Gentoo submits plans for new £74m housing scheme in Sunderland

Gentoo Homes has submitted plans for phase one of a flagship housing development in Sunderland for 500 new homes.

The masterplan for the proposed development, which is to be called ‘Chester Gate’, features 500 new homes available to both buy and rent and will be worth around £74m in total.

The Chester Gate development will be ‘unlocked’ by the construction of a new access from Chester Road, which will be part of Sunderland City Council’s £2m highway improvement work as part of the Chester Gate scheme.

Proposed plans for Chester Gate include a range of new and contemporary housing, with two, three and four bedroomed properties available.

Keith Loraine OBE, Gentoo Group’s chair, said: “We are hugely excited about the prospect of the new Chester Gate development and are immensely proud to play a key role in Sunderland’s ongoing transformation in to a modern and prosperous 21st century city.

“Our plans to redevelop the site represent a huge investment for Gentoo and this once again demonstrates our commitment to providing much needed new housing in Sunderland.”

Gentoo has submitted planning permission to build the first phase of the project, worth £17.7m, which features 118 new homes available to buy.

The site holds a prominent position on Chester Road at one of the main gateways into the city from the A19 and improvement works to Chester Road will be carried out later this year, subject to planning approval.

Gentoo Homes is aiming to begin construction work on the site at the beginning of 2019.

Redevelopment of the vacant land is hugely important for the continued regeneration and transformation of Sunderland’s housing offer, diversifying the type of housing on offer to both existing residents and people looking to move into the city.

Cllr Graeme Miller, Sunderland City Council’s cabinet member of health, housing and adult services, added: “The council is delighted to be supporting Gentoo Homes on the new Chester Gate development.

“The council is keen to see more housing of all kinds developed in our city. Using Government guidelines and data, it is estimated that Sunderland requires nearly 14,000 more new homes over the next 15 years to help deal with the expected population growth.

“The council is always looking at options and ideas to work with developers and other partners in the city to enable housing growth.”