Tree planting begins as Riverside Park starts to bloom

Planting that will create a beautiful new greenspace for Sunderland residents to enjoy, is underway.

Riverside Park - a new public space on the edge of the city centre - is being transformed into attractive, accessible greenspace, opening up an area of the city that has long been forgotten. 

Covering 13.7 hectares of parkland and 5.3 hectares of riverfront, the Park will be delivered in phases and will be made up of five areas; Southern Gateway, Kingsley Gardens, Galley's Gill, Lambton Riverside, and Wearmouth Riverside.

Phase 1 will see the creation of the new Southern Gateway and Kingsley Gardens with construction works well underway and due for completion later this year.

The Southern Gateway will be situated between the Riverside multi-storey car park and new Eye Hospital, and will comprise a striking new park entrance, biodiverse landscaped areas, shapely ponds which form part of the sustainable drainage system, and relaxing social spaces where residents can engage and interact.

Kingsley Gardens, a community-managed garden space featuring individual and communal plots, will provide spaces for growing organic fruit and vegetables and promote healthy lifestyles and healthy eating.

The first 14 of 88 trees that will be introduced in Phase 1 have been planted on the western edge of Kingsley Gardens, with species including Acer campestre, Prunus Avium (Plena) and Carpinus Betulus) trees.

Cllr Kevin Johnston, cabinet member for housing, regeneration and business at Sunderland City Council, said: "The ongoing construction works and the planting of new trees in Riverside Park represents the first step in bringing this stunning part of our city centre back into use. 

"We know the value of spaces like this in improving mental health and promoting wellbeing, so it will be fantastic to have such a stunning public park like this on the doorstep of this transforming neighbourhood.

"Not only will it significantly enhance the experience of the thousands of people coming to live and work at Riverside Sunderland, but also existing residents and visitors to the city. It is yet another fantastic development which, over the coming years, will help to redefine the city's landscape."

The work to develop Riverside Park will see existing heritage sites preserved, while creating new and enhanced habitats, reintroducing native species that maximise biodiversity, and supporting active healthy lifestyles to improve community wellbeing.

Cllr Johnston added: "By preserving heritage artefacts such as the historic wagonways and cobbled paths, we are ensuring we protect as much of the historic landscape as we can, while creating a public park that is fit for the future and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

"Once Riverside Park is complete it will provide new areas for communal growing, activity spaces and places to exercise, parkland to explore and communal areas to meet and relax.

"It will prove a welcome extension to our ever-expanding city centre and truly put Sunderland on the map as one of the UK's greenest and most future-focused cities."

Esh Construction, a locally based construction and built environment business, is leading the delivery of Riverside Park.

Rod Milne, Contracts Manager at Esh Construction, said: "Seeing the first trees being planted at Kingsley Gardens is a key milestone in the transformation of Riverside Park.

"This green space will continue to grow and flourish alongside the community it's designed to serve and the Esh team is proud to be delivering a project that combines sustainability, heritage and wellbeing for future generations in Sunderland."

Another North East business supporting the development is Wharton Landscapes, which has worked on numerous high profile landscaping projects across the region. 

Director, Gary Wharton, said: "We're proud to play a part in the transformation of Riverside Park, a project that not only enhances Sunderland's green infrastructure but also restores the ecological integrity of this historic location.

"Being involved in a regeneration project of this scale and significance provides a chance to help shape a greener, healthier future for Sunderland."

For more information on Riverside Sunderland, visit: https://www.riversidesunderland.com/