Plans approved for 116 new homes off land near Hartlepool's Elwick Road

The borough council’s planning committee has approved plans from Persimmon Homes’ Charles Church brand for land south of Elwick Road.

This included permission for 116 new homes near Hartlepool town centre, offering a range of four-bedroom and five-bedroom properties.

Outline permission for the wider housing site of up to 1,200 homes was granted in 2019, with work already under way on another section.

Persimmon Homes, in a statement, said funding contributions have already gone towards the delivery of a new bypass and noted a further contribution will help to fund a new school, new country park and the maintenance of new public open spaces and play facilities.

At the crucial planning meeting, some planning committee members raised concerns about the lack of affordable homes proposed, with Councillor Karen Oliver noting the town was facing a “housing crisis.”

There were also around 19 public objections raising concerns ranging from traffic and access to “erosion of the rural character of the area” and biodiversity impacts.

Yet officers noted that the principle of housing on the wider site had already been approved and said the development was making “substantial contributions” to infrastructure.

Council planning officers, recommending the plan for approval, added the development was acceptable and councillors later approved the application by a majority vote.

Richard Holland, Persimmon Teesside planning director, afterwards said he was “delighted” with the decision.

He added: “This site will provide a broad mix of homes and vast amounts of public open space, which we believe will prove popular with local homebuyers.”