Funding commitment for new training centre hailed

Sunderland leaders have welcomed a £20m commitment towards a training facility that aims to provide ‘next generation skills for next generation homes’.It was announced in the Autumn Budget that Sunderland City Council, Education Partnership North East and the Ministry of Building Innovation and Education (MOBIE) had secured funding from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) to support the development of a Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA)The facility is set to educate, train and upskill local people to create factory-built new homes, the first of which will be assembled at Riverside Sunderland.In total, £9m will support the HICSA, with the remaining LUF support assisting the development of new sustainable communities in Sunniside and on Riverside Sunderland.The new facility will be developed in the Sheepfolds neighbourhood of Riverside Sunderland and, when completed, will support the development of eco-friendly housing planned for the area.