Vistry Group has been chosen by Sunderland City Council as the preferred developer for a 600-home neighbourhood in the city centre. 

The Sheepfolds development is one of four planned residential neighbourhoods within the Riverside Sunderland project, which aims to deliver approximately 980 homes in total, along with new commercial and community facilities. The other neighbourhoods include Ayre’s Quay with 80 homes, Farringdon Row with 165, and Vaux with 135. 

Riverside Sunderland is taking shape across 32 hectares of brownfield land along both sides of the River Wear. The site already features several completed developments, including four office buildings, a 120-room Holiday Inn, the Riverside multi-storey car park, various bars and restaurants, and the Sheepfolds Stables leisure complex. Additional infrastructure projects are currently underway, such as the New Wear Footbridge, a new eye hospital, the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA), and a new Riverside Park. Public consultation is also ongoing regarding plans to rejuvenate High Street West.

Vistry’s Sheepfolds development, designed by North East-based Faulknerbrowns Architects, features a combination of townhouses, duplexes, and apartments. It will be built on land situated between St Peter’s Metro Station and the nearly completed Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA). The neighbourhood will also incorporate a mobility hub offering car parking, electric vehicle charging points, and cycle storage. The first phase of the project is backed by a GBP 4.8 million (US$ 6.4 million) grant from the Brownfield Housing Fund, managed by the North East Combined Authority. Development is due to start in early 2026 following infrastructure and enabling works.