Sunderland arc earmarked Farringdon Row for development as part of a plan to bring quality housing and job opportunities to the city. The site is also seen as key to integrating the River Wear with the city.
The current master plan for the Farringdon Row has evolved following extensive public consultation and includes 450 residential units and approximately 6,500m² of business space.
Plans for Phase One of the scheme, which include new homes, a 124-bed hotel and 6,500m² of office space, were approved in February 2008.
The arc undertook an intensive marketing, selection and short-listing process, which considered among other things the quality of design, cost and compatibility of the scheme suggested by the developer.
The arc attracted interest from a considerable number of well-known development companies with a proven track record in developing schemes of the scale and quality we were looking for.
CTP Ltd met the arc’s strict criteria and provided a scheme which was felt to embrace the arc’s principles and outlook for the future of Sunderland.
It is anticipated that work will commence on site in 2008. The marketing has been prepared for Phase Two (a residential led scheme) and is due to be brought to the market in the summer of 2008.
In order to facilitate a development of this scale a number of studies and surveys have been undertaken.
The arc has carried out considerable background work in order to establish developer confidence. This work has involved issues such as environmental surveys, ground condition and contamination investigations, traffic impact assessments and bat surveys.
The arc also secured an outline planning application for the first phase of the development and collaborated with the Council in drawing up the Local Development Framework for Farringdon Row, which provides planning guidance on appropriate forms of development.
The arc has also negotiated, with CTP Ltd, a comprehensive Development Agreement, which controls the form of development as will the detailed planning permission once obtained.