If you could change one or more things about the city centre



Gronkowski said:
2 on wessington way, tesco & the galleries. Only one which had town centre offerings is the galleries but most of them have shut now too
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Pallion has one, although not particularly retail parks there’s at least three out of town supermarkets.
Put that together with even eateries the demand to venture into the centre has fallen dramatically over 30 years or so.
 
Goat Eyes said:
I don’t think a commercially focussed business should have any strategic input into the future of the city beyond a consultation which they’d do with all businesses. Just my opinion.
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My opinion is there should be more collaboration between the council and private businesses.
More attraction of inward investment, more jobs and commerce for the city centre
 
if you could go back you’d build doxford park / wessington way business park in the city centre.

Personally think the housing towers are ok (loads of shopping centres looking to build them now) they just stand out as there is limited high rise development in the city centre. They provide a good amenity for people who aren’t socially or physically mobile with being in the city centre.

I’d like to see significantly more high rise residential development if it was viable. This along with offices would hopefully make leisure uses more viable and sustainable.

Alternatively it would have been nice if some of the Vaux and Coal/shipbuilding industrial buildings had been retained.
 
Train station is terrible but that’s getting sorted. Quicker the Civic is pulled down and those homes built the better. Not saying housing is best use for it but it’s been decided and the Civic is horrific.
 
Ambivalent Squirrel said:
tell that to the people that have bought flats in there. They'll be thrilled :lol:

there's 3 blocks in central Sunderland. Its a lot of homes to demolish.
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Fair point, and well located for the residents no doubt.

They just have a bit of a bleak ‘Coventry’ look to them, whereas much of the rest of the centre seems to be gradually being tarted up.
 
I’d have a revolving town centre with literal pop-up shops springing out of the ground randomly (you’d never know if the shop you wanted would be there), bubble machines constantly blowing out bubbles all over the place, and the theme to the Magic Roundabout being played constantly.

Probably also see if something could be done to help businesses with rates. They seem a bit of a killer.
 
Some of the brutal 60’s architecture is beyond repair or redesign unfortunately. I think they are doing a good job atm gradually making improvements where they can be made. Some very good independent businesses popping up. The plans for sheepfolds look great too. It’s getting better slowly but surely.
 
Pass a bylaw that all empty shops pass to council control and are rented for £100 a month to encourage local businesses to move in.
Free parking in the city centre to drive footfall in the place.
Cover over the market square and make it a night time Bridges place with cafes, restaurants, bars and a music venue.
Cover over Blanford Street and turn it into a Freemont Vegas type place.
Extend the Metro down to Ryhope and down the coast.
Sync all the buses with Metros so that they all arrive at the same time.
 

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