City brownfield sites to house new communities

A pair of derelict plots of land in Sunderland are to be transformed thanks to Government-backed plans to develop two new housing communities.

The projects at Carley Hill, on the north of the city and Farringdon Row, in the city centre, have received over £3.1m from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The funding - from the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 (BLRF2), delivered by the One Public Estate (OPE) Programme - will see a total of 255 homes built across the sites.

Sunderland City Council applied for the funding to help it deliver on its promise of providing a greater choice of housing for residents that better meets their needs and aspirations.

Cllr Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for dynamic city at Sunderland City Council, said: "We are thrilled that our funding bid has been successful for these two important schemes.

"Over the next decade, we are seeking to deliver tens of thousands of new homes to help meet the needs of our residents now and into the future, and these developments will be key to helping us achieve our goals."

The funding for Carley Hill will support the remediation of 4.28 hectares of brownfield land to enable the development of a 115-unit scheme, which will be delivered by Gentoo and will provide a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses and two-bedroom bungalows and apartments.

The first homes are set to be completed in Spring 2025 with 87 of the properties being made available for affordable rent.

Joanne Gordon, Homes and Development Director at Gentoo said: "Gentoo is committed to addressing the affordable homes shortage in Sunderland through the supply of new, high quality and energy efficient homes. Our Cricketers Hill development in Carley Hill marks Gentoo's tenth affordable development across the city and opens up even more routes for Sunderland residents to own or rent a home."

Farringdon Row is the second of four new residential neighbourhoods in the pioneering Riverside Sunderland urban regeneration programme.

The transformation of the two-hectare site will support the delivery of 140 new homes on a brownfield site overlooking Riverside Park and the River Wear, with strong connectivity to Sunderland City Centre.

All homes at Riverside Sunderland will provide a future living offer that will attract new and existing Sunderland residents to live in the vibrant city centre, with the properties sitting alongside the orchards and allotments of Kingsley Gardens and nearby Riverside Park, which is continuing its journey towards becoming an accessible, attractive, and ecologically diverse parkland.

Cllr Johnston added: "Riverside Sunderland is one of the most exciting urban regeneration schemes in the UK and will provide city centre housing for up to 2,500 residents upon completion, making it one of the most ambitious housing projects anywhere in the UK.

"Not only will it redefine city centre living with a choice of stunning houses and apartments to rent or buy, but the four new neighbourhoods - including Farringdon Row - will provide a major boost to the city economy and help position Sunderland as a city at the cutting edge of sustainable development. It's an incredibly exciting time for everyone involved with the city."