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A City of real opportunity.

Sunderland is a city with a difference - a modern, bustling centre that is balanced with a relaxing green environment and an award-winning coastline.
This fast-rising city is a prime location for investment.

this is Sunderland

More Sunderland Facts...

  • Sunderland is one of the UK's most competitive business locations and also one of the fastest growing automotive cities in Europe. It is home to a host of world-class companies, such as Nissan, Rolls-Royce, Barclays, T-Mobile and EDF Energy.
  • A recent study rated Sunderland one of the UK’s top five ‘places to do business with’ (KPMG survey).
  • In spring 2008 it was announced that Nissan's Sunderland plant is to build a new car to replace the Micra. Production is expected to start in 2010, safeguarding the future of the plant well into the next decade, as well as helping to protect thousands of jobs in the factory and its supply chain.
  • Between 2002 and 2006 there was a 52% increase in employment in Sunderland in the banking, finance and insurance sectors. Employment forecasts for the city to 2020 suggest that employment in this and other knowledge-based sectors as well as specific advanced manufacturing trades will continue to grow.
  • Sunderland is one of the top five postcodes in the country for business start-ups, according to the Royal Mail’s ‘Business Barometer’ national survey.
  • In March 2007 Sunderland was chosen from a shortlist of 10 towns and cities to scoop the top prize in the Communities and Local Government's Digital Challenge competition.
  • Nominated by the World Teleport Organisation, Sunderland is one of the seven most IT intelligent communities in the world for embracing broadband, communications, IT and private investment to transform its economy.
  • In summer 2008 the Sunderland Software City Initiative was launched to create a vibrant software industry expected to attract millions of pounds of investment.
This is Sunderland
  • The region is home to five internationally acclaimed universities - Sunderland, Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria and Teeside.
  • In 2006 the University of Sunderland was named ‘best English university for student experience’ (The Times) and since 2001 has held the title of ‘best new university in England for research’ (The Times).
  • The University has a student population of over 23,000 (including off-campus) and has seen an investment of over £60m in recent years. £75m plans have also recently been unveiled to transform the city centre campus, which will include an iconic sport and recreation facility, a high quality hotel and conferencing and student accommodation.
  • The City of Sunderland College has 15,000 students. Its Computer Networking Academy hosts the prestigious Microsoft Regional Centre. It is also home to the Cisco Networking Academy.
  • Sunderland is part of the first wave of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme. The £120 million scheme will introduce cutting edge technology to classrooms and create 21st century buildings, including three Sunderland academies.
  • Sunderland A-Level students are performing the best in Tyne & Wear, with the city rising to eighth position in a league table of 150 local authorities. In 2007 Sunderland schools reached their highest ever level of GCSE results. The percentage of pupils leaving school with a qualification is now at 98%.
  • Sunderland boasts excellent transport links. The A1(M) and A19 provide road access to the rest of the UK. Sunderland now has a direct rail link to the nation's capital. The North East region has two international airports (Newcastle and Durham-Tees Valley), with regular flights to London, Europe and now Dubai, allowing passengers to travel onwards direct to destinations in Asia and Australasia - a market according to latest figures, worth an estimated £825m in exports from the North East. The region's ports provide access to Europe and the rest of the world. The Tyne & Wear Metro is the backbone of an integrated public transport network, with stations at key locations including Sunderland.
  • Sunderland was recently rated as one of the top five ‘greenest cities in the country’ by Jonathon Porrit's charity Forum for the Future.

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Sunderland ina new Light


As it aims to become one of the best places to live in the UK, Sunderland is building a new image for itself, an image that reflects its green environment, its light and airy location by the sea, its technological revolution and its smarter attitude to city living.


Discover Sunderland

Please click on an image to view a larger version.

Thank you to Sunderland Council for use of these images.