Plans to transform Roker Park given green light by Sunderland City Council

An artist's impression of how Roker Park could look with a new cafe, amphitheatre and viewing platform. Credit: Sunderland City Council

Plans to transform a popular park with a new cafe, amphitheatre and viewing platform have been approved.

The developments at Roker Park, in Sunderland, are scheduled to be completed by the summer.

The scheme will include new planting and a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Further work is also planned to restore the park's Grade II listed bandstand.

Artist's impression of how the new café at Roker Park could look. Credit: Sunderland City Council

Sunderland City Council's cabinet member for vibrant city, Councillor Linda Williams, said: "Roker Park is one of our best loved parks and we're really excited about these plans which are part of a wider programme of improvements to the park."These have already seen the restoration of water features in the park including the waterfall and the boating lake. I think the café and amphitheatre will be enormously popular, especially given the views they'll offer of the bandstand and any performances.

"Later this year we're also hoping to press ahead with the restoration of the historic bandstand, refurbishing the former park keeper's lodge and opening an accessible changing places toilet.

"It's important that we look after the historic features in the park as well as developing new attractions to meet the needs of growing visitor numbers, and keep families coming back time after time."

Artists impression of how the new cafe and amphitheatre at Roker Park could look. Credit: Sunderland City Council

Cllr Graeme Miller,  leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "Investing more than £10m on regeneration and improvements to our stunning seafront has helped to make it a real destination for residents and visitors from the wider region and beyond in recent years and we hope these latest improvements will prove equally popular."

Following planning approval by Sunderland City Council, work will start next month and is scheduled to be completed in the summer.  The next stage of the work on the bandstand, lodge and changing places toilet will take place following this.

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