Decision date on plans for apartments in former Washington office block

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee are set to discuss an application for the Derwent House building near The Galleries shopping centre.

Back in 2023, plans were approved for the conversion of the building’s ground, first and second floors into residential accommodation.

This included a total of 24 apartments across three floors, with a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom dwellings.

Fresh plans from the same applicant JT Consultancy Limited, submitted later the same year, aimed to redevelop the remainder of the building, as well as adding another floor, to create more apartments.

Applicants proposed converting the building’s third and fourth floors into 16 apartments and constructing a new fifth floor, or sixth storey, to provide an extra eight apartments.

According to council documents, the ground floor would “provide access to the internal core which would service all residential apartments on all levels”.

A design and access statement submitted to council officials last year said the building had been vacant for an “extended period of time” and that the apartments scheme would have several benefits.

This included “utilising the full potential of the site and refurbishing the existing building exterior creating an overall benefit to the area”.

It is understood that a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments will be provided under new plans for Derwent House.

Those behind the scheme said the development would provide “much needed additional housing required within Sunderland and Washington” and “efficient, affordable housing for occupants close to areas of employment and leisure”.

Applicants added the scheme’s design would “soften” the building’s “large ‘blocky’ silhouette” while reducing its “apparent mass with a new exterior finish which ‘lightens’ the current feel of the structure reducing the perceived height”.

Existing parking at the site would also be retained, along with a new store for cycle parking to the western part of the site.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department, in a report prepared ahead of a decision-making Planning and Highways Committee on July 1, has recommended the scheme for approval.

The committee report stated the plan would “contribute to providing new homes and creating sustainable communities, which are supported by adequate existing infrastructure”.

The council report also noted that the proposed development would “maximise the use of an existing vacant office building with minimal structural changes, whilst improving the aesthetic to reflect the proposed change of use”.

Despite the applicant’s failure to provide affordable housing or financial contributions towards “alternative open space provision”, “equipped children’s play” and allotments, as part of a section 106 legal process, council planners said that, on balance, the scheme was still acceptable.

The committee report adds: “The proposed development would not provide the required single affordable dwelling and the financial contributions.

“However, based on details submitted (albeit with only a summary of costs) the proposed development would appear to be unviable.

“In any case, the proposed development would comprise the conversion of an existing office building to residential accommodation including the construction of a new sixth storey.

“It would bring back to life an existing vacant building that already has permission for the ground, first and second storeys to be converted to residential accommodation (under the permitted development prior approval legal mechanism).

“The most appropriate / compatible use for the remaining floors of the building would therefore also be residential.

“On this basis it is considered that, in the planning balance, the proposal would be acceptable form of development even if the single affordable housing unit and financial contributions are not delivered / provided”.

Council planners also said the development’s design was acceptable and that there would be “no unacceptable impacts on the skyline and the surrounding area”.

The final decision on the planning application rests with councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee, who will next meet on July 1, 2024.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at City Hall at 5.30pm and will be open to the public.

For more information on the planning application, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/00950/FUL