Signs have been erected for a £20m retail park development which bosses have confirmed will be open for business "soon".

The Houghton Colliery retail park in Houghton le Spring is set to open in the near future as construction at the site winds down.

A Tesco Express store and a Home Bargains make up the site which was previously empty for over 40 years, until it was sold to developers Hellens Group and Fintry Estates in 2019.

CGI image of the Tesco.CGI image of the Tesco. (Image: PR)

The combined 65,000sq ft site off Newbottle Street will also hold a 300 bay car park and bring around 100 new jobs to the area.

Pictures of the site taken this week appear to show both units finished as well as the car park which is already in use. 

Houghton Colliery Retail Park.Houghton Colliery Retail Park. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

As of yet, no specific opening date has been announced for the park as Tesco hint that their store will be opening "soon". 

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We’re always looking for the best ways to serve local communities and are excited to be opening a new Tesco Express store in Houghton-le-Spring soon.

“We will keep the local community updated with our plans as we get closer to opening.”

The development of the site has previously been hailed as wholly positive by bosses and politicians who announced the development with excitement in 2023.

Houghton Colliery Retail Park sign.Houghton Colliery Retail Park sign. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Cllr Kevin Johnson, Dynamic City Cabinet Member at Sunderland City Council, has previously said: “The redevelopment of the former Houghton Colliery site is a project we have been working on for some time, so we’re absolutely thrilled to see work progressing on the scheme.”


Recommended:

Get more content including the stories that matter to your community from The Northern Echo for just £3 for 3 months for a limited time only here.


Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive of Hellens Group previously said: “We are delighted to begin clearance work on the former colliery site with construction due to commence in May this year.

“As a Sunderland-based company, we are committed to supporting local regeneration projects and seeing the area benefit from multi-million pound developments.

"The support from Sunderland City Council has been invaluable in unlocking this particularly challenging brownfield site.”