Sunderland Arc was a privately-owned, non-profit, urban regeneration company

Urban Regeneration Company

Urban Regeneration Companies are private companies in the United Kingdom that seek to achieve a radical physical transformation of their areas through masterplanning and co-ordinating financial assistance to developers from both the public and private sector....

 based in Sunderland

City of Sunderland

The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...

, North East England

North East England

North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...

.It ceased operations in 2011.

History

Established in 2002, the Arc focuses on the Urban redevelopment and improvement of Sunderland in order to increase employment and prosperity in the area. The arc is partnered with Sunderland City Council, as well as One NorthEast

One NorthEast

One North East is the regional development agency for the North East England region.-History:It was established in April 1999. The North East receives a lot of government aid for regeneration....

.

Since its formation, the Arc has made significant progress in the Sunniside

Sunniside, Sunderland

Sunniside is a district of Sunderland, North East England, situated towards the eastern side of the city centre, bounded to the west by Fawcett Street, to the south by Borough Road, and to the north and east by Sunderland's Inner Ring road. A significant programme of urban development has...

 area, with the opening of a new arts centre, several new bars and restaurants, new business space, a new leisure complex incorporating a bowling alley and multiplex cinema, hundreds of new apartments, and a new area of public art and sculpture on a newly-landscaped Sunniside Gardens. The Sunniside district, which lies on the eastern fringe of Sunderland City Centre, was awarded with the North East Renaissance Award from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an independent, representative professional body which regulates property professionals and surveyors in the United Kingdom and other sovereign nations....

.

Other Arc developments, currently at various stages of completion, include the Stadium Village development, the Grove development, the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor, the Farringdon Row development, the Holmeside Triangle and the Vaux site. However, since 2001 progress on the Vaux

Vaux Breweries

Vaux Breweries was a major brewer based in Sunderland. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:The Company was founded by Cuthbert Vaux in Sunderland in 1837 and for nearly 170 years was a major employer in the town....

 development site has stalled over a dispute with UK supermarket chain Tesco

Tesco

Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...

, who bought the site with the intention of opening a hypermarket, whereas the Arc wish to acquire the site as part of their regeneration plans.