Apartments plan withdrawn for Philadelphia Miner’s Welfare Institute and Hall

Back in March, 2022, Sunderland City Council’s planning department validated an application for Enterprise House at Herrington Burn on the border of the Copt Hill and Shiney Row wards.

The building was known as Philadelphia Miner’s Welfare Institute and Hall but in recent years, has been used as offices.

New plans from applicant JJ Property Lettings aimed to transform the site into 10 apartments over two floors, with a mix of four two-bedroom apartments and six one-bedroom apartments.

In addition, the plans included the formation of a new vehicular access connecting to the A182.

A design and access statement previously claimed the new apartments would bring a “dilapidated building back into use” and create “much-needed quality and affordable accommodation” in the area.

During consultation on the plans however, concerns were raised by council officers over a number of matters.

A letter sent to the applicant’s agent in May, 2022, and published on Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal, advised that the application was a ‘major development’ and would have to be decided by city councillors.

This included a decision being made at a meeting of the council’s Planning and Highways Committee, rather than via ‘delegated powers’ available to planning officers.

The letter from the city council said there were concerns that some of the proposed apartments would provide potential occupiers with “limited outlook”.

As a result, it was advised that the number of apartments may need to be reduced to meet the requirements of planning policy.

Council planning officers added assessments around noise and ecology and further information around highway safety were needed before the plans could be decided.

It was also noted there had been two previous refusals of planning permission for the creation of new accesses at the site on the grounds of highway safety.

The council letter concluded: “Given the range of detailed matters that require further consideration, I would advise that the application should be withdrawn and re-submitted once the additional / amended information has been prepared.”

An email from the applicant’s agent, responding to the council in June, 2022, confirmed that the planning application would be withdrawn.

For more information on the planning application, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 22/00228/FUL