Plans to demolish historic ‘Bog Row Girls’ School’ in Hetton to make way for housing

Sunderland City Council’s planning department recently validated a planning application for the former ‘Bog Row Girls’ School’, which sits off The Quay in the Hetton ward.

The planning bid is seeking outline planning permission to redevelop the site for housing, with all matters such as appearance, scale, layout and landscaping reserved until a later date.

If approved, the outline application would establish the principle of seven semi-detached ‘family houses’ on the land along with associated car parking spaces.

Developers say that indicative site plans have been influenced by the “opportunities and constraints relating to the site”.

A design and access statement provided to council officials also confirms the former school building would be demolished to pave the way for the residential development.

According to a submitted planning statement, the costs of refurbishing the building “are not compatible with the marketability and type of housing need in the area”.

The planning statement adds: “The building has shown evidence of decay as shown by the structural report and the prolonged water ingress.

“It is considered that the desirability of maintaining this building is minimal and would require significant funding to allow it to be safely occupied.

“Therefore, it is considered not to be economically viable for reuse.

“As a historical asset, the non-designated building in its current state arguably [sic] does not provide positivity to the local distinctiveness and therefore there exists an opportunity to develop this site to enhance local character and support an identified housing need”.

A community use statement submitted to the city council states Bog Row Girls’ School was developed in 1894 and that the building’s most recent use was a day centre.

Despite a number of attempts to convert the building into a “renewedfunctioning education facility”, the statement adds, the building has “significant cost and marketability risk for this to be made safe”.

A decision on the housing application is expected to be made later this year, following a period of council consultation.

If successful, housing development would still be subject to a ‘reserved matters’ application setting out the final details of the proposals.

For more information on the outline housing plans, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 22/01722/OUT