CONSTRUCTION of Sunderland’s new City Hall has reached its highest point as it was topped out on Monday.

Bowmer and Kirkland, is leading the building of the new civic hub, which stands at the heart of the transforming Riverside Sunderland site.

The City Hall on St Mary's Boulevard, will house a range of public sector and support organisations when it opens its doors next year.

Sunderland City Council leader Councillor Graeme Miller said: “We’re thrilled to see the outline of what will be an important new building for Sunderland residents take shape.

“City Hall will act as a hub for a range of organisations that offer help and support to people living in Sunderland, bringing them together under one roof to make it easy for our residents to access the assistance they need to prosper. We’re looking forward to seeing it completed.

“Topping out is an exciting moment, because you really get a sense of how the building will ‘sit’ in the city.

"Designed by award-winning Faulkner Brown, this will be a beautiful building."

City Hall will consist of two main footprints connected by a large glass atrium and will deliver a modern environment for the near-2,000 workers who will be based there, as well as services for residents to tap into.

Paul Anderson, who is a senior project manager at Bowmer and Kirkland and is managing the City Hall development on behalf of the firm, said: “We are delighted to reach this key milestone in the development which is all the more satisfying given that the structure has been erected in the height of the COVID 19 pandemic. We can now look forward to making the building watertight with the architectural façade and commencement of the fit out works.”

The 190,000 sq ft building has been funded by investment giant Legal & General, as part of a landmark £100m commitment to Riverside Sunderland, which will also pave the way for two more commercial buildings to be constructed on the site. The investment is a key part of the masterplan for the area, which will also see a new residential community rise from the ground, with work starting last week on ground inspections for the development.