Sunderland’s regeneration has been recognised by a prestigious property awards programme, with city developments and deals shortlisted for no fewer than seven awards.
A huge programme of transformation is under way across Sunderland, and it has caught the attention of the judges of the Insider North East Property Awards. Hillthorn Business Park and the new Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA) have been shortlisted for Commercial Development of the Year, West Park Quarter and the South Sunderland Growth Area (SSGA) have been shortlisted for Residential Development of the Year and Omniplex Sunderland’s spectacular cinema fit-out has been shortlisted for Refurbishment of the Year. Almscliffe Dhesi Developments have also been shortlisted for Commercial Development of the Year for their North Moor scheme.
The shortlist was revealed last week, with the winning developments set to be announced at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 7 May, at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead.
Maker & Faber’s lease agreement with Just Eat, which saw the firm move to Riverside Sunderland in December 2025, was also shortlisted for Deal of the Year, which recognises significant lettings that have taken place over the last 12 months.
Councillor Kevin Johnston, Sunderland City Council’s portfolio holder for Housing, Regeneration and Business, said: “This is fantastic recognition for us as a city and testament to a partnership approach that has seen hundreds of millions of pounds of investment flow into the city from private sector partners who believe in our vision for Sunderland as a world-class place to live, work and play.
“We know that the city’s regeneration is regarded as one of the most ambitious programmes of transformation in the country, so it is unsurprising that so many of the individual developments under way in Sunderland have been spotlighted in awards that celebrate the crème de la crème of the property world.”
Sunderland is delivering one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration programmes, with more than £650m already invested into Riverside Sunderland, a transformative scheme set to deliver 1,000 new homes, double the city centre population and create up to 10,000 jobs. Alongside this, major housing developments across sites such as the South Sunderland Growth Area are creating new communities at scale and reshaping the city’s residential offer.