The Hartlepool Development Corporation Board has unanimously agreed the masterplan to supercharge regeneration in the town at its second meeting.

The plan is focused on accelerating Hartlepool by maximising the potential of its maritime past, manufacturing present and creative future. Its overall vision is labelled as: “Imaginative, Creative & Ambitious – A 21st-century maritime town; a thriving place to live, work, explore and invest.”

It sets out the strategy to drive investment and support its transformation by stimulating private sector investment and growth, creating partnerships to unlock opportunities and promoting the area to potential investors.

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This includes attracting 2,000 new jobs; building up to 1,300 new homes; restoring, reinvigorating and reshaping the town centre and renewing the waterfront to create a maritime economy around its historic Marina.

Oakesway Business Park, retail and leisure land – including Mill House Leisure Centre and Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, with public realm and civic buildings, will all sit within the Corporation boundary.

According to the masterplan, there are three frameworks to enable the overall vision.

Land Use: Hartlepool has distinctive areas and assets across the town that represent opportunities for future success. However, further action is needed for the town to work as an ‘ecosystem’ that is greater than the sum of its individual parts. A coherent approach will remove barriers to growth and bring underutilised assets back into use. It will bring segmented areas and anchor attractions into a complementary and connected offer.

Open Space: Public space improvements, including the creation of green and open spaces, will increase the attractiveness of the town. The Open Space Framework will improve perceptions of safety whilst providing better access to green space and increasing biodiversity.

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Movement: Through the town is challenged by real and perceived barriers. There is a heavy reliance on private cars that can limit the ability to enjoy all the town has to offer. The Movement Framework sets out our approach to overcome these challenges. It will encourage active and public travel choices that will benefit the large number of residents living within 15 minutes of the town centre.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, Chair of the Board, said: “We’re moving rapidly now to a position where we can stop talking and start doing – this ambitious vision sets out how we’re going to reimagine the town, capitalising on fantastic assets like the Northern Studios, BIS, the Marina and others to pay tribute to its past while growing the sectors of the future.

“Just last week we were at the UKREiiF event banging the drum for the Development Corporation to a raft of would-be investors, developers and housebuilders. We might be at the beginning of our journey but we’re wasting no time in getting people on board to help develop the Hartlepool local people deserve.”