Sunderland, ENG - Postcode - DH4 7HA

Description of Sunderland, England

Sunderland, located in the county of Tyne and Wear, is a major port in the United Kingdom. Sunderland is the city's administrative hub and a historic county seat, located in Durham. The city is located at the mouth of the River Wear where it empties into the North Sea, and is roughly 10 miles (16 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne. Durham is located around 12 miles (19 km) south-west of Sunderland City Centre, and the river flows through that city as well. It's the largest urban area outside of the county seat (after Newcastle upon Tyne).

The modern city is comprised of three of the original settlements located near the mouth of the River: Monkwearmouth, established in 674 on the north bank after King Ecgfrith of Northumbria granted land to Benedict Biscop to establish a monastery; Sunderland, established in 685; and Bishopwearmouth, established in 930. The last two are located on the southern side of the Wear. An official town charter was granted to the second settlement at the mouth of the Wear in 1179, allowing it to develop as a fishing village and then a port. In the 14th century, when ship construction on the river began, the town began profiting from the commerce of coal and salt. As the town grew in the 19th century due to the development of its port, docks, and shipyard, it absorbed the neighboring towns. As the region's traditional industries declined toward the end of the twentieth century, it shifted its focus to car manufacturing, cutting-edge research, and the service industry. Sunderland was elevated from a borough to a city in 1992.

Geographical Description of Sunderland

The majority of the city rests on a series of low hills that run roughly perpendicular to the coast. An average elevation of about 80 meters above sea level. In the center of Sunderland, the Hylton gorge and the River Wear cut a deep valley through the city. Several smaller rivers and streams, like the Hendon Burn and the Barnes Burn, traverse the suburban landscape. The Northern Spire Bridge, which connects Castletown and Pallion, is the newest of the three road bridges that span the harbor and connect the city's northern and southern halves. The A19 dual-carriageway crosses the River Wear on the Hylton Viaduct to the west of the city.

There are several public parks in the city. Mowbray Park, Roker Park, and Barnes Park are three of the more illustrious examples. Herrington Country Park, located opposite Penshaw Monument, first opened to the public in the early 2000s. In 1993, 1997, and 2000, the city as a whole was recognized for its parks' dedication to environmental preservation by being awarded the Britain in Bloom collective.

West of the city center is where you'll find most of Sunderland's suburbs, and the majority of the city's population (70% to be exact) resides south of the river, while the remaining 30% calls the north side of the river home. Hendon and Ryhope to the south, and Seaburn to the north, are all coastal neighborhoods within the city's boundaries.

Economy of Sunderland

After the industrial downturn of the 1970s and 1980s, Sunderland has experienced substantial regeneration from the mid-1980s, especially in the City Centre and along the river corridor.

Sunderland's economy began to recover from the loss of its shipbuilding industry in the mid-1980s. In 1986, Nissan, a Japanese automaker, inaugurated their Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK plant, where they manufactured their first Bluebird model. Current vehicles produced at the plant include the Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke, and the electric Nissan LEAF, and the factory and its supplier companies continue to be the greatest employers in the area. As of 2012, it was the largest automotive manufacturer in the UK, producing over 500,000 vehicles annually. 

Additionally, in the late 1980s, the city saw the arrival of new service sectors at locations like the Doxford International Business Park in the southwest part of the city, which attracted national and international corporations. In 2004 and 2005, Sunderland was selected as one of the world's top seven "intelligent cities" for its innovative use of IT.

St. Peter's Campus of the University of Sunderland, student housing on the south bank of the river's Fish Quay, the North Haven housing and marina development, the National Glass Centre, the Stadium of Light, and the Hylton Riverside Retail Park are just some of the residential, commercial, and recreational facilities that have been built on the former shipyards along the Wear. As of the same year, the Echo 24 riverfront luxury apartments on Pann's Bank were made available to the public. Next to the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, the only Olympic-size swimming pool between Leeds and Edinburgh opened in 2008. The Bridges shopping center was expanded in 2000 such that it now encompassed the area around Crowtree Road and the old Central Bus Station. Subsequent redevelopments on Park Lane occurred nearby.