Application for permanent Sunderland seafront space submitted

Plans to make STACK Seaburn a permanent feature of Sunderland’s seafront leisure offer have been submitted to council development bosses.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for the shipping container leisure development off Whitburn Road.

The leisure venue, on the former Seaburn Centre site, was first given the green light back in 2019 with the aim of housing a range of food and drink offers, as well as a central events space.

Despite a delayed start due to Covid-19, the venue has since become a popular attraction and a key part of the area’s tourism offer and evening economy.

The venue aimed to imitate the attraction of the same name on Pilgrim Street in Newcastle, which later closed at its original site after four years.

In Sunderland, leisure bosses hope to make STACK Seaburn a permanent fixture along with a vision to expand the shipping container development further in ‘phase two’ of the scheme.

The phase two uses, which were proposed under the original planning permission in 2019, ranged from retail, food and drink to events, play spaces and a ‘bridal suite’.

When STACK Seaburn was originally approved by Sunderland City Council’s then-development control sub-committee for the area, the venue was only granted temporary planning permission.

With this temporary permission due to expire in 2027, Stack (Seaburn) Limited has now applied to the city council for the “permanent retention” of the development.

This includes the retention of “existing shipping containers to create a two-storey mixed-use development, associated external decking, stairs and lift, together with a future phase two”.

A planning, design and access statement submitted to council officials states STACK Seaburn has become a “well-established venue contributing to the vitality of the area” since its opening in 2020.

It was also noted that the second phase of the scheme at the rear of the venue would include a “leisure facility at ground floor level with internal access up to a function room”.

The proposed function room would be able to be “subdivided to create two separate spaces, with bi-fold glazed doors to external terraces overlooking the plaza below”.

The planning, design and access statement adds: “The development has been operational since 2020 and there have been no known technical issues in relation to ground contamination, transport, flooding, drainage, heritage or noise.

“STACK Seaburn has become a well-established destination venue and its retention will continue to benefit the leisure and tourism offer in the area.

“The development has activated a previously vacant site in a prominent location on the Seaburn seafront.

“The development will continue to contribute to the local economy providing full and part-time employment opportunities.

“The retention of STACK Seaburn on a permanent basis conforms with national and local policy objectives and contributes to the fulfilment of local policy objectives in relation to economic growth, leisure offer and regeneration of the area”.

Those behind the scheme intend to retain previously approved opening hours for STACK Seaburn and no changes are proposed to the layout of the containers.

It was also noted that the development would “retain approximately 90 staff” with “60 per cent employed on a part-time basis and 40 per cent full-time”.

A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Information on Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website lists a decision deadline of May 1, 2024.

For more information on the plan or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/00181/FU4

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