Refused college plans allowed at appeal

Plans for a college campus on a business park have been allowed after a planning inspector overturned a council decision.

Sunderland City Council previously rejected the proposals for turning a vacant building at Doxford International Business Park into a specialist education campus over concerns it would take away land reserved for employment.

But the Planning Inspectorate gave UK Management College (UKMC) the green light to transform the building following an appeal.

The inspector said demand for employment space was "not as strong as suggested" in the council's local plan and the development would boost skills and create jobs.

UKMC offers courses in business management, digital marketing management and health and social care, as well as fashion design, event management, hospitality and tourism.

The college had identified Doxford as an "ideal location" to expand its capacity in the North East, for its transport links and the opportunity to forge close relationships with existing businesses at the business park.

In an appeal decision published on 5 October, an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State sided with the applicant and granted planning permission.

The inspector said the college would "bring a full building of a significant scale back into a productive use", while students would also support nearby businesses, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillor Michael Peacock, who represents Doxford Park ward, welcomed the decision, describing it as "good news" for the business park.

He said it would "bring a disused building back into use, improve the area, and help create and safeguard more jobs".

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