The Spirit of Sunderland was a skyscraper proposed for Sunderland, North East England, by the designs of Sunderland Arc and Thornfield Properties Ltd. The tower was part of the Holmeside Triangle regeneration plan, a project to establish the area as a thriving, attractive modern area of retail.[1]
The proposed tower had 33 storeys, and at 100 m (328 ft), it would have been the tallest building in the United Kingdom north of Bridgewater Place, Leeds, West Yorkshire.[2] It would have stood on the current site of the 'Independent', a nightclub and live music venue, enjoying excellent access to Tyne and Wear Metro services at Sunderland Central and Park Lane, as well as regional and London-bound Grand Central train services at Sunderland Central.
On 26 June 2009 Thornfield Properties signed a £180 million agreement to build the Holmeside development along with Sunderland Arc.[3] However, the project was axed in late 2010 after Thornfield Ventures – one of the companies behind the Holmeside Triangle – collapsed into administration.[4]