Plans being made to build footbridge connecting Sunderland city centre to the Stadium of Light

An application is being made to the Government to build a footbridge, that would connect Sunderland city centre to the Stadium of Light.It would connect the former Vaux Brewery site to the south of the river with Sheepfolds to the north.  The Sunderland City Council Cabinet will meet on Tuesday and are set to agree to make the bid to Government, and - assuming legal permissions are granted - they can then progress with detailed design work for the crossing before seeking local planning consent. The bridge is part of a bigger plan, released in October, and sets out how Riverside Sunderland – comprising the former Vaux site, Farringdon Row, Galleys Gill, High Street West and Sheepfolds - will transform over the coming decade.   A programme for delivering the bridge was set out in the Masterplan, with the bridge expected to be completed by 2023. The plans for the bridge have been welcomed by SAFC captain, Max Power, as well as club legend Jimmy Montgomery. 

The bridge would be of a similar height to the Wearmouth Bridge, around 25 metres, and will not reduce clearance for river traffic.

The key features of the masterplan include: 

• 1,000 sustainable homes to rent and buy, in four stunning neighbourhoods housing 2,500 residents

• One million sq ft of modern office space, hoping to provide 8-10,000 new jobs

• A new city centre site for a major life sciences/ healthcare facility

• Plans for a state-of-the-art library and community hub – the Culture House - hoped to attract 600,000 visitors a year to a new site in Keel Square

• The upgrading of St Mary’s Boulevard into a stylish new main street

• Transformation of Galley’s Gill into a landscape park, and new green spaces in the heart of the city

• Smart City infrastructure