Contract awarded for new Sunderland city hall

Sunderland City Council has awarded Bowmer + Kirkland, which has its North East regional office on the city’s Rainton Bridge Business Park, the £42M contract for a new city hall.

The new building, designed by award-winning FaulknerBrowns, will have 17,500m² floor space and will be constructed on the former Vaux brewery site, with construction expected to begin later this year and completion due in Autumn 2021.

According to the council, the city hall development is set to spearhead the regeneration of Sunderland city centre by accelerating the transformation of the former Vaux site and acting as a catalyst in attracting private investment.

Council Leader Councillor Graeme Miller, said: “We’re delighted that the contract to build the city hall has been awarded to a Sunderland-based company, with all the benefits that brings with it in terms of local jobs created and money spent with local companies and in the local economy.

“The city hall is an essential element of our £500M transformation plans to create a dynamic, healthy and vibrant city centre that our residents will be proud of and will want to live, work and spend time in.”

Paul Anderson, Project Manager, Bowmer + Kirkland, said: “We are delighted to be the main contractor on this important building for the city of Sunderland.

“This development will herald the regeneration of the city centre and will also encourage further development and investment, boosting the local economy.