Plans to demolish a section of Sunderland’s High Street West to “make way for future development” are on hold, after being withdrawn by council development chiefs.

Sunderland City Council recently submitted an application to its own planning department for the demolition of 68 – 71 High Street West.

The large building, named in planning documents as Co-Operative House, is split into three commercial units and has been occupied by Argos and Mothercare in the past.

The third unit is also occupied by café and bistro Keel Lounge, which is still in operation.

Earlier this year, the city council bought the property to support plans to ‘regenerate and revitalise’ the area as part of a Central Business District connecting the transforming former Vaux site with the ‘retail core’ of the city centre. 

Council chiefs previously said the former Mothercare and Argos site would act as a ‘catalyst for further investment and regeneration’ of the area.

The recent demolition application for the site described 68 – 71 High Street West as “redundant buildings” and confirmed demolition would “make way for future development of the site”.

However, days after the application was received and validated by the council’s planning department it was withdrawn by the applicant.

Sunderland City Council were asked to explain the reasons for the withdrawal and whether plans would be resubmitted in future but did not respond to the request for comment.

Council planning documents noted demolition works were originally planned to start on August 26, 2024, and to run until October 27, 2024.

Following the withdrawal decision, questions remain over the future of the building and site.

The previously published Riverside Sunderland Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provides more details on the council’s wider ambition for High Street West.

The planning document states: “Major changes are planned on the north side of High Street West between Keel Square and Fawcett Street.

“This area will be incorporated into the central business district.

“Four sites for offices and mixed-use development have been identified as being an opportunity to establish active street frontages.

“The western and eastern site boundaries are defined by the ‘lost lanes’ which should be restored and revitalised”.

The former M&S building in High Street West has also been tipped for demolition in future according to the city council, however no formal demolition application has appeared on the council’s planning portal website to date.

A previous council statement said the “Riverside Sunderland delivery plan – which has been extensively communicated on a local, regional and national level – includes explicit reference to a remodelled High Street West, including the replacement of this building with high-quality offices and further retail.”

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The M&S building is the property of Sunderland City Council, but M&S holds the lease until March 2027 and is responsible for the building until then.

Any major demolition applications for buildings on High Street West would be submitted to Sunderland City Council’s planning department for consideration and consultation before works can take place.