Plans have been lodged to carry out a second round of improvements to alley gates in an area of Hartlepool to help tackle crime and disorder.

Proposals were approved by Hartlepool Borough Council planning department earlier this year to install anti-climbing attachments on top of 36 alley gates across the Victoria ward.

Work also included repairs and refurbishments to the barriers.

Now further proposals have been submitted for a second round of alley gate improvements to another six sites in the same ward.

According to the application, submitted by council officers, Victoria is to again benefit from the work as currently the area “experiences some of the highest levels of crime and disorder in Hartlepool”.

It adds this includes “particularly high levels of residential burglary driven by drugs misuse”.

Work as part of the proposals would include anti-climb spiked roll bars being attached to the top of the existing gates.

Alley gates proposed to benefit are those located to the side of 3 Tankerville Street, 5 Morton Street, 44 Dent Street and 45 Dent Street, and to the rear of 21 Murray Street and 23 Sheriff Street.

A planning statement adds the council will also carry out a “maintenance programme of the gates” as it is recognised some of the lock mechanisms and mesh panels “have been subject to vandalism”.

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It comes after it was announced last year £999,999.84 had been awarded to the Office of Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner as part of the Home Office’s £43 million Safer Streets Fund.

It was confirmed up to £333,333 would be spent in the Victoria ward to support such works to help combat crime.

A decision on the proposals is expected next month.