NEW plans to transform Hartlepool town centre have been revealed.
A new Mayoral Development Corporation is set to be established to help reshape the town and make it a more attractive place to live and visit, support small businesses and deliver a master plan to maximise future funding.
The plans are spearheaded by the local independent council leader Cllr Shane Moore and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen.
This new Mayoral Development Corporation will be the second of its kind to be set up in the region, following the success of the South Tees Development Corporation, now known as Teesworks. It was established in 2017 to prepare the former Redcar steelworks site for an influx of investment revitalising the area and creating thousands of jobs.
The new plans will make the region the only area outside of London with two such bodies.
It will build on previous investment in Hartlepool, including £20m for the redevelopment of the Hartlepool waterfront to create a landmark visitor destination, funded a multi-million-pound boost to revitalise Church Street, providing £8.3m for a new Northern School of Art building on Church Street along with a £3.8m investment in a new state-of-the-art film and TV studios – the only large-scale film and TV studios in the North East.
Meanwhile, the redevelopment of Hartlepool Railway Station has reached a major milestone after Mr Houchen secured £12m from government to transform the much-used hub.
Read more: Hartlepool waiting for levelling up cash from Boris Johnson
The new funding will be used to bring the station’s redundant second platform back into use with new lifts and a footbridge installed to improve access. Work on the redevelopment of the station will get under way in September and be ready in time for the Tall Ships regatta in 2023.
Mayor Houchen and Cllr Moore will now work together to finalise which areas of the town centre will be included in the development zone before submitting the plans to Michael Gove at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The Hartlepool Mayoral Development Corporation will formally be created later this year once the parliamentary process to establish it is complete.
Hartlepool Borough Council Leader, Cllr Shane Moore, said: “I am delighted to be working alongside Mayor Houchen to turbocharge the redevelopment of our town centre. We’re already investing huge amounts of cash in transforming the town centre and we have some amazing plans for its future, but with a new Mayoral Development Corporation we can deliver a town centre fit for the 21st century so much faster.
“Our town centre is home to so many amazing local businesses that the council have supported through an unbelievably difficult two years and I am determined to make sure it thrives long into the future, which is exactly what this will deliver.”
Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, added: “Transforming Hartlepool town centre won’t happen overnight, like in Redcar it will take several years to deliver the full redevelopment, but if we get this right the long-term future for Hartlepool is extremely positive and one local people should be excited for.
“Councils are not set up to deliver this and working closely with strong leaders like Cllr Shane Moore we will rip up the red tape and bureaucracy so we can speed up these plans, to create a town centre everyone who lives in Hartlepool can be proud of and which they want to spend time in.”
Hartlepool MP, Jill Mortimer, said: “Hartlepool town centre is filled with so much potential, and I’m thrilled that Mayor Houchen is taking the bold step to create a second Mayoral Development Corporation, this time in Hartlepool.
“This coupled with the councils investments and the £25m secured from the government’s Towns Fund will mean the full potential of our town centre can be realised, meaning more people shopping locally and supporting our brilliant small businesses.”
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated Teesside Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel