Plans for new link road in Sunderland approved by councillors - despite concerns
There's concerns over plans for a new link road through Sunderland city centre - which have been given the go ahead by councillors.
There's concerns over plans for a new link road through Sunderland city centre - which have been given the go ahead by councillors.
Sunderland City Council recently submitted an application to its own planning department for a road linking the west end of Blandford Street, Brougham Street and Maritime Terrace.
The proposed road would be created through the site of the former Peacocks retail store, which was destroyed by a fire in 2019, facilitating a gyratory traffic scheme and bus priority route.
This includes a one-way clockwise gyratory system turning traffic from Holmeside onto Maritime Terrace and using the new road link, through to Brougham Street and Waterloo Place.
The plans aim to improve public transport infrastructure and connectivity in the area near Sunderland’s central railway station while also improving links to taxi ranks and a proposed multi-storey car park on Holmeside
While noting the regeneration benefits of the scheme, some councillors raised concerns about the plans introducing a busy traffic route across a pedestrianised area.
Councillor Gregory Peacock suggested the scheme could “isolate” retail units on Blandford Street by “encircling them” with a one-way traffic system.
He told the meeting: “I understand the one-way system and how that’s going to benefit motor vehicle users, it’s the pedestrians I’m concerned about.
“You’re effectively making Blandford Street into an island, where it’s a pedestrianised zone at the moment.”
The planning application falls against a backdrop of regeneration plans for the Holmeside area, which includes the multi-million pound redevelopment of Sunderland’s Central Station.
Council planning officers acknowledged Blandford Street, like other city centre streets, had been impacted by Covid-19 with a number of closed units on the shopping terrace.
However they confirmed that this issue was not a material planning consideration as part of the application for the new road link.
Under planning conditions, work on the new road link must take place within three years.