The latest phases of a multi-million-pound residential development in Sunderland have been given the green light by Sunderland City Council.

Welcomed as another ‘great’ boost for local housing stock, the move sees house builder Miller Homes and Stonebridge Homes, supported by North East planning specialist Hedley Planning, secure approval for a mix of 249 properties as part of plans to build 750 new homes at Chapelgarth.

Phase 4 will see a mix of 165 two, three and four bedroomed properties, including 11 affordable homes, built on a 7.4-hectare (ha) plot of land, while Phase 5 will feature a mix of 84 four and five bedroomed executive style houses, constructed on a 3.1ha site.

These developments, which will encompass new road access, green landscaping, tree planting, public spaces, children’s play areas along with new walking and cycling routes, are being seen by the local council and planning experts as a much-needed boost for local housing stock.

Onsite construction work is expected to start early 2024, with the first release of homes likely to be available in late 2024.

The Chapelgarth development is part of wider council plans to deliver more than 4,000 new homes at various locations across the city. The move comes amid expectations that the South Sunderland growth area is expected to meet the demand for around one-in-five of the new homes needed in the coming years.

According calculations by the trade association Home Builders Federation, more than 500 jobs could be created in the construction and supply chain among other sectors in the wake of a housing initiative that will provide a significant economic uplift to the area, eventually pumping hundreds of thousands of pounds annually into the local economy as people start to move in.

Hedley Planning’s senior planner, Alex Franklin, said that the new properties will be a welcome addition to regional housing needs, contributing ‘significantly’ to meeting the strong demand for quality homes across Wearside.

“This is clearly good news for people desperate for larger, high-quality housing at affordable prices,” he said. “We have worked with Miller Homes, Stonebridge Homes and the planning authority to secure approval for a development that meets local needs, with a mix of property types and sizes to provide options for families in places where people want to live and build communities.”