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Planned System Maintenance - Limited Service

Sunderland City Council will be carrying out planned system maintenance from 12 noon on Friday 5th June until 7am on Tuesday 9th June. During this period, we will only be able to respond to urgent enquiries. If your enquiry is not urgent, please contact us before or after these times when full services will be available. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.

Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell Pride in Place Programme

Pride in Place

About the Pride in Place Programme

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has selected Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell to receive up to £20m of Pride in Place funding to support regeneration in the area.

Pride in Place is a Government funding programme. It is aimed at putting power into the hands of local people in some of the most in-need neighbourhoods across the UK, so that they can decide how to regenerate their local area.

It gives communities control of £2m every year for the next 10 years, to be spent on projects that will make a real difference to the areas they live.  

The funding will support the delivery of investment and improvement in community services, such as regeneration, education, health and employment.

Recruitment of Neighbourhood Board

A key part of the programme is that it is locally led, by those who know their communities best. We have successfully recruited an independent chairperson for the board. The chair will bring together residents, community organisations, businesses and public partners to co-create a long-term Pride in Place Plan for the area.

Andrea Walters, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Sunderland has been appointed chair for Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell having spent most of her career working in Sunderland, she now leads the University's work on civic engagement.

Andrea's first task is to establish a Neighbourhood Board that will put local people at the heart of shaping their area's future.

Apply to be a Board Member

The Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board will put local people at the heart of shaping their area's future. Board members will work together to create a long-term Regeneration Plan, in partnership with the council, reflecting community priorities and identifying opportunities for investment. The boards will bring together residents, community organisations, businesses and public partners. Led by an independent chair, each board will champion its neighbourhood, make decisions about where funding is allocated, involve the wider community, and set out a shared vision for the next decade and beyond.

If you would like to register your interest to be part of the Neighbourhood Board, please complete the Expression of Interest form.

Your Expression of Interest can also be submitted in the format of a video file. Please complete the form and include a link to the video in the space available for a response to question 12. (Please note, the video should be no longer than 3 minutes and we can only accept videos hosted online and not the video files as attachments).

The closing date for submissions is Sunday, 31 May 2026.

For further information about the programme and the board please download the Board Member Information Pack or contact [email protected].  

What happens next 

Applications will be shortlisted by the Chair of the Board with support from Sunderland City Council and your local MP.

If shortlisted, you may be asked to provide further information before a decision can be made.

It is anticipated that the new Neighbourhood Board will be in place by the end of June 2026.

Help shape your Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell

To receive updates on how to share your views, please register your email address on our resident engagement site for Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell.

Pride in Place frequently asked questions

What is Pride in Place?

Pride in Place is a UK-government funded community regeneration programme that gives selected neighbourhoods funding and power to shape the future of their local area. It is designed to help communities themselves decide how to improve their neighbourhoods - from high streets and public spaces to services and community facilities.

Which areas does Pride in Place cover?

Pride in Place will focus on Thorney Close, Springwell and Plains Farm. These are the neighbourhoods chosen by the Government for investment.

Pride in Place map - Thorney Close, Springwell and Plains Farm
 

Are the boundaries final?

Not yet. Whilst the initial boundary for the Pride in Place area will definitely be included, there is an option to extend the boundary to also include adjoining streets/green spaces. The exact boundary of the Pride in Place area will be agreed with the new Neighbourhood Board, and subject to approval by Government- Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Who decides what gets done in our area?

A locally formed group called a Neighbourhood Board will lead the decision-making. The Board will be made up of local people, as well as representatives from Sunderland City Council and Bridget Phillipson MP for Houghton & Sunderland South. The Board will work with the wider community to build a 10-year 'Pride in Place Plan' setting out priorities.

How much money will our community get?

The Thorney Close, Springwell and Plains Farm area will have access to up to £20 million in funding and support over a 10-year period.

What kind of things can the money be used for?

The funding is flexible. It could support improvements like better public and community spaces, renovated retail areas and streets, or neighbourhood facilities, community services, social infrastructure, and other projects that the local community prioritises.

When will the money start to be spent?

Initial funding will begin after the Neighbourhood Board finalise membership and boundaries (by 17 July 2026 at the latest).

Will our community really be in control - or will decisions still come from central government?

Residents will lead the decisions. The Neighbourhood Board, built from local people, will co-create the plan with the community. While the local authority initially acts as the "accountable body" holding funds, the plan is for community-led delivery: by around year three, many Boards are expected to transition into a community-led organisation (for example, a community interest company, charity or co-op), or link with an existing community anchor organisation.

How can I get involved or have my voice heard?

You can contribute by responding to engagement efforts. An initial survey has been sent to residents by your local MP to gather ideas. This will be followed up by further engagement activities such as community conversations, workshops, and resident forums. These activities will be decided and arranged by the Neighbourhood Board and details shared in due course. You can also contact Bridget Phillipson MP or Sunderland City Council, if you want to volunteer to join the Neighbourhood Board or contribute ideas for the plan.   

Register your email address on our resident engagement site for Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell to receive updates on how to share your views.

Is this just a short-term project or a long-term commitment?

This is designed as a long-term investment - there will be 10 years of funding and support. But more than that, the goal is for the changes to outlast the funding. That means building community capacity, creating partnerships, and ideally transitioning to community-led delivery models so improvements remain sustainable for the long term.