top of page

Washington Meadows, Sunderland

The Washington Meadows Site is situated immediately to the east of Washington and directly borders on to the urban confines of the settlement. The Site comprises of undeveloped land measuring approximately 51 hectares in area. The Site is bounded by the A1290 to the south, with land further beyond to the south and east consisting of industrial and employment uses, representing large employers such as Nissan, Amazon and Unipres.

The Site occupies a sustainable location, with existing bus stops situated along the A1290, providing services to Sunderland City Centre, Chester le Street, South Shields, Newcastle and Durham. The Site is also situated within close proximity to the Leamside railway line, which is now used as a footpath and cycle since the closure of the railway line. The Site is currently undeveloped agricultural land, with predominantly flat land levels. There are numerous trees across the Site and along its borders

The Washington Meadows Site is situated immediately to the east of Washington and directly borders on to the urban confines of the settlement. The Site comprises of undeveloped land measuring approximately 51 hectares in area. The Site is bounded by the A1290 to the south, with land further beyond to the south and east consisting of industrial and employment uses, representing large employers such as Nissan, Amazon and Unipres. The Site occupies a sustainable location, with existing bus stops situated along the A1290, providing services to Sunderland City Centre, Chester le Street, South Shields, Newcastle and Durham. The Site is also situated within close proximity to the Leamside railway line, which is now used as a footpath and cycle since the closure of the railway line. The Site is currently undeveloped agricultural land, with predominantly flat land levels. There are numerous trees across the Site and along its borders

The vision for Washington Meadows it to create sustainable neighbourhood that connects and grows Washington to meet the housing and social needs of Sunderland.

The proposed development will comprise of up to 640 dwellings, across a mix of house types and sizes. The scheme will also include a two access points from the A1290, landscaping, ecological mitigation areas and public open space. The design of the dwellings will be of a high quality design and material pallet which is in keeping with the surrounding area.

The scheme will deliver much needed additional housing within the local area, which will include the provision affordable and accessible housing. The proposed development will also boost the local economy through employment opportunities, construction value and expenditure from new residents. The Site offers opportunities for enhancement of existing natural features through extensive planting and landscaping.

The Washington Meadows Site is situated immediately to the east of Washington and directly borders on to the urban confines of the settlement. The Site comprises of undeveloped land measuring approximately 51 hectares in area. The Site is bounded by the A1290 to the south, with land further beyond to the south and east consisting of industrial and employment uses, representing large employers such as Nissan, Amazon and Unipres. The Site occupies a sustainable location, with existing bus stops situated along the A1290, providing services to Sunderland City Centre, Chester le Street, South Shields, Newcastle and Durham. The Site is also situated within close proximity to the Leamside railway line, which is now used as a footpath and cycle since the closure of the railway line. The Site is currently undeveloped agricultural land, with predominantly flat land levels. There are numerous trees across the Site and along its borders

The full application element will seek to deliver 221 dwellings, served by two access points from the A1290. The internal access arrangement of the Site uses a simple hierarchy of a primary road loop, with secondary adopted roads, and shared surfaces and private drives. Segregated and shared use cycle routes will also be designated within the Site.

The remainder of the Site (land to the north) and the proposed application will be in outline, with only access as a matter for consideration. It is anticipated this will deliver an additional 419 homes, and potentially a school. However, it is envisaged that the development would provide areas of public open space, drainage attenuation and areas of landscaping for biodiversity.

The scheme will deliver much needed housing within the local area, which will include the provision affordable and accessible housing. The proposed development will also boost the local economy through employment opportunities, construction value and expenditure from new residents. The Site offers opportunities for enhancement of existing natural features through planting and landscaping. Other benefits will include of areas of publicly accessible open space, parkland and play areas. The benefits of developing the Site have been presented below:

The Washington Meadows Site is situated immediately to the east of Washington and directly borders on to the urban confines of the settlement. The Site comprises of undeveloped land measuring approximately 51 hectares in area. The Site is bounded by the A1290 to the south, with land further beyond to the south and east consisting of industrial and employment uses, representing large employers such as Nissan, Amazon and Unipres. The Site occupies a sustainable location, with existing bus stops situated along the A1290, providing services to Sunderland City Centre, Chester le Street, South Shields, Newcastle and Durham. The Site is also situated within close proximity to the Leamside railway line, which is now used as a footpath and cycle since the closure of the railway line. The Site is currently undeveloped agricultural land, with predominantly flat land levels. There are numerous trees across the Site and along its borders


We would like to invite you to provide your comments on the scheme to the details below. We are aware we cannot always reach every member of the community; therefore, we would be grateful if you could pass this information on to neighbours or other parties that you feel would be interested in the proposals.

Any views will be carefully considered, and where appropriate and practicable, will be incorporated into the final scheme for consideration by Sunderland City Council. The Planning Application will include a Statement of Community Involvement, which summarises the feedback received from the public. We would be grateful if you are able to provide any comments you may have by 5th May 2025. We are intending to submit the Hybrid Planning Application in Summer 2025.

Our programme for public consultation and community engagement does not negate the Local Planning Authority’s statutory requirement to consult with local residents and businesses once the application is submitted; rather it is intended to advise you of the proposal in advance of the statutory consultation. You should therefore receive a formal notification from the Local Planning Authority in due course, inviting you to view and comment on the submitted application. Any comments made at the application stage will be considered by the Local Planning Authority prior to the determination of the planning application.

© 2025 Spawforth Rolinson Ltd

bottom of page