PLANS for the area surrounding the North East’s next potential world heritage site have been re-drafted after fears that the original proposals could threaten the international bid.

Last year consultation on the plans for the St Peter’s Riverside and Bonnersfield area of Sunderland sparked concerns. The Seventh Century St Peter’s Church is part of the Monkwearmouth-Jarrow twin monastery site bidding for world heritage status.

English Heritage raised a fundamental concern that the proposed amount, scale and location of development at Bonnersfield and Sunderland University’s St Peter’s campus could seriously prejudice the bid for world heritage site status.

There were also concerns from church teams at Sunderland and Jarrow, Durham University Emeritus Professor of Archaeology Rosemary Cramp and South Tyneside Council at the risk to the bid if the planning document failed to give adequate protection to the qualities of the historic site.

It was feared that the absence of explicit support from English Heritage for the plans could potentially “fatally undermine” the success of the bid.

Now the plans have been re-drafted and renamed the Wearmouth Candidate World Heritage Site Masterplan and Design Code.

It will be presented today for approval to Sunderland City Council’s cabinet.

At the heart of the masterplan is the need to balance the protection and enhancement of the candidate world heritage site of St Peter’s Church and grounds with the regeneration of the area.

The revised document reflects a series of positive meetings held separately with English Heritage and Sunderland University to ensure that there will be sufficient control over development to protect and enhance the historic site while reflecting the development aspirations of key stakeholders in the area.