New road link and upgrades in Sunderland get the go ahead

Works for a dual-carriageway and upgraded route into Sunderland city centre are moving forward with a new planning approval.

Sunderland City Council’s application for the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor Phase (SSTC 3) was lodged earlier this year. The city's Planning and Highways Committee has now backed the application (Tuesday 24 October).

Initial preparation and ground works could now start in the next six months before major works in 2019 and 2020.

The SSTC 3 is the next stage in providing a continuous dual carriageway between the A19, the city centre and the Port of Sunderland. The route would also help open up more development sites and opportunities on the River Wear's south bank.

It is planned from the southern bridgehead of the New Wear Crossing through Pallion, Deptford and linking into St Mary's Boulevard next to the Vaux site.

Councillor Mel Speding, the City Council's Cabinet Secretary, said: "This council is committed to improving our city's infrastructure and transport networks. By making improvements and investments to our city's highways we attract investment, growth and create new jobs.

"Following consultation in 2016, the council began the planning application process and further public scrutiny of the plans.

"With this backing from the city's Planning and Highways Committee, the council is now looking to the next steps of the project, which includes a work programme and starting preliminary construction works.

"This is an important scheme for the city and this route can bring many traffic and regeneration benefits."

The SSTC3 route starts at its west end from the approach to the New Wear Crossing, taking traffic from there around the Pallion Shipyard site and under the end span of the Queen Alexandra Bridge.

It follows the line of the existing Deptford Terrace alongside the Ropery before heading across Simpson Street to junctions with Beach Street and Trimdon Street West.

Eastwards from there the new dual-carriageway would overlay the existing Trimdon Street to modified roundabouts at Hylton Road and St Mary’s Boulevard.

First outlined and agreed as City Council policy more than ten years ago, the SSTC was divided into five phases to ease funding requirements, planning processes, and minimise disruption during major construction works.

Cllr Speding added: "The entire SSTC project has always been about improving links from the A19 into the city centre to the Port of Sunderland, and opening up more land for investment and regeneration. Now, with this planning approval and permission, we can move onto another phase and look to another milestone in this major project."

Initial works for the Phase 3 link road are being programmed to begin in the next six months.

The entire programme of works includes:

•A new western entrance into the Pallion Shipyard site

•A sweeping curve around the South of the site between retaining walls

•Crossing under the end span of the Queen Alexandra Bridge

•Overlaying the existing Deptford Terrace alignment above the Ropery

•New junctions in the Simpson Street Area to Pallion New Road and Beach Street

•A widening of the existing Trimdon Street corridor between its retail and residential areas

•Improvements to Hylton Road and St Mary's roundabouts

•Shared use footpath/cycle paths throughout

•Rework of existing streetscapes at Alliance Place and Carol Street

•Landscaping throughout the scheme and relocation of the West Gate of the former Doxford Engine Works.

Councillor Michael Mordey, the City Council's Portfolio Holder for City Services, added: "The City Council is very aware of our shipbuilding and industrial heritage and how proud people are of it.

"In our award winning Keel Square we’ve commemorated this heritage, the Vaux Site development is also commemorating shipping memories with The Launch.

"Discussions with the Doxford Engine Friends Association about the Doxford West Gateway have been on-going since 2015.

"As part of the SSTC works there are plans for restoring and re-locating its arches and gates alongside the new route as public art and a memorial to our shipbuilding heritage.

"The old foundation stone of the Crown Works has also been recovered and will be restored close to its original location."

More information is at: http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/sstc