The Riverside Sunderland site is located in the heart of the city with the River Wear running through the site from West to East. The site currently houses a university campus as well as the main city centre to the south of the river. To the north, there are currently residential homes and a football stadium home to Sunderland AFC.

The masterplan aims to regenerate the area around the riverside providing both low rise and high rise residential developments as well as regenerating community spaces including the main high street, green and blue spaces. The regeneration will be used as an opportunity to build and retain talent within the city while designing around the principles of a circular and sharing economy to create opportunities for local people and supply chains.

Working with Architects Proctor Matthews, MawsonKerr and igloo, the developers, Useful Projects are creating a sustainability framework to set clear targets and goals for the project. As part of this, we have developed a strategy for the energy delivery, transport infrastructure, circular economy principles, and re-greening of the space. Useful Projects created a visual framework in line with Igloo’s key visions. Across these strategies cross-cutting social sustainability values are highlighted as an outcome of these interventions.

As well as creating an overarching sustainability framework, Useful Projects are advising on energy systems for the Vaux West site, which will become an exemplar site for the remainder of the masterplan to follow.

Find out more via Sunderland Future Living Expo 2023 including an inspiring video featuring George Clarke who is a huge advocate of the project.