More buildings earmarked for demolition on estate

Properties on Stobart Street are among those set to be demolished

Plans to demolish more buildings in an industrial estate earmarked for regeneration have been given the green light.

Sunderland City Council approved two applications to demolish the properties within Sheepfolds Industrial Estate.

The area is being redeveloped as part of the council's Riverside Sunderland project, which aims to transform both sides of the river.

Work to bulldoze the buildings is set to begin in mid-September and run until the end of October.

The latest planning applications submitted by the council are part of phase three of the demolition work, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The first application includes buildings on both sides of Stobart Street, at the northern tip of the industrial estate.

The buildings are commercial units previously used by Fred Reed, Stadium Motors Limited, Slayco Ltd, Glaziers and Thirkells.

The second application relates to a cluster of commercial properties at the southern end of the estate, near St Peter's Metro Station.

All six buildings are located on Hay Street and contain a total of 12 units.

They will be "demolished down to slab level only, with any voids within the site backfilled and compacted", the applications said.

Businesses to relocate

Plans to bulldoze old factory and industrial units at the site have aleady been approved in recent months.

The council previously said it was supporting businesses operating in the properties to relocate.

Once completed, Sheepfolds will be connected to the former Vaux site via a new footbridge over the River Wear.

Work to build the footbridge is currently underway and the first two sections were recently lifted into place.

The area is set to get a new housing estate and restaurants, the council said.