Fears over plans to knock down Sunderland pub for hostel

Sandra Rowell has lived on the Thorney Close estate for eight years

A council has been urged by locals to scrap plans to demolish a pub and build a homeless hostel in the centre of a housing estate.

Sunderland City Council is proposing to build 22 one-bedroom flats on the site of the former Thorney Close Inn.

But residents fear people with convictions, or sexual offences, may be housed in the complex, and claim they were not properly consulted.

The council said it "ensures we house people in appropriate accommodation".

Proposals show the site would cater for "vulnerable people" including those leaving care, hospital or sleeping rough for up to three months.

Built over three separate buildings, it would include a reception area, communal areas for tenants, 24-hour staffing and be monitored by CCTV.

The former Thorney Close Inn could be demolished under the city council's proposals

It suggests all tenants, including those with previous convictions, would be "full risk assessed" before being temporarily rehomed there.

However, Thorney Close estate residents said, while homeless individuals should be supported, the area is "unsuitable" and there is "nothing left" for the community, including families.

"There's nowhere for the young of the estate to go, they hang around street corners, hang around shops - it's not right," said Sandra Rowell.

"A community centre could be used to benefit the young of the estate... there's nothing here for people of school age or teenagers."

The 71-year-old, who has lived on the estate for eight years, said "everybody had shared concerns" and believed it was too close to a park, nursery and schools.

Although plans are yet to be formally submitted, the proposal came "out of the blue" and without any consultation, according to the area's councillor.

Paul Edgeworth, who represents the Sandhill ward, said the council told just a third of the estate, while giving them a week and a half to give comments.

Paul Edgeworth, councillor for Thorney Close, said he was against the plans

The Liberal Democrat councillor, who said his team had since delivered leaflets to the rest of the area, said: "It wasn't long enough.

"The council announced these proposals but haven't had the decency to talk to the local community about what they'd like to see on this site.

"It was once the beating heart of the community and to have that ripped out without the community being consulted is the big concern for us."

An online petition against the plans has since attracted more than 1,300 signatures, with some urging the council to find an alternative area.

Mr Edgeworth added: "Sunderland is not short of brownfield land, I would rather that it was on brownfield rather than taking away this community space."

The former pub, which served as a working men's club for several decades, was the last facility on the estate to close, according to another resident.

Tracey Metters said: "We had two pubs and a club, but over the years everything has gone.

"I fully agree that homeless people should have somewhere to live, they should be off the street, but they shouldn't be put somewhere on a temporary basis, they should be somewhere they can settle and be part of the community.

"How would they be part of the community?"

'Appropriate accommodation'

Sunderland City Council said it had agreed a "homeless reduction and sleeping rough strategy" and wanted "to help and support residents who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless".

It said it included developments in "well-established residential communities" where they can "embed and move forward with their lives as they take steps towards independent living".

It said that it had carried out an informal pre-planning consultation ahead of formal plans being submitted, when a formal consultation with a "longer deadline" would take place.

A spokesperson said: "Though not something the council is obligated to do, we are keen, as a listening council, to engage with our communities.

"We are exploring several new projects and the development of a supported housing scheme in Thorney Close is one of those identified.

"With housing of this type, we work with specialist partners to deliver the right assistance to our residents, ensuring we house people in appropriate accommodation, in the right setting, to give them the best chance of moving forward with their life positively."