Plans for a new fleet depot in Sunderland are estimated to require a £13m spend from the council.
The current Houghton-le-Spring depot has been declared ‘not fit for purpose’ by Sunderland City Council in a cabinet report. It highlights issues such as ageing accommodation and operational infrastructure which creates barriers to workforce welfare, operational efficiency, and asset maintenance.
It added that a failure to replace the existing depot would pose a ‘significant risk’ to ongoing service delivery.
The £13m funding for the development was approved as part of the council’s 2026/27 Capital Programme at the beginning of March, with the proposed new site being planned to include features such as office space, a specialist vehicle garage, an arboriculture workshop, and an 8,000-tonne salt barn.
‘The facility has been designed to accommodate a significant proportion of the council’s operational fleet, including refuse collection vehicles, bulky waste vehicles, highway gritters, mechanical sweepers, grounds maintenance vehicles, tractors and specialist operational equipment’, a cabinet report reveals.
A meeting today will see that approval is provided for the conclusion of the procurement process and that contracts for the development are awarded.
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Photo: © Sarah Agnew.
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