Former Argos building to be demolished

Co-Operative House on Sunderland's High Street West is set to be knocked down

Plans to demolish a building on a city shopping street have been approved.

Sunderland City Council has agreed to plans to knock down Co-Operative House on High Street West to regenerate the area.

The building is split into three commercial units - two previously housed Mothercare and Argos, while the other is still used by the Keel Lounge cafe.

Councillor Martyn Herron said the buildings were an "eyesore" and it was time to "get them down and get something fit for purpose on the spot".

He added it was important to support the Keel Lounge and for independent businesses to be "part of the city centre offer".

The building lies within the Riverside Sunderland development area, which aims to transform both sides of the River Wear into a "focal point for civic, cultural and community life".

The council intends to improve the High Street with new office, residential and commercial buildings.

However, no formal planning application has been submitted, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Keel Lounge currently uses one of the units which is set to be knocked down

At a planning meeting, councillors raised concerns about how the site would look post-demolition, as well as the length of time it would sit empty ahead of redevelopment.

Councillor Michael Dixon referred to the length of time it took to develop the city's new Holiday Inn and the former Vaux brewery site.

He said it was important to keep the vacant High Street West site tidy and to progress regeneration plans as soon as possible.

But council planners said the site would be cleared of debris, levelled and backfilled to leave a "tidy" development platform.

The unit previously used by Argos will be knocked down first, according to documents submitted to the council earlier this year.

Keel Lounge is expected to remain open during the initial phase of the demolition, before relocating.