Houghton Retail Park
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Summary
The site of a historic Tyne and Wear colliery, which closed down over 40 years ago, has been transformed into a new £20m retail park, delivered by Robertson Construction North East.
The development includes a Tesco supermarket, which is expected to create around 80 jobs and will cover a footprint of 42,000m2. Customers will be able to make use of electric vehicle charging points and recycling facilities in a 300-space car park. This Tesco will also provide a petrol filling station on the site.
In addition to Tesco, a popular discount brand, Home Bargains, will also open a 20,000sqft store on the site in spring 2025. In total, the two sites are expected to create around 100 new jobs.
100
jobs created
300
bay car park
45,000
sqft Tesco
Sunderland City Council’s cabinet agreed to sell the former colliery – which had been empty for 40 years – to Hellens Group and Fintry Estates in 2019.
Site works included site remediation of the large former colliery site, removal of old structures underground, mine shaft capping, works to exisitng retaining walls and new retaining walls. Large attenuation tanks and petrol filling station forecourt works.
Regeneration of a derelict site
Situated in the Sunderland town of Houghton-le-Spring, the retail park was the site of Houghton Colliery, which opened in 1829 and was the heart of the community until its closure in 1981.
Developed by north-east regeneration specialists Hellens Group, Robertson started the project with civil works before constucting two steel retail shells.
Social and economic benefits
The project delivered significant social and economic benefits throughout its construction phase with 13 local jobs created, including roles for two individuals who had been long-term unemployed. Robertson also partnered with the local supply chain, seeing almost £7m spent with businesses within a 30-mile radius of the site.
Paying homage to mining heritage
As well as plans for the retail park, proposals for a permanent sculpture that will pay homage to the area’s mining heritage were revealed earlier in 2025. Ray Lonsdale, the artist behind Seaham’s famous ‘Tommy’ – who has also been commissioned by the council to deliver three new pieces for Riverside Sunderland in the city centre – created the installation.
“As a Sunderland-based company, we are committed to bringing forward local regeneration projects that benefit the area. The invaluable support from Robertson Construction and Sunderland City Council has been key to making this vision a reality.”
