A NEW era of affordable homes in Sunderland has been given the seal of approval by city councillors.

Major plans created by Gentoo Group for 170 new homes were given the go-ahead by Sunderland City Council last week.

The properties are spread across six development sites on Wearside and will all be offered at affordable rent, as part of the housing association’s plans to bring 900 additional homes for rent and shared ownership to the city by 2024.

More than 730 people are set to move into the new homes once they are completed.

The approved housing sites include 41 houses and bungalows at Keighley Avenue, Central Downhill; 71 houses and bungalows at land west of Hylton Lane, Downhill; 11 houses and bungalows at Cricklewood Road, Hylton Castle;  24 houses and bungalows at Eastbourne Square, Carley Hill; ten houses at Prestbury Road, Pennywell; and 13 houses at the former Conishead Centre, Silksworth.

Working in partnership with Homes England and Sunderland City Council, the multi-million-pound investment aims to kick-start economic and social recovery in the city with the creation of 279 jobs on the new sites and £5.5 million extra spend in the city and region.

All applications were considered separately at a virtual meeting of the council’s Planning and Highways (East) Committee on Friday, November 20.

Councillor Michael Dixon welcomed the plans and described the meeting as a “very important night for us all.”

Addressing a Gentoo representative directly at the meeting, he said: “I think tonight has been very positive and I commend the direction you’re taking your housing policy in, especially with the affordable rents.”

Nigel Wilson, chief executive officer at Gentoo Group, also welcomed the planning approvals.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: “I’m extremely delighted that these major developments in Sunderland have been given the go ahead, cementing our commitment to delivering more genuinely affordable homes for the city’s residents.

“For us, delivering affordable homes is about more than simply building new homes.

“By creating safe and secure housing we’re benefitting the emotional wellbeing, financial stability and health of the city’s residents and this is something we take pride in.

“Approval for these six sites mean we can start providing hundreds of high-quality, modern and spacious homes for affordable rent in Wearside and create better homes for thousands of residents over the next four years.”

Gentoo’s development plan aims to create modern, contemporary and spacious house types to meet the varying needs of the city’s residents, including bungalows for Sunderland’s ageing population.

Earlier this year, the housing association submitted plans for a major £45 million investment into affordable housing following a public consultation across the city.

The group is expected to start construction on its first sites in January 2021.

For more details on the sites, visit  Gentoo’s website gentoogroup.com/newhomes