Holmeside Development Area | Sunderland | Various | U/C

104408 Views 463 Replies 47 Participants Last post by Fletch73, 28 d ago

horokeio

Discussion Starter · Jun 12, 2009 (Edited by Moderator)

Soaring 33 storeys high, this staggering structure could put Sunderland firmly on the map by giving it the North East's highest building.

The Spirit of Sunderland tower is the brainchild of developer Thornfield Properties, which wants to build the tower as part of its £147million plans for the regeneration of the Holmeside area of the city centre.

Shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, 150 apartments and other leisure facilities would be housed in the tower and covered square, and 1,800 jobs would be created.

If plans get the go-ahead, Spirit of Sunderland would be the tallest building north of the Beetham Tower, Manchester, and outstrip anything being built or planned in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

A cocktail bar is planned for the 24th floor, which the developer says will become an essential stop for anyone visiting the North East.

Spirit of Sunderland's architect, Page and Park, said Wearside had a number of tall buildings, and high-rise housing in the city was already popular. The tower blocks at Church Street and Dock Street in Roker, newly refurbished, are seen as some of the best successes in the country.

The plans are aimed at breathing new life into Holmeside. A series of acquisitions means three quarters of the three hectare site is owned by the arc's partners, English Partnerships and One NorthEast.

On a clear day, the upper floors of the tower will boast views south to the North Yorkshire Moors, west to the North Pennines, north to the Cheviots and eastwards out to sea.

LATER EDIT (ON 14 NOV 2010)

As agreed in 'Posts 90 to 107' of the "Forum Admin" thread, the following changes were made on 14th November 2010, to the TITLE of this thread . . .

As this area (the Holmeside Development Area) is still intended to be developed, even though the "Spirit of Sunderland" itself is no longer likely to ever happen, it is still an ongoing project, but needed to be re-named:

From . .

Spirit of Sunderland | Sunderland | 33fl | 328ft | Proposed

to . .

Holmeside Development Area | Sunderland | Various | Pre-planning

(NH - Moderator)

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sterock85

· #2 · Jun 12, 2009

Really hope we see this sooner rather than later.

There's 3 key areas in the City Centre:

Vaux
Holmside
Sunniside

The latter has been a success so far and was the easiest as the architecture was all in place. The other two areas are just standing there waiting for someone to give them the go ahead, This building here for me is the most exciting planned for the city, including the new bridge.

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horokeio

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 12, 2009

sterock85 said:
Really hope we see this sooner rather than later.

There's 3 key areas in the City Centre:

Vaux
Holmside
Sunniside

The latter has been a success so far and was the easiest as the architecture was all in place. The other two areas are just standing there waiting for someone to give them the go ahead, This building here for me is the most exciting planned for the city, including the new bridge.

I agree Ste. There's still a fair bit to do with Sunniside, but if Porterfield picks up and with the plume of new hotels planned, and if (big if) the southern end of the area around Camrex House can be cleaned up, the area will be great. Less said about Vaux the better, but I predict big strides forward if Tesco acquiesce to the council's persuasion a propos the Roker proposals, especially if the positive reports about the state of the economy prove to be true.

As for the Holmeside Triangle, if I read the proposals correctly, the tower will rise from the current site of the excellent Independent music venue and nightclub, so hopefully this will find a new site if it goes ahead. :cheers:

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ferge

· #4 · Jun 12, 2009

so on the top-right of that visualisation, is that the parkway interchange? (the curved roof structure?)

sterock85

· #5 · Jun 12, 2009

ferge said:
so on the top-right of that visualisation, is that the parkway interchange? (the curved roof structure?)

Yes, it's Park Lane by the way.

Both Bus and metro station there.

horokeio

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 12, 2009

ferge said:
so on the top-right of that visualisation, is that the parkway interchange? (the curved roof structure?)

Yeah that's right. The Holmeside site will cover the entire area between Park Lane, Holmeside, and the Metro line.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=holmeside,+sr1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=uk&ei=Q7cySo-HAoKNjAeMl4GcCg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1

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horokeio

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 12, 2009

sterock85 said:
Yes, it's Park Lane by the way.

Both Bus and metro station there.

And National Express nationwide coach services, as well as one of Sunderland city centre's ten Greggs stores! :nuts:

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sterock85

· #8 · Jun 12, 2009

horokeio said:
And National Express nationwide coach services, as well as one of Sunderland city centre's ten Greggs stores! :nuts:

Only 10, seems like more:lol:

This building will dominate the skyline, and as much as i hate the 3 flats that currently dominate the skyline, i think modernising them would be good.

