
It’s hard to escape news coming out of one of the most exciting urban developments in the region.
Backed by a £100m investment from Legal & General, and exciting plans for housing revealed
recently, Wear Business discovers more about Sunderland’s new city centre development, which is
taking shape at lightening pace.
It started with The Beam. The flagship first
building to rise from the ground on the
former Vaux Brewery site, standing on a
cliff ’s edge overlooking the Wear.
And with a stunning new masterplan
revealed, that sees both sides of the river
connected – springing back to life with
offices, public spaces, leisure spaces and
homes – Riverside Sunderland is the place on
the lips of every Wearsider.
The vision of a new Sunderland is
gathering a head of steam.
“Riverside Sunderland will be
transformational,” says Peter McIntyre,
executive director of city development at
Sunderland Council.
“It’s a place where people will be able to
live, work and play. But importantly, right
now, it’s a place where businesses want to
invest.”
And ‘invest’ really is the watchword.
Sunderland City Council’s own confidence –
building The Beam speculatively; having the
belief and conviction to put a £20m stake on
its success – has sparked a blazing trail.
Buoyed by a deal with Ocado – which
has seen the global grocery giant take space
in the building – the council developed
a masterplan that demonstrates an
unparalleled vision to reinvent the heart of
Sunderland.
And it sold that vision to institutional
investor Legal & General, who was so
convinced by Sunderland’s mettle that it
put £100m on the table – the biggest single
investment in the city in decades, and a huge
vote of confidence from an organisation that
backs winners.
In November the company confirmed its
commitment to deliver three buildings and
more announcements are expected soon
about the two further developments that will
stand to the north of the new civic hub.
McIntyre said: “The Legal & General
deal was hugely significant. It sent a strong
message to businesses – Sunderland is a safe
bet for investment.
“When a city attracts the attention of one
of the world’s largest investment managers,
it creates a buzz of confidence that sends
ripples through the investment world.
“Having this backing is generating
unprecedented interest in Sunderland. And
it’s also catapulted development projects
that will absolutely transform Riverside
Sunderland from barren land into a vibrant
hotbed of business, a modern, urban
residential community, and an extension of
the leisure offer in the heart of Sunderland.
“Legal & General’s backing not only
delivers buildings that between them provide
300,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, but it
also supercharges plans to transform the city
centre, creating a magnet destination that
will attract more people to live, work and
play here.
“We’re clear – our city centre must become
an economic motor for Sunderland.”
Among other exciting new developments
being delivered by Esh Construction, which
has pumped £12.4m into the city’s economy,
is a £3m business centre in the former
Gilbridge police station, a 120-room Holiday
Inn Hotel on Keel Square and a 450-seater
auditorium under construction in the city’s
Minster Quarter.
Mackie’s Corner will transform into more
retail and commercial businesses, the historic
Elephant Tearooms are being revamped
into a local history library and nearby a new
business centre is taking shape in the former
River Wear Commissioners Building.
Stunning plans for Riverside Sunderland
unveiled a vision for a new urban quarter
on both sides of the Wear, connected by a
footbridge to the Stadium of Light.
The city’s coastline is being boosted by
STACK at Seaburn, a new inn with rooms
and improvements to old buildings along
the coastline and housing schemes are rising
from the ground across Sunderland, as part
of the council’s ambitious plans to build more
than 7,000 new homes in the next decade.
Councillor Paul Stewart, cabinet secretary
at Sunderland Council, said: “With every
project we deliver in the city, we explore the
potential to gain added value through local
commissioning and supply opportunities,
and in particular, we are keen to see them
deliver job opportunities for our people, both
during the construction phase and when they
are completed.
“Projects like those we have commissioned
Esh to undertake bring about major benefits
for our people, delivering the maximum
possible return for every pound spent,
and offering sustainable employment
opportunities for our young people.
“We are building a proud record and we’re
determined to keep this momentum going
as we continue to push ahead with exciting
regeneration projects across Sunderland.
“We want to double the resident
population of the city centre from 2,500 to
5,000 and increase employment to 18,000.
With that will come spending power that will
bolster the city centre.”
Ground investigation work started in
July to assess a plot of land that has been
earmarked for housing. Plans are yet to be
revealed for the site, but McIntyre says it is a
key part of the vision.
“The investment we have attracted
represents a huge, huge step forward, but
there’s more to come,” he added.
“We are absolutely determined to create
the healthy, dynamic and vibrant city our
residents deserve and want to see, and
we will keep building on each success, to
transform Sunderland and create a place
people can be proud to live, work and do
business.
“There’s a sea-change in Sunderland, and
Riverside Sunderland is at the forefront of it.”
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