Homes England has confirmed a £27.7 million investment to support the Sheepfolds neighbourhood in Riverside Sunderland.
The government’s housing and regeneration agency said the funding will help transform the former industrial site into what is planned to be the largest residential neighbourhood within Riverside Sunderland, with more than 350 homes. The package complements £10 million already invested by the North East Mayor.
The announcement has been presented as part of wider partnership working between Homes England, Sunderland City Council and the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority. The organisations recently announced a delivery partnership intended to accelerate growth and house building across the North East.
That partnership includes a joint Major Projects Delivery Unit, bringing together expertise and resources from the mayoral authority, Homes England and local authority partners. Homes England said the unit is intended to unlock complex sites, support major developments and advance regional growth ambitions.
Tom Bridges, Homes England’s executive regional director for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, said in the announcement that the funding would enable the next phase of Riverside Sunderland and unlock new homes on brownfield land in the heart of the city.
Sunderland City Council leader Chris Eynon said the Homes England funding would support infrastructure and public realm works, accelerate housing delivery, improve connectivity and help integrate the neighbourhood with the city centre and surrounding communities. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness linked the investment to plans for 15,000 new social and affordable homes across the region over the next decade.