Sunderland receives £20m to build construction academy and low-carbon housing

The government has pledged £20m from its Levelling Up Fund to build a construction skills academy and develop new housing in Sunderland.Around £9m of the funding will be used to develop the academy, while the rest will be used to deliver a new “sustainable” housing development at Sunniside and Riverside Sunderland.Over £9m will support a new skills academy that will educate local people on construction and innovation in housing.The first homes delivered via the academy will be at Sheepfolds, near the Stadium of Light.The academy will work in partnership with the Ministry of Building Innovation and Education (MOBIE), Education Partnership North-East, and Sunderland City Council.City council leader Graeme Miller said: “We’re creating opportunities for our young people to develop cutting-edge skills in modern methods of construction.”He added: “[It will] put Sunderland at the forefront of housebuilding, allowing us to build homes of the future that will create attractive new communities that strengthen the city’s reputation as a world-class place to live.“Our innovation in Sunderland is powering the transformation of our city and its economy, creating more opportunities for our residents.”Ellen Thinnesen, chief executive of Education Partnership North-East, said: “We’re committed…[to] advancing the agenda of the city when it comes to building homes using modern methods of construction [MMC] that are faster to construct and deliver exemplary quality and energy-efficiency standards.”Around £11m will be used to build low-carbon housing at Sunniside and Riverside Sunderland.The new homes will feature structures that use renewable energy, and they will be delivered using modern methods of construction.Image: A projection of the new housing set to be delivered via the £20m Levelling Up Fund in SunderlandRead next: Welsh landlord considers repurposing historic gay bar for use by LGBTQ+ communityAre you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.