Stunning new buildings are rising into the sky. Historic properties are being brought back to life. Unpolished gems like the city’s seaside are shining again.
And new communities are taking shape, putting Sunderland on the map as the place to be. Portfolio North speaks to Peter McIntyre, executive director of city development at Sunderland City Council, about the scale of investment that is achieving such transformative change.
“This has to be a whole-city approach, it has to add value to Sunderland economically and socially – creating jobs for local people and also opportunities for them to live in quality homes and to enjoy the quality of life in this stunning city.”
“From day one, the focus had to be on delivery,” says McIntyre, who is tasked with developing, as well as executing, the new vision for Riverside Sunderland which will transform swathes of land – untouched for decades – into a world-class urban quarter where thousands will live, work and enjoy the quality of place long sought after by this city by the sea.
“Sunderland’s had its fair share of eye catching, but ultimately undeliverable, masterplans and visions… it was time for an investment focus and that’s exactly what we’re driving. Visible, tangible change, at scale, from the city centre to the seafront, and from Washington to the suburbs of the city – they’re all seeing our new and existing communities take advantage of the council’s reinvigorated approach to transformational change.”
While Riverside Sunderland is the new epicentre of all the regeneration being seen in Sunderland, there is no doubt delivery at a jaw-dropping pace is being achieved elsewhere too. Sunderland is a place that is firing on all cylinders. Investment is being ploughed in, at a scale not seen for many generations, with hundreds of millions being allocated to economic regeneration plans along the coast at Seaburn and Roker, as well as the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) and Hillthorn Business Park – the first providing a high-quality tourism and leisure destination and the latter two strengthening the city’s
position as a world class manufacturing powerhouse.
“This has to be a whole-city approach,” says McIntyre, who has been with the local authority for just
over five years.
“It has to add value to Sunderland economically and socially – creating jobs for local people and also opportunities for them to live in quality homes and to enjoy the quality of life in this stunning city.”
Riverside Sunderland itself addresses all of those things. Spanning 33.2 hectares, on both sides of the river, the blueprint set out by the council promises to create up to 10,000 jobs, one million sq ft of office space, 1000 homes with sustainability at their core and leisure spaces that will enhance the city’s visitor experience.
“We’re redressing the suburbanisation of the city which has been happening for over 30 years,” says North East born and bred Peter.
“The hollowing out of the city centre was an immediate threat to the prosperity of Sunderland and it needed a bold but immediate response.
Speculative development was needed quickly and The Beam was the physical manifestation of that requirement. That building was the catalyst – the council investment was an important statement of intent. Alongside other direct interventions by the council, The Beam would tell the market that we’re absolutely serious about the wider site’s potential. And it’s paid off.”
The Beam counts national online grocer Ocado among its occupiers, with the company now employing 400 people from its base. “Ocado recognised our vision for Sunderland immediately. They were looking at other locations nationally and in the North East, but we got them here to see what we were creating. They could see straight away that – as well as a magnificent work environment – we had skilled people who could power their business. They’ve gone from a standing start to establishing a brilliant base, with a committed team very quickly. They’re a proof-point to the market of Sunderland’s ability to drive business growth.”
The success of The Beam, and crucially the ambition of the Riverside Sunderland investment strategy driven on by the council, quickly garnered the attention of investors looking to participate in Sunderland’s revival. But it didn’t come easy.
“Sunderland was never really on the investment community’s radar in the City of London. Legal & General were a key target as an investor with similar aims and objectives to the council. The strength of our vision meant that it reached the attention of group chief executive Nigel Wilson, and he was sold on what we were doing here. They backed City Hall, which is now a spectacular public sector hub and a flagship of Riverside Sunderland, and their £100m plus commitment is also delivering Maker and Faber, two stunning office buildings that will stand alongside it. Work is well underway on those two Grade A speculative offices, the first by the private sector in the city for decades.
“They also saw the wider vision for the city and have invested an additional £60m in our 1600-job-creating development on Washington’s Hillthorn Park, with other investments in discussion.”
As well as Legal & General’s buildings, confirmed developments elsewhere on the site include a £36m, 90,000 sq ft Eye Hospital to replace the city’s existing 75-year-old infirmary; Culture House, a £28 million world-class immersive experience and city library on Keel Square; the soon to be opened £18 million 120-bed Holiday Inn; the first tranche of homes on Vaux – work now underway on the first 132 properties; new office space by Hanro in the converted former Gilbridge Police Station, which will be known as The Yard; a new 650 space multi storey car park to support developments in the area; a new £32m street bridge which will connect both sides of the river from Vaux to Sheepfolds, the city centre to the Stadium of Light; spawning new private sector leisure investments such as Sheepfolds, an exciting new leisure hub that is being developed by local firm Building Design Northern [BDN]. Close by will stand HICSA, a new training academy to deliver the skilled people needed to build the city’s homes of the future.
“The list of developments is long, with £450m to be delivered by autumn 2024. We have a great deal planned, and it’s all happening in clear sight of everyone in the city, which I think gives a heightened level of belief. The private sector is playing its part, which can be seen at the former Civic Centre site, which will see the Vistry Partnership invest in a significant housing development, increasing the city centre population considerably to fuel the daytime and evening economy, and we’re also getting to grips with the long overdue £100m vision for the train station, with the first phase of that important programme, the £26m south entrance now on site.”
He adds: “In a successful city centre leisure experience will be key. We announced ambitions to build an arena as part of a major leisure complex at Crowtree last year and that’s moving forward – hopefully we can share more on that this year. Major infrastructure improvements in relation to active travel, energy and 5G have been announced in part but with much more to come.”
All of this, says Peter, will create the UK’s best smart city.
“We’re maximising our natural assets. Building on strengths that will allow us to create more and better jobs for our people, and we’re creating places where they can enjoy a fantastic quality of life.
“Our potential for a high quality of life will be demonstrated at our Sunderland Future Living Expo in 2024 – we’ll showcase Riverside Sunderland and the wider city offer, projecting the confidence manifest across
Sunderland.” And, after years of unrealised potential, McIntyre believes now is the time for Sunderland and its communities.
“From the £1bn Gigafactory at IAMP, to Riverside, to plans for Houghton Colliery that will give new life to that area and the transformation we’re seeing at the seafront, this is absolutely a place to watch and become part of. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this journey. The ambition of the council is clear, the investment is in place – it’s now all about the delivery. And that’s my number one priority.”
