Hundreds of objections to plans for 1,200 homes in new housing development in Hartlepool

The edge of the land near High Tunstall Farm where up to 1,200 homes could be built

Plans for the development in the High Tunstall area also include proposals for a new primary school, new road, local centre, open space and planting.

Almost 500 objections have been received by Hartlepool Borough Council, largely around concerns about the impact the development will have on the road network.

A decision on the principle of the development, and the first phase of up to 208 homes, is due to be made by the council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday.

Despite the objections, council officers say the benefits outweigh the negatives, and recommend it should be approved.

A report stated: “It is considered that the proposed development would, overall, positively benefit each of the threads of economic, social and environmental sustainability and would, on balance, deliver sustainable development”.

The application by Tunstall Homes Ltd was first lodged with the council in 2014.

The council says a number of significant amendments have been made to the plans since then including reducing the number of homes from 2,000.

A new roundabout would be built on Elwick Road to provide the main entry and exit into the site.

It is expected the distributor road will eventually form part of a new western relief road for the town.

A total of 482 objections have been received by the council in response to the proposed development.

Reasons include increased traffic through Elwick, queuing on A19 around Elwick and Dalton Piercy, and more traffic and congestion at the Elwick Road/Wooler Road/Park Road junction.

Others raise fears of loss of privacy to surrounding homes, potentially years of noise and dust during the building, and question the need.

Objectors also say so many homes will put pressure on town services such as health and schools.

Elwick Parish Council is strongly opposed to any development in the area until a new relief road has been built.

It is proposed to close the Dalton Piercy and Elwick central reservation gaps on the A19 and improve the A179 Sheraton junction to ease traffic issues.

The council says no more than the initial 208 homes should be built before work starts on an Elwick bypass.

The applicant is offering to give £14.4m towards the bypass, £1.07m to address the impact on Park Road/Wooler Road/Elwick Road junction, plus £300,000 for measures to minimise the impact to ecology.