The M&S facade of Sunderland is nowhere in the renovation of the riverside

In an interview with the BBC published in the same month, Mr. Melia said that the demolition for the next renovation phase in the city center was “necessary”, but added that the local authority would not rule out to keep part of the building's facade, “If we believe that there is a value to keep some of them.”

The city council had previously not expressly said that the building would be observed, but the city leaders insisted that the Riverside Sunderland delivery plan of the Council “comprises an explicit reference to a converted High Street west to west, including the exchange of this building through high -quality office and further retail.”

Council member Michael Mordey, Labor leader of the City Council of Sunderland, who spoke in June 2024, also said that at that time “no time scale for the demolition of buildings” could be given, but could be proposed about the planning process, any suggestions for the street.

Around a year later, at a meeting of the city council of Sunderland, questions about the future of the M&S building with a specific reference to the future of the facade of the building were raised.

Council member Michael Mordey, Labor Director of the City Council of Sunderland, said that the Riverside Sunderland master plan expressly showed the “intention of the council to keep the existing facade on the construction of Marks & Spencer”.

“The Riverside Sunderland master plan published in October 2020 identifies the future vision for the north of High Street West to enable a mixed development of retail and leisure consumption on the ground floor with upper floors from the office accommodation,” said Cllr Mordey.

“The master plan document shows the intention of the council to maintain the existing facade for Marks & Spencer building.

“In the next phase of the development of Riverside Sunderland along the High Street West, the council's design team is currently driving out the feasible development proposals.

“The design suggestions for High Street West will be made available for advice later before a planning application.”

The comments were shown in the town hall on March 26, 2025 during the last meeting of the city council, and Cllr Mordey replied to a public question of the former conservative city council Greg Peacock.

The public question states: “In 2019, the then deputy leader Michael Mordey said that the Doxford Shipyard Archway” was removed, stored, stored and then reconstructed “.

“Can he take a similar commitment to preserve and protect the M&S building front on the main street because it is one of the only really beautiful buildings in the city?”

Conservative council members have previously applied for historical England to try to give the status listed, “to protect certain parts […] However, the application was not presented from the most important architectural changes -such as the old Art -deco -Deco -External area -or the depressed species.

In a social media declaration published after March 2025, the complete council meeting, said Sunderland Conservative that her campaign “saved the M&S building facade”.

The explanation states: “At the meeting of the last night, we finally received an obligation to protect the building by the Council.

Labor City Councilor Kevin Johnston, the cabinet member of the Council for Economy, Living and Regeneration, emphasized that the facade was “never threatened”.

He also said that “feasibility studies that deal with the art of the possible of the facade are already underway” and rejected comments that the conservatives had secured their protection as “complete nonsense”.

CLLR Johnston added: “All plans for Riverside Sunderland – some of which have been open to the public for years – have determined that we will do everything we can to ensure that the existing facade of the former M&S building remains intact so that the conservatives have somehow secured their protection.

The Riverside Sunderland Master Plan published in October 2020 contains details on the broader ambition of the Council for High Street West, including a “central business area”.

The planning document states: “We have identified four development agencies that are defined by the historical alleys that combine the High Street West with the St. Mary's Boulevard.

“These locations will deliver around 430,000 square meters of large office space by 2030 to 2030.

“The locations are mainly developed for offices, but with active use of the ground floor and the potential for other mixed elements.”

It was found that the “restoration and activation of the” lost alleys “will create a more permeable urban form and promote the pedestrian movement between the train station and the Riverside Sunderland.

The City Council of Sunderland indicates that the Riverside Sunderland Masterplan (2020) demonstrates, which Council Chairman Cllr Mordey describes as a “intention of the Council” to keep the existing facade on the Marks & Spencer “.

The M&S building was also discussed at a recent meeting of the Council's auditing committee (April 1, 2025), whereby the conservative city council Lyall Reed asks for clarity that the facade of this building is not touched “.

Neil Guthrie, development director of the city council of Sunderland, did not provide any details about the future of the building, but confirmed that a broader work was held behind the scenes.

He informed the city councilors that a “planning application for the north side of the High Street” was in the pipeline, “” options for future development “were” spent “.

Peter Mcintyre, the executive director of the City Development Council, confirmed that the Council had been “in conversation” with M&S for five years and, despite the offer of several alternative locations in the city center, none of the buildings fits the “criteria of the company”.

Since then, the council chairman Michael Mordey has confirmed that all demolition plans for the building “are communicated in the usual way via the planning process”.

As early as June 2024, the high -ranking city council added that “M&S – not the advice – was responsible for the condition of the building in 2027 by the end of their rental agreement and will continue to be responsible.”

“The former conservative city council of St. Anne's Greg Peacock asked a detailed public question and confirmed that our campaign was successful – the beautiful building is saved.”