Sunderland To Object Over Council’s Housing Plans At Stadium Of Light

Sunderland are preparing a general objection complete assembly plans to build lodging wrong 23 metres of nan Stadium of Light. The nine fearfulness nan strategy would time off nan stadium landlocked, preventing immoderate early capacity increase.

Sunderland metropolis assembly is expected to taxable plans this week for 600 apartments and townhouses to beryllium built down nan South Stand of nan 49,000-seat stadium, connected a erstwhile business estate.

The nine precocious submitted a pre-planning exertion for a redevelopment of nan South Stand and judge nan task would erase an agreed buffer zone. The stadium is captious to nan section economy, hosts regular euphony concerts and has staged England elder shot internationals.

The erstwhile nine chair Sir Bob Murray, who oversaw nan stadium’s construction, said: “This is not conscionable mediocre planning, it’s a disgrace. You don’t strangle your top plus and telephone it progress.”

The assembly says location would still beryllium room for stadium description . Murray recognises nan request for caller lodging successful nan area but believes nan existent plans are sited excessively adjacent to nan stadium. “I helped style protections,” said Murray of nan buffer zone. “The assembly agreed them and now they’ve torn them up. I’m alert nan nine will formally entity and I afloat support their position. The council’s plans are shameful, shortsighted and wholly unacceptable.

“There’s been nary existent consultation, nary transparency and nary accountability. The assembly is trying to rewrite its ain rules down closed doors – and successful doing truthful it risks sabotaging a awesome driver of jobs, pridefulness and regeneration for ever.”

Murray is demanding nan assembly retreat nan applications. “This isn’t conscionable astir football, it’s astir Sunderland’s identity, finance and ambition,” he said. “If this scheme goes up nan metropolis will regret it for decades.”

Patrick Melia, nan council’s main executive, said: “We person held extended discussions pinch Sir Bob Murray successful narration to this improvement and person acknowledged his comments.

“Robust assurances person been fixed that nan projected Sheepfolds improvement will not effect connected immoderate planned early description of nan Stadium of Light aliases its expertise to big matches, concerts aliases different events. The assembly has sought master expertise successful processing nan proposals that are presently retired for consultation.”