Specialist college's city campus plan withdrawn

The college provider hoped to convert an empty office block at Doxford International Business Park

Plans for a new college have been withdrawn by applicants, following policy concerns raised by council planning officers.

UK Management College (UKMC) submitted proposals earlier this year for the site at Doxford International Business Park in Sunderland.

An empty office block would have been converted to offer courses in health and social care and fashion design.

Sunderland City Council said the site was in a "primary employment area" and the plans did not "justify the loss of employment land".

The Labour-led council's planning policy team said the land was safeguarded for certain business uses such as offices, general industrial, and storage and distribution "which are considered essential to the long-term success of Sunderland".

It asked the applicants to provide a justification for an exception, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

College provider UKMC said the development would deliver stability as it was for long-term use, while providing "immediate educational provision for over 1,500 students and 40-60 staff".

The local authority's response was posted on its planning portal website earlier this month and said the "comments previously provided still stand".

The report said plans were not of "sufficient scale or merit to meet the exceptional thresholds".

It added the "supporting statement does not indicate the uniqueness of the proposed development or how it differentiates in any substantive way to any other college activity".

The planning application was officially withdrawn by the applicant on 14 November.

Any further attempt to convert 1 Grayling Court into a college would require a fresh application.