New Hetton community centre plan approved

The existing community centre was only ever meant to be a stopgap

Plans for a new community centre in Hetton have been approved.

Sunderland City Council said the centre would replace The Hut Community Hall on Moorsley Road.

The existing pre-fabricated centre was built in 2012 but was only ever meant as a "stopgap measure" while funds were raised for a permanent building, the council said.

The new centre would be larger and house meeting rooms, a hall and communal kitchen.

Plans were previously approved in 2019 but work did not begin with the three-year period as demanded by the planning regulations, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The council said the proposed building would benefit the local community while having "no significant adverse impact" on the appearance of the area or on nearby residents.