Plans for a new council housing development on Wearside supporting homeless people towards “secure independent living” are due to go before councillors for decision next week.
Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee will discuss and vote on an application for a property at 5 The Elms West in the St Michael’s ward in the Ashbrooke area.
A design, access and heritage statement said the planning application was being proposed to “meet demand within the city”, with five carer roles proposed.
Sunderland City Council, in a separate statement, confirmed the development aimed to provide a “safe, supportive environment” for homeless people as the local authority, “like many local authorities across the country […] faces an increase in homelessness”.
“As a council we are committed to providing not just a place to stay, but meaningful support that helps people grow in confidence with them moving on to secure, independent living,” the statement added.
The council said the application proposed “good quality, self-contained apartments designed to offer a safe, supportive environment where individuals can build stability and take positive steps toward a brighter future.”
The accomodation
When the application was originally submitted, it noted the supported accommodation would consist of nine bedrooms.
Council planning documents have since clarified that “one of the rooms would be required for staff office use for the purposes of providing support and administration”.
In addition, and during the planning process, one of the proposed bedrooms on the first floor was “deemed to be too small to provide a sufficient level of internal amenity for a prospective resident”.
On this basis, a revised floor plan was submitted “re-purposing the centrally positioned first floor bedroom as a communal room” and the final plan now proposes a “seven-bedroom scheme.”
Objections
During an initial round of council public consultation, there were five objections to the plans raising concerns about a range of issues, from traffic and highways impacts and parking pressures, to the “impact on the local community and harm to [the] character of the area”.
There were concerns about impact on property values, the development “marking a shift toward institutional or transient accommodation in an area already seeing increased HMO/bedsit activity nearby”, wider safeguarding issues, privacy impacts, and questions about the “operational aspects of the property and use” and how public concerns would be addressed in future.
Committee report
Council planning officers, in a report published ahead of a decision-making meeting next week, have recommended the supported accommodation plan for approval.
The development is described as “safe, stable housing for individuals experiencing homelessness” which “offers a vital stepping stone toward independent living” and a “dignified, supportive environment that fosters stability”.
It was noted that “residents may come from a variety of circumstances,
including those transitioning from temporary or unsuitable housing, young people leaving care, individuals recovering after hospital stays, and those who have been sleeping rough”.
Council planners, in the committee report, said that the proposed use is “supported by both national and local policy which seeks to ensure that there is a choice of suitable accommodation to meet specialist housing needs”.
It was noted that the development would “also support the council’s ability to perform its statutory duties in terms of addressing homelessness and rough sleeping in the city”.
The council committee report adds: “Further, the proposed change of use is considered to be acceptable in relation to the character and amenity of the locality and will provide prospective residents with an appropriate standard of accommodation.
“For the reasons set out above, a condition requesting that a management plan be prepared and submitted to the local planning authority for formal agreement will need to be imposed on any consent granted.
“The implications of the proposal in relation to parking and highway related matters are also considered to be acceptable, with a condition requiring the submission of secure cycle parking details to be imposed and details of staff parking arrangements (as part of the management plan) also required.”
A previous design, access and heritage statement submitted on behalf of the council noted the previous property owner used the property as a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
Applicants behind the new accommodation scheme added the property historically “attracted some antisocial behaviour” and was “generally neglected and poorly maintained” but has since been “refurbished.”
The site also sits within the Ashbrooke Conservation Area and the council as applicant noted the property is “not listed and there are no listed properties that would be affected by the proposal.”
A council committee report notes that the supported accommodation, if approved, would have “24/7 management and support services on site” which would “ensure that everyone residing there is supported, monitored, and managed appropriately”.
It was also noted that the council was “willing to provide a single point of contact if the scheme opens, whom the public can contact [with] any concerns.”
The meeting is scheduled to start at 5.30pm in the council chamber and will be open to the public.
For more information on the plan, or to track its progress, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 25/01466/LP3
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