Plans to open flats above Sunderland Fawcett Street shops

The vacant upper floors of 59A Fawcett Street in Sunderland could be converted into three flats if Sunderland City Council give the applicant, Mr Ali Khan, the green light.

Mr Khan has submitted a proposal to convert the upper floors of the building, which houses Better Bargain and Homefair on the ground floor, into one one-bedroom and two three-bedroom flats.

Proposed changes include the addition of three cycle parking spaces along with a new access door from the rear.

Shops underneath the proposed flats will not be impacted by the proposals, according to documents uploaded to the local authority’s planning portal.

If approved, changes are expected to have minimal impact on the building’s historical fabric, application forms say.

Sunderland City Council should make a decision on the plans in the coming weeks.