Hartlepool council's development brief for Jacksons Landing envisages hotel, restaurant and leisure use

Hartlepool Borough Council, which owns the former factory shopping outlet, says detailed site masterplanning is now underway with a view to submitting a planning application early next year.

A report of Denise Ogden, the council’s Director of Regeneration and Neighbourhoods, states: “The precise form of mixed-use development that will take place on the site will be informed by market demand.

“The final development mix is likely to involve a combination of hotel, restaurant, specialty retail and leisure uses and possibly some residential development.”

The report adds: “Upon a successful planning determination the site will be promoted to targeted developers and investors.”

It is said the full development of the site will take several years to complete.

The council says the masterplanning exercise will take 14 weeks to complete and there will be consultation with key stakeholders and the local community before it is finalised.

A consortium of architects, building cost consultants and property advisors has been commissioned, led by Newcastle-based architects GT3.

The council has secured £122,250 from the Arts Council Museum Resilience Fund which will fund the architectural concept design and modelling work.

It says it is likely that the site will need a new ‘anchor’ visitor attraction to bring sufficient people and that any new building will need to be a multiple-use venue.

Ms Odgen’s report added: “The site is pivotal to plans to create a landmark destination on the waterfront, centred around the recently launched National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN Hartlepool).

“The goal is to create a destination that local people will be proud of and one that will attract visitors to Hartlepool from across the North East Region and further afield.”

The council says the development of Jacksons Landing provides an opportunity to strengthen links between the Marina and Navigation Point and the Church Street Heritage Quarter.

It is proposed to set up a Waterfront Development Advisory Group to help coordinate development along the waterfront and surrounding areas made up of landowners and representatives from PD Ports, Hartlepool Marina, Jomast, the National Museum of the Royal Navy (Hartlepool) and others.

The council’s outline development programme will go before the council’s Regeneration Services Committee on Friday, September 9.