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horokeio

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 12, 2009

sterock85 said:
Only 10, seems like more:lol:

This building will dominate the skyline, and as much as i hate the 3 flats that currently dominate the skyline, i think modernising them would be good.

Why do you hate them?! I think they look good, especially Planet House stuck out on its own.

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sterock85

· #10 · Jun 12, 2009

horokeio said:
Why do you hate them?! I think they look good, especially Planet House stuck out on its own.

Just a personal taste i guess. Just think with a modernisation like they have done with many of the tall flats around the city would be good.

horokeio

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 12, 2009

sterock85 said:
Just a personal taste i guess. Just think with a modernisation like they have done with many of the tall flats around the city would be good.

Along with Dock/Church Street, I think the East End towers have been modernised best (externally anyway; haven't seen inside) and I like the irreverent Commieblock - big plus

- look of the three at Hendon Road. The fact that those in the city centre are brick, rather than concrete-built on all sides bar the windows would make it much more difficult to alter their appearance, unless panels are installed.

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sterock85

· #12 · Jun 12, 2009

horokeio said:
Along with Dock/Church Street, I think the East End towers have been modernised best (externally anyway; haven't seen inside) and I like the irreverent Commieblock - big plus - look of the three at Hendon Road. The fact that those in the city centre are brick, rather than concrete-built on all sides bar the windows would make it much more difficult to alter their appearance, unless panels are installed.

Ans i guess that is the reason they have just been left as they are, whilst the others have been revamped.

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horokeio

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 12, 2009

sterock85 said:
Ans i guess that is the reason they have just been left as they are, whilst the others have been revamped.

When they had their windows replaced in the early 1990s, they changed appearance slightly. I'll be pleased when the multi-storey car park between Astral/Solar and Planet goes though - terrible building.

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sterock85

· #14 · Jun 12, 2009

horokeio said:
When they had their windows replaced in the early 1990s, they changed appearance slightly. I'll be pleased when the multi-storey car park between Astral/Solar and Planet goes though - terrible building.

Totally agree on the car park. I try to avoid looking that direction when walking down that part of the city.:lol:

Im sure that being pulled down will make a huge difference.

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horokeio

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 13, 2009

sterock85 said:
Totally agree on the car park. I try to avoid looking that direction when walking down that part of the city.:lol:

Im sure that being pulled down will make a huge difference.

It will, it's grotesque, but it'll also leave a big hole. Another car park would be handy for the site, since its not particularly well placed for anything else. With an extension to the Bridges mooted for Crowtree, the extra spaces will be needed.

The replacement of the old Tavistock Place multi-storey with a flat level car park really helped to open up that part of town and made it a more desirable place to cavort.

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horokeio

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jun 13, 2009

sterock85 said:
Totally agree on the car park. I try to avoid looking that direction when walking down that part of the city.:lol:

Im sure that being pulled down will make a huge difference.

There's great scope for taking photos from the top y'know, doubt you can still get to the top though. In times past though it was one of the best (urban) vantage points in Sunderland.

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sterock85

· #17 · Jun 13, 2009

horokeio said:
There's great scope for taking photos from the top y'know, doubt you can still get to the top though. In times past though it was one of the best (urban) vantage points in Sunderland.

Shame. Hopefully this building will provide us with great vantage points in the near future.

Is there any ideas of when we will here more of this development?

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horokeio

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jun 18, 2009

sterock85 said:
Shame. Hopefully this building will provide us with great vantage points in the near future.

Is there any ideas of when we will here more of this development?

No idea, but it's probably not as pie in the sky as certain other developments around town because of the fact that it's supposed to be in a dangerous state of disrepair. Large pieces of masonry falling from the structure and onto market-goers' heads is a good incentive for the council to act swiftly.

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gothicform

· #19 · Jun 18, 2009

anyone able to show me where this is on google maps?

horokeio

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jun 18, 2009

Location

gothicform said:
anyone able to show me where this is on google maps?

The whole development runs along the south side of Holmeside and western side of Park Lane. The tower is situated in the north-east corner, on the site of 'The Independent', a club and live music venue.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=holmeside,+sr1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=uk&ei=bKo6SsiRC86NjAfLmtScDQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1

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