Eastgate Point reaches milestone
Delivered by Building Design Northern in partnership with contractor Hewitson, steelworks are in place for five units, three of which have reached their full height at the 125,000 sq ft industrial development in Hendon, Sunderland.
The £13m scheme on the former Littlewoods site will eventually comprise 19 units of varying sizes, housed within nine larger buildings, along with a drive-thru coffee shop, and landscaping improvements.
The units will also include office space for each unit.
As the first phase of the scheme approaches completion, BDN recently secured a letting with Gentoo at the site, which will open a trade depot for its property services team in partnership with materials supplier Jewson Partnership Solutions.
Gentoo’s 19,000 sq ft building is the furthest advanced and is expected to be completed by August 2026.
BDN has acted as architect, developer, project manager, and structural and civil engineer on the redevelopment of the 8.5 acre site in Sunderland.
Hewitson has partnered on the development and is the main contractor for the scheme.
Richard Marsden, managing director of BDN, which is also the developer behind Sheepfolds Stables, said: “It’s fantastic to see swathes of land that had been undeveloped for so long advancing so quickly and changing the skyline for traffic travelling into Sunderland city centre.
“It’s a brilliant location, with excellent connectivity to major arterial routes and close proximity to the city centre, and we’ve had really strong early interest from businesses looking to relocate into modern, well-designed industrial space.”
Andrew Finnigan, group operations director at Hewitson Group, said: “The pace of change at Eastgate Point has been phenomenal, and we expect to see the first eight buildings fully let and ready to open by early 2027.
“Each time I visit the site, there’s a visible change to the landscape. It’s great to be playing a part in delivering a scheme that will add so much value to Sunderland.”
Cllr Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “As a Hendon ward councillor, I am delighted to see a site, that has stood empty for so long, transform so rapidly.
“We’re creating the conditions in Sunderland for the private sector to step in and deliver at pace, and that’s fuelling regeneration on a scale not seen for decades.”
