Member Article

Sunderland regeneration partnership chooses high profile base at heart of the city

Siglion, the joint venture company leading the £100 million-plus transformation of sites in Sunderland, is to move into new offices at the heart of the city.

Siglion will be headquartered in the Echo 24 building, close to the former Vaux Brewery site, which will be one of the first locations to be developed as part of the ambitious eight-year project.

The Sunderland City Council and Carillion joint venture company, for which Igloo Regeneration is providing development, asset and fund management, will be developing five major sites including Seaburn and Chapelgarth in partnership with the private sector and the local community.

Knight Frank, which is working with Siglion to manage its investment portfolio of Sunderland assets, was chosen to identify a suitable site for the organisation’s headquarters.

The offices are currently being fitted out ready for Siglion staff to move into during March by Knight Frank’s Puneet Vedhera, working with Washington-based contractor AMH.

The first project to be managed from the new offices will be setting the groundwork and infrastructure in place for the redevelopment of the former Vaux site.

Siglion will work with the private sector to attract regeneration investment and carry out full consultations with people living and working in the areas earmarked to benefit from the improvements.

Siglion is carrying out the largest redevelopment programme ever put in place in the city, designed to help create jobs and support the local economy over the long term.

Siglion chief executive John Seager said: “It’s a fantastic modern build in a prominent location and is very visible and easily accessible for people from Sunderland to come in and meet us.

“We want the office to be a hub of activity where we can engage with the business community and residents in a very open and visible place, not hidden away in the depths of a building.

“The new offices reflect the type of location that we want to create for other businesses in the city centre.”

Partner in charge at Knight Frank, Tim Evans, said: “We carried out a six-week search and shortlisted a number of properties.

“Echo 24 was the best option as this is an iconic location close to Wearmouth Bridge and just two minutes from the heart of the city. It’s a natural location for Siglion to be based.”

Sunderland City Council leader, Coun Paul Watson said: “The Echo 24 building is an ideal base for Siglion, with offices in a high-profile location that will help to cement within people’s minds Siglion’s presence in the city and what the partnership company is aiming to achieve.

“We’re looking forward to the spring when the team will move into the Echo 24 building and press ahead with our joint vision to transform Sunderland.”