Council bosses hope for ‘big investment’ in Hartlepool’s port with new planning order

Hartlepool Borough Council regeneration services committee endorsed implementing a local development order (LDO) for the port, which is a Government designated ‘Enterprise Zone’.

The order will allow developments to be undertaken more easily, as they will not need to obtain planning permission, providing the development is carried out in accordance with established design guidance and conditions.

Matthew King, council planning policy team leader, said the owners of the port wanted to get the order, which initially expired in March 2018, renewed to help attract investment.

He said: “There’s a potential for a big investment in the port which the owners of the port are seeking.

“They have expressed their desire for us to get it [the LDO] back in place as quickly as possible so it helps to incentivise the site and hopefully bring in a lot of jobs etc through that.

“It helps them potentially help us with investment into the town.”

He added until a proposal comes the exact forms of development would be unknown although he said discussions previously were to do with the offshore wind industry.

The port was listed as one of the Government’s ‘Enterprise Zones’ across the country, which were targeted in order to stimulate economic growth.

Whilst some of the Enterprise Zones ceased to exist from the end of March 2018, along with their individual LDO’s, the financial incentives as part of the Enterprise Zone at the port at Hartlepool will be in place until the end of March 2020.

The Enterprise Zone initiative is intended to support and attract key investment in key sectors which have been identified as having potential growth, with the port listed as an “Enhanced Capital Allowance Zone”.

The LDO will now be reported to full council for formal adoption in the area.

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service