Sunderland news
RECRUITERS EYE EXPANSION
HOME GROWN
Building – ( left to right ) Luke Lee , operations director of MCC Homes , Councillor Kevin Johnston , deputy cabinet member for housing and regeneration at Sunderland City Council and Graham Scanlon , assistant director of housing at Sunderland City Council .
£ 59m programme aids growth of Sunderland business
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£ 59m investment programme spearheaded by Sunderland City Council is helping a local business deliver its largest housing development to date .
Monkwearmouth-based housing company MCC Homes has developed a partnership with the council that has already seen the firm commit to deliver 20 new properties in the city . Five bungalows – in Elmwood Avenue , Southwick – are complete and a further 15 – the SME ’ s largest scheme to date – are expected to get started soon .
The company , founded in 2017 , specialises in delivering smaller residential developments that take unused pockets of land and bring them back to life .
Its Elmwood scheme and a further planned development in Southwick will see areas of land that had become magnets for fly tipping and anti-social behaviour brought back into use , providing much-needed homes for people in the city .
The firm hopes to move forward with a number of additional schemes across Sunderland and is adding value to the city economy by prioritising local suppliers , as well as creating apprenticeship opportunities for young people from the area . Its entire on-site team is from Sunderland .
Luke Lee , operations director of MCC Homes , said : “ We are delighted to be developing a strong partnership with
Sunderland City Council and we are really pleased that in working with us they ’ re backing a local business and Sunderland supply chains , who we always prioritise on our projects .
“ As someone who was born and lives in Sunderland , it ’ s fantastic to be able to work on projects that add value to my home city and that give us spending power to invest in the local supply chain , delivering homes that are made in Sunderland by Sunderland people , for Sunderland people .”
Before striking up its relationship with the council MCC Homes concentrated on its own private developments , mainly in Sunderland .
Its expansion into development began when Luke and his brother Jordan were joined by managing director Paul McCoy , and set out a strategy to further develop the business , which until then managed a portfolio of rented properties .
The council ’ s investment in the bungalows is part of an ambitious plan that has seen the local authority once again become a Registered Housing Provider , renting its first homes in more than 20 years .
It has also begun a programme of construction – building its first new properties in 40 years – as well as buying homes developed by MCC Homes to create new housing stock that meets the needs of the city ’ s residents .
Tin of Sardines reveals stunning seaside plans
A popular hospitality group has revealed stunning plans to breathe new life into an historic building overlooking the iconic Roker pier .
The Davis Family , which owns and operates Durham ’ s Tin of Sardines – the world ’ s smallest gin bar – has announced plans to bring its successful gin emporium and restaurant concept to the city , with the opening of a new venue at Roker .
The family has agreed a 10-year lease with Sunderland City Council for the former Roker Toilet Block on Pier View – adjacent to the Bungalow Café – and is set to invest over £ 60,000 into the refurbishment of the site , creating 10 jobs .
Dubai ’ s the limit for an ambitious Sunderland-based recruitment agency boosted by a five-figure investment .
Sunnyside Recruitment has received a £ 25,000 investment from the North East Small Loan Fund , supported by the European Regional Development Fund , to support its growth plans .
The company , which mainly focuses on the hospitality and catering sectors , will use the money to enlarge and develop its activities in the lucrative Dubai market in the United Arab Emirates .
Landmark contract helps manufacturer go with the grain
A manufacturer of industrial heating units for the agriculture sector is celebrating after securing its largest contract to date .
DLAW Contractors , based at Port of Sunderland , has created four new jobs as a direct result of the six-figure contract win , which will see it manufacture , supply and install a 6.2-megawatt output grain drying unit for a working farm in Northumberland .
The grain drying unit – which will be powered by two geothermal ground-source heat pumps – was designed and procured by renewable energy specialist Calibrate Energy Engineering on behalf of the farm .
The project will drastically reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and significantly reduce its carbon footprint when fully operational .
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