MORE than £4m worth of improvements will be carried out in Hartlepool this year in the final stage of a project to help rejuvenate the Owton and Rossmere areas.

Traffic calming, art workshops, street lighting and security improvements are just parts of the package, which also includes the development of better community music facilities and environmental work in school grounds.

The work is being spearheaded by the Owton Rossmere Partnership, which is using funding from the Government's Single Regeneration Budget (SRB).

The partnership's proposals have been given the go-ahead by the regional development agency One NorthEast.

Highlights include working with Manor College of Technology to build an extension to provide better music and science facilities for use by the school and the community, and traffic calming in Owton manor Lane and Eskdale Road.

The partnership will continue to fund established projects, including workshops to involve people in creative arts.

The partnership is spending £1.7m of SRB money this year, which will attract £2.5m from the public and private sectors.