The £13m transformation of a disused area of land in Sunderland is roaring ahead, with the first buildings topping-out this month.
Steelwork is in place for five of the buildings at Eastgate Point - a 125,000sq ft industrial development that will stand on the former Littlewoods site in Hendon.
Three of which have reached their full height as the first phase of the development hurtles towards completion.
Developed in partnership between Sunderland headquartered Building Design [Northern] (BDN) and contractor Hewitson Group, the scheme - which will create 19 industrial units of varying sizes – housed within nine - along with a drive-to coffee shop and streetscape improvements - will see the 8.5 acre site become a thriving hub, where it is expected more than 350 people will work.
Gentoo recently announced that it will be opening a new trade depot for its property services team, in partnership with materials supplier Jewson Partnership Solutions, at the site.
Richard Marsden, managing director of BDN, which is also the developer behind Sheepfolds Stables, said: "It's fantastic to see swathes of land that had been undeveloped for so long advancing so quickly and changing the skyline for traffic travelling into Sunderland city centre.
"It's a brilliant location, with excellent connectivity to major arterial routes and close proximity to the city centre, and we've had really strong early interest from businesses looking to relocate into modern, well-designed industrial space."
Andrew Finnigan, group operations director at Hewitson Group, added: "The pace of change at Eastgate Point has been phenomenal, and we expect to see the first eight buildings fully let and ready to open by early 2027.
"Each time I visit the site, there’s a visible change to the landscape. It’s great to be playing a part in delivering a scheme that will add so much value to Sunderland."
Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, noted: "We're creating the conditions in Sunderland for the private sector to step in and deliver at pace, and that’s fuelling regeneration on a scale not seen for decades."
Richard Scott, Director at Industrial Property Specialists added " We are delighted to be agents on this scheme and the level of interest is very strong which is a reflection of the quality of the scheme and its location".
