Decision due over 195-home development as council receives 47 objection letters

Hill Enterprises Ltd is hoping to gain outline planning permission for the scheme on land at Seaview Park Homes, off the town’s Easington Road.

A mix of new homes and flats are proposed to be built on an 18-acre plot of land behind the existing Seaview residential caravan park.

A decision is due to be made on the principle, scale and access to the development next Wednesday by Hartlepool Borough Council.

A design and access statement on behalf of the applicant states: “There would be a change in character of the application site from scrub land with holiday park homes and redundant static caravan pitches, to built form with associated infrastructure and planting.

“The landscape and visual quality of the existing site is poor and does not contribute positively to the character of the local area.

“The application site is bounded by low value Rural Fringe, which shows signs of degradation of rural character.

“It is considered that the proposals would offer an overall improvement in the localised landscape character.”

To date, the council has received 47 letters objecting to the development.

Objections include loss of privacy, loss of wildlife habitat, increase in traffic, and loss of amenity to existing resident in what they say is intended to be retirement properties.

Access into the new site is proposed to be from Easington Road to the west of the site.

Road improvements are proposed including a right turn only lane southbound on Easington Road, the relocation of an existing bus stop on the southbound side of the road, and a new pedestrian refuge point to the north of the proposed access for pedestrians to cross.

A number of changes have been made to the scheme and extra information supplied since being lodged in 2015.

It followed a number of issues that were raised relating to the principle and scale of the development, highways and ecology.

Council officers are recommending the scheme be refused.

They say it is outside the development limits and goes against the council’s 2006 Local Plan and emerging plan which identifies the land for a strategic gap.

A council report states: “The scale of the proposals would significantly alter the appearance of the site, introducing a much denser and recognisably urban built form.”

Councillors will have the final decision.

Wednesday’s Planning Committee meeting starts at 10am at the civic centre.