Housing estate could be built in between Sunderland villages

Proposals suggest the development would be built off Philadelphia Lane on the outskirts of Sunderland

A large housing estate could be built on greenbelt land in between three villages if plans are approved.

Vestbrown Ltd has requested outline planning permission to build 215 homes on land between Philadelphia, Newbottle and New Herrington.

It would meet Sunderland's housing needs in a "logical location", the housing developer said.

The city council would need to approve the initial plans before considering a full planning application.

'Sensitive to nature'

The proposal suggested agricultural land east of Philadelphia Lane would be repurposed into a mix of three and four bedroom homes.

It would act as an "extension" to the existing industrial and residential Philadelphia Complex, Vestbrown said.

The firm said: "The proposal aims to deliver a development that will result in significant benefits to the area, providing high-quality housing to suit local requirements, while remaining sensitive to the nearby natural context of the Green Belt."

About 15% of the homes would be expected to be designated as affordable housing, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Objections

The developer also said more than 660 jobs and several apprentice roles would be created during its construction, and 2.6 hectares (13 acres) of publicly-accessible green space would be created.

A consultation, which involved the distribution of 1,500 leaflets over a three-week period, only received 21 responses, Vestbrown said.

But the majority of those responses did not support the proposals, citing the loss of green belt land and impact on the existing infrastructure surrounding the site.

Vestbrown said those comments had all been "carefully considered" and had helped "finalise the proposed development" where possible.

Sunderland City Council is expected to decide on the plans by 21 November.