Story Homes submits plans for first Sunderland scheme 

Exciting plans for a new community in the south of Sunderland have been submitted by housebuilder Story Homes.

Story Homes is a Carlisle-headquartered company, and has filed plans for 115 new properties at Potters Hill, in the Chapelgarth area of the city.  The scheme - which follows a successful first phase of properties in the area, delivered by Miller Homes in 2018 - is part of a £65m commitment from Story to invest across the city, which will see it build 450 homes in Sunderland, creating hundreds of jobs.  

Potter's Hill Scheme

The new Potters Hill scheme from Story Homes will include 3, 4 and 5-bedroom properties, and represents a £23m investment.  The privately-owned business - which has been designing and building high quality homes across the North of England and Southern Scotland for over 30 years - already has a number of live and completed sites across the wider North East area, but Potters Hill represents Story's first steps into Sunderland.

Allan Thompson, Managing Director for Story Homes in the North East, said: "We are very pleased to be submitting plans that will see us enter the market in Sunderland. Our homes at Potters Hill will bring a fantastic new offer to the area, and the benefits will be felt immediately.

"This development will not only improve choice across the local housing market but will also provide the much needed kickstart to the local economy that is required following the pandemic.

"We announced last year that we are committed to investing in this transforming city, so we're thrilled to be in a position to take this step forward at Potters Hill."

Delivery of 700 New Homes in Sunderland

The wider Potters Hill scheme will deliver more than 700 new homes, covering a 112-acre area.  It is being delivered in phases, with individually designed developments being completed one by one.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "I'm delighted that Story will follow from Miller [Homes] in developing stunning new homes that will appeal to a range of residents at Potters Hill. 

"We have a really compelling offer in the city - our fantastic connectivity, our stunning natural assets like the seaside, parkland and cultural offer - so we know that we are an attractive place to live.  High-quality homes of different sizes and styles are critical to attracting diverse communities to our city. Story's application to develop a scheme at Potters Hill is an exciting step forward."

The Potters Hill scheme protects the woodland areas that surround the development and has been influenced by the existing landscape and natural features of the site.  Across the whole Potters Hill site, when it is fully developed, there will be 13.5 hectares of natural green space - the equivalent in area to over 18.2 full size football pitches. 

One of Many New Housing Projects in Sunderland

Potters Hill is one of a number of new housing schemes planned or underway in Sunderland, that will see more than 7,000 new properties rise from the ground over the coming 10 years. It was Sunderland City Council's ambitious plans for the city - which will create exciting new places to live, work and play - that captured the attention of Story Homes, leading to the housebuilder's decision to invest in the city.

Speaking when the company announced plans to invest in Sunderland, Fred Story said: "Story Homes commends Sunderland City Council for the work they are doing in promoting and improving the city and their actions have been a major factor in our decision to strongly invest in the city. The council has been very proactive in helping us to bring forward our plans and we are very much looking forward to getting started once planning approvals are secured."

The council is leading a city-wide housing strategy to ensure Sunderland has the volume and variety of homes it needs to attract and retain a diverse range of residents. Among other planned housing developments across the city are a new coastal community planned for Seaburn; a £40m scheme delivered by Karbon Homes in North Hylton and a £400m+ plan by Gentoo to invest in its existing stock, as well as new schemes. Sunderland City Council has also revealed its ambitions to develop contemporary new city centre homes on the Riverside Sunderland site, and at Northern Spire Park alongside the stunning Northern Spire bridge.