Washington Old School turned into housing for vulnerable adults

The old school, which was built in 1893, has been redeveloped into 15 flats

An abandoned school dubbed a "blight on the community" has been turned into housing for vulnerable adults.

Washington Old School, which has stood empty for 20 years, has been restored and extended as part of the year-long overhaul to create 15 specialist flats.

Originally known as Biddick School, it was built in 1893 but closed 100 years later before falling into disrepair.

Sunderland City Council said residents were expected to start moving into the site, in Albert Place, during August.

The local authority became a social registered landlord again in 2019.

It said housing will be allocated by its adult social care team, which will identify those "whose needs can be best met" by the homes in the property, including the elderly and those at risk of homelessness.

The school closed in 1993 and had fallen into a state of disrepair

The building, which temporarily housed the Washington Church of Christ after 1993, was developed in 2021 to boost numbers of homes for older people and those with disabilities.

It has been significantly modified and will use renewable energy, including solar power and air source heat pumps.

"It's brilliant to see a building that had fallen into disuse and was a blight on the community now back to its best and ready to welcome new residents," said Labour councillor Kevin Johnston, who sits on council's cabinet.

"So often, empty properties like this become a magnet for problems, so to be able to proactively tackle this one, and create much-needed new housing in the process, is just brilliant."

The specialist housing has been developed by contractor Brims

The 15 apartments are designed for medium to long-term accommodation and to provide what the council has described as "a vital sense of ownership" for the residents.

It also includes overnight accommodation for support staff, and can also be adapted to house older and vulnerable residents on a more permanent basis.

It is not the first former Victorian school in the city to be turned into modern-day accommodation.

In 2022 work was completed on the Grade II-listed Simpson Street School, Deptford, which was built in 1867 and has been repurposed into office space and eight loft apartments.

The council also confirmed it is committed to building 135 "ultra modern" homes on the former Vaux brewery site, despite the collapse of contractor Tolent in February.