Listed building set for renovation
LDRSA "cherished" heritage building is set for renovation after plans were given the green light.
Sunderland City Council's planning department has approved proposals to replace some of the non-historic windows at Kepier Hall, off Church Street, in Houghton-le-Spring.
The building is Grade II* listed and according to Historic England has parts that date back to the 16th Century.
It was a school until the 1920s before becoming a church hall and is currently used by community groups and as accommodation.
A small number of historic timber windows had been retained in the oldest parts of the building, but the majority had been replaced with poor quality replicas, many as part of 2008 restoration, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A design and access statement said the works would ensure Kepier Hall remained a "valuable and cherished asset to the local community for generations to come".
According to a planning application form, which was submitted to the council in April, development works started in late-2024 but had not been completed.
The council's conservation department noted the listed building was "highly significant" and had been extended in the 1980s to provide a community hall, which has been managed by the Kepier Trust "for many years".