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How the old Sunderland Vaux site was transformed from desolated wasteland to a new urban quarter
Apr 22, 2025
The Vaux site in Sunderland is now a part of a brand new urban quarter in the city which is now something residents can be proud of
To those in Sunderland, the Vaux Brewery remains iconic.
It was a major employer in the city for almost 200 years and was well-known for Samson Bitter, Scorpion Lager, and of course, Double Maxim. The brewer was beloved by Mackems and the malty scent as you passed by the brewery is still a fond memory for many.
But by the late 1990s, Vaux was no more and by the mid 2000s, the brewery had been demolished. Hundreds of jobs were lost and the site lay desolate.
What followed, was years of disappointment as the old Vaux site lay derelict, overgrown and unloved. It became an eye-sore for those in the city, and it seemed like the site would never be redeveloped after contractors Carillion and then Tolent both went into liquidation.
But after years of frustration, the Vaux site has now finally been resurrected, and is slowly turning into something that those in the city can be proud of. Now a part of the vast Riverside Sunderland development, the former Vaux site has been revitalised.
Here's how the site has gone from a desolate wasteland, to an exciting new urban quarter:
Vaux Housing
Vaux Housing will see 135 houses built on the site - including maisonettes and apartments. The homes will have panoramic views of the River Wear with residents being able to share growing spaces.
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