£31,000 research project into potential regeneration of Oxford Road area of Hartlepool

Research is to be carried out into possible options for regeneration for an area hit by crime and anti-social behaviour.
Oxford Road, Hartlepool. Picture: Google.Oxford Road, Hartlepool. Picture: Google.
Oxford Road, Hartlepool. Picture: Google.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s regeneration services committee approved carrying out research over potential work to the Oxford Road older housing area.

The work is being carried out using £31,720 of external funding and must be completed by March 2019.

Andrew Carter of Hartlepool Borough Council.Andrew Carter of Hartlepool Borough Council.
Andrew Carter of Hartlepool Borough Council.
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Andrew Carter, assistant director for economic growth and regeneration, said the work will provide the background to any possible bid for funding to redevelop the area if it becomes available.

He said: “We’re well aware in that area we have a lot of problems with anti-social behaviour, crime, all the other things that you associate with an area of deprivation.

“We want to spend that money on conducting research including the feasibility of regeneration and an appraisal of the possible options for intervention moving forward.

“That’s the key thing, it will identify what options we’ve got available to us now, what options we’ve got available to us in the future and what the cost of delivering those interventions would be.

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“Those interventions could range from, speaking anecdotally here, from more police on the street for instance, to CCTV cameras on a corner, all the way through to options such as demolition and rebuild.

“This feasibility study would show the best ones to do for our money.”

He added if in the future the council was to bid for money they would need such research to support any development.

Council bosses said the decision to commission a masterplan for the area was taken due to concerns raised by residents in the area of its perceived view.

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Councillors on the committee supported the proposed study into the area.

Coun Jim Lindridge said: “I think we’re aware of the situation and problems with that area itself. “

The funding comes after Thirteen Housing Group submitted a bid to the national estate regeneration programme for funding and a Tees Valley group was set up to identify areas in need.

External consultants will now carry out the study before the end of March and will update councillors for the area of the work taking place.

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service