150-container self-storage hub planned near Sunderland
A planning application for land at The Galleries Retail Park in Washington, Sunderland, would see the creation of a new self-storage facility.
The proposal involves the siting of about 153 corrugated steel containers, each painted and having a usable capacity of 32.6 cubic metres and floorspace of 14.76 square metres.
The plan is retrospective, as the change of use of the land has already started, according to the application.
The site is currently used as a car park and sits just south of the Washington Highway.
The new facility would form part of Pink Self Storage, a company which already operates over 20 self-storage locations in places such as Newcastle, Birmingham and Manchester.
The company has experienced growth since 2016, expanding from one site to more than 20.
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Its most recent site opened in Kirkby-in-Ashfield after a Β£1.7 million investment.
The proposal explains that the storage concept allows users to receive pin codes to their phones, giving them access to their containers.
Each location is fitted with CCTV surveillance, and the plans would also provide for drive-up access to the majority of the containers.