Our planning application for phase one of a flagship housing development in Sunderland on behalf of Gentoo Homes was submitted in February 2018.

The £74m Chester Gate housing scheme in Sunderland features 500 new homes available to both buy and rent and will be ‘unlocked’ by the construction of a new access from Chester Road, which will be part of Sunderland City Council’s £2m highway improvement work as part of the scheme.

The site holds a prominent position on Chester Road at one of the main gateways into the city from the A19 and improvement works to Chester Road will be carried out later this year, subject to planning approval, with construction work likely to begin on site at the beginning of 2019. Redevelopment of the vacant land is hugely important for the continued regeneration and transformation of Sunderland’s housing offer, diversifying the type of housing on offer to both existing residents and people looking to move into the city.

This initial application is for the first phase of the project, worth £17.7m, which features 118 new and contemporary three and four bedroom homes available to buy.

JDDK Director, Nicky Watson, commented, “The proposed development on this prominent sloping site is an opportunity to generate a new image for the area and create a high quality “gateway” into the city. At key locations contemporary and well balanced elevations have been designed to create a modern, vibrant and active frontage. Top floor feature openings are designed facing south to take advantage of the views.”

“The rest of the scheme will feature a number of different designs of two, three and four bedroom house types using a similar mixed palette of materials and detailing and is planned to maximise south facing views from the high parts of the site. Working alongside Cundall and Southern Green we have developed proposals that will create high quality and accessible landscaped public spaces and streetscapes that enhance the ecological value of the site and take full advantage of the uniqueness of character that the incorporation of over ground water retention basins and the changes in levels of the site bring to the development.”