Member Article

Former Sunderland Joplings building to become hotel and retail site

Planning permission has been granted for design consultancy Barton Willmore to convert the former Sunderland Joplings department store into a 122 bedroom hotel and retail site.

Working on behalf of Sanguine Hospitality, Barton Willmore’s Newcastle office received the go ahead after Sunderland City Council approved the plans at a meeting on March 8, 2016.

The John Street property is a prominent building in Sunderland city centre which has remained vacant since Joplings closed in 2010. The building comprises a basement, ground floor, three upper floors and additional accommodation on the fourth/roof level.

Plans submitted are to the change of use of the first to third floors to a hotel made up of 122 rooms, with the ground floor remaining in retail use.

The first floor would comprise 38 rooms, with a further 39 and 45 rooms on floors two and three, respectively.

James Hall, Partner at Barton Willmore’s Newcastle office, said: “We’re delighted, it’s great to see this landmark site gain consent for re use after standing empty for so long.”

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