A steel production company is urging local politicians to reject proposals for 210 new homes near its Hartlepool base saying the site is “fundamentally unsuitable”.

A planning application by North-East property development company Hellens Group for the housing on land east of the Queens Meadow Business Park is due to go before the Hartlepool Development Corporation (HDC) planning board on Tuesday, November 10.

It was deferred last month over a legal query.

Opponents of the scheme argue it would introduce hundreds of new residents into an environment shaped by industrial activity, major transport infrastructure and employment uses.

A CGI of how the expanded Queens Meadow Business Park would look.

placeholder image — A CGI of how the expanded Queens Meadow Business Park would look.

And Tata Steel, which operates its 20-inch Pipe Mill just to the north east of the intended site, says it could lead to conflict with future residents, and potentially impact its ability to operate and invest.

A Tata Steel spokesperson said: “This is not a debate about whether Hartlepool needs new homes. It is about whether this particular site represents an appropriate location for residential development.

“The site is surrounded by industrial and commercial uses, major transport infrastructure and established businesses. It has historically been identified as a location for employment and economic activity, not housing.”

A HDC officer's report states that 44% of the proposed homes would need to keep their windows closed to achieve acceptable internal noise levels.

Tata argues that any increase in complaints relating to noise or operations could could potentially affect its ability to operate, invest and adapt to future market requirements from its longstanding Hartlepool base.

Its spokesperson added: “The evidence in this case suggests that this is simply the wrong place for a large-scale residential development.”