City leaders have revealed how the recent transformation of Sunderland’s coastline has helped create over 200 jobs in Seaburn.
The figure was revealed during Full Council today [24 Jan] in response to a question put to city chiefs by a local resident.
The question, ‘What impact has the recent regeneration in Seaburn, including the new Tram Shelter and other developments, had on jobs and the local economy?’, was put to Cllr Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council.
Responding to the question, Cllr Miller revealed how the most recent figures show that developments including STACK, Seaburn Inn and Tram Shelter Seaburn have helped create over 200 jobs for local people.
He also explained how, combined, the developments have represented over £30 million in private sector investment into the city, as well as creating several hundreds more jobs in the supply chain and during construction.
Speaking post-Full Council, Cllr Miller said: “We have invested heavily into restoring our seaside heritage buildings and improving the promenade over recent years, so it’s fantastic to see in numbers just how impactful this has been.
“The developments have not been without criticism from certain corners, particularly the local Conservative councillors who vowed to ‘stop current and future developments that will lead to a significant change of use for the tram shelter’ back in May 2021, but these findings completely justify everything that we have delivered over recent years.
“As a city, Sunderland is undergoing change on a scale not witnessed in generations and with over £2billion of inward investment secured over the next decade, the message is loud and clear. Sunderland is very much a city of the future and the best is still yet to come.”
Official tourism figures collated by Sunderland City Council have also revealed that over 7,748,000 day visitors and 764,000 overnight visitors journeyed to the city in 2022 and Cllr Miller believes the continued development of Seaburn and its surrounding areas will lead to ‘even more people flocking to the city over the coming years.’
Cllr Miller added: “Seaburn has always been a popular destination for people near and far to visit and this research is proof that these latest developments have clearly given people even more of a reason to visit.
“Last year alone we saw over 7million people visit the city, with over 764,000 staying over, and with even more developments in the pipeline, I think it’s fair to say that Seaburn is once again being put on the map for all the right reasons.”