Leading regional contractor Tolent is set to start construction of a £40m residential housing scheme which is set to transform Sunderland’s riverside.
Sunderland City Council has signed a deal that will see Gateshead-based Tolent build 135 modern homes that will form the new Vaux neighbourhood at Riverside Sunderland, the first of 1,000 homes planned for the area as part of plans to double the number of people living in the city centre.
The multimillion-pound project will see Tolent build the sustainable houses using modern methods of construction, renewable energy and smart technology, to reduce the carbon footprint of the development. The homes will stand alongside The Beam and City Hall as one of four new communities to take shape at Riverside, and work is expected to start within weeks.
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The Vaux neighbourhood will also be the site of the Expo Sunderland event in 2024 which will showcase the new homes. The scheme will include a cluster of houses selected as the best in the national Homes of 2030 Design Competition, which explored how homes will look and function in the future.
Coun Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have taken this final step to get work started on our flagship residential scheme at Riverside Sunderland. The housing developments on Riverside Sunderland will be world-class, and Tolent is an ideal partner to deliver them, based locally and capable of building these aspirational homes.
“We’re innovating with this scheme, using modern methods of construction, renewable energy and smart technology that align to our low carbon and smart city ambitions, and that will also allow the next generation to learn how to build the homes of the future, as we also push ahead with the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA), an important part of the housing ecosystem we’re trying to create in Sunderland.”
Tolent has also pledged commitments to work with local people and support the local supply chain, as well as voluntary and community organisations across Sunderland.
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Paul Webster, chief executive officer of Tolent, said: “Vaux neighbourhood is an amazing project that showcases the strides being taken in Sunderland to modernise the city centre. The world-class houses being built will provide a community fit for the future and an archetype for sustainable housing.
“As a truly local business, we are proud to be involved in the project and to showcase our ability to meet and exceed the capabilities of national contractors on a local level. The project will complement a number of local landmarks that we have constructed including The Beam, Beacon of Light and Echo Building. We have been working closely with the entire team since being appointed preferred bidder back in September and we can’t wait to get started.”
The first tranche of homes will be completed by the end of 2023. The housing is part of a masterplan for Riverside Sunderland that will also include residential, commercial and leisure developments which aim to double the residential population in the city centre and increase employment by 50%.