Historic former Sunderland auction rooms and employment exchange to become apartments

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved plans for 50 Borough Road, which sits on the corner with Tatham Street in the city’s Hendon ward.

This includes planning permission for developers to change the use of the ground floor and convert the space into four apartments.

According to council planning documents, the building was originally used as “an auctioneer’s rooms and later, in the depression, as the employment exchange”.

Council planning officers said the building has “significant group value along with a number of other red brick buildings around this junction” and is classed as a “non-designated heritage asset”.

In recent years 50 Borough Road has been used as the Bella Marie Training Academy, which is planning to relocate to new premises at 35 Frederick Street in the city centre.

A previous bid to convert the building’s ground floor into four apartments was knocked back by council planning chiefs in November, 2022.

This followed concerns about the proposed apartments providing a “sub-standard level of accommodation and amenity”, as well as “inadequate provision” for bin storage and the development’s impact on the character and appearance of heritage assets.

Following the ruling, plans were resubmitted by applicant Sterling Property Assets Limited with an aim of addressing previous issues with the apartment scheme.

After considering the application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on June 13, 2023.

Under planning conditions the apartment plans must be brought forward within three years.

Bella Marie Training Academy has reassured clients it is aware of the planning decision and that its relocation will have “no disruption to services”.

A council decision report said: “Residential accommodation in this location has been found to be acceptable in principle.

“It has now been demonstrated that the development can provide adequate storage for cycles and refuse within the curtilage of the site and the proposal is now acceptable from a highway safety point of view.

“The external alterations are minor and will have minimal impact on the historic street scene.

“Whilst concerns regarding potential noise disturbance have been satisfactorily addressed, the quality of the accommodation to be provided is less than desirable in terms of outlook and privacy levels offered by the only windows to the apartments.

“However, it is recognised that within city centre locations historic street patterns are not always as spacious as residential estates”.

Council planners, in the report, added the apartment scheme would help provide the “prominent historic building” with a “sustainable future”.

For more information on the planning application and council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 23/00239/SUB