'My home is safe' says Hartlepool builder after demolishing half his house for extension

Jamie O’Connor is building a two-storey extension to the back of his semi-detached property in Caledonian Road, Hartlepool, and was served with an unsafe building notice by Hartlepool Borough Council last week.

The authority later shut the road around the house on Tuesday, October 20, citing safety concerns over its structural condition.

It insists the closure will remain in place “until such time as the structural concerns are addressed”.

But Mr O’Connor, who has 40 years of involvement in the building trade, maintains the building is safe and the road closure is unnecessary.

He said: “I haven’t had anything to say what their actual concerns are. It’s just not acceptable to say ‘we’re not happy’.

"If I honestly thought I was putting this property in any jeopardy whatsoever I would pro-actively do something about it.”

Mr O’Connor, who has lived in the house for 15 years, said the rear was carefully dismantled one tile and brick at a time about three weeks ago.

He added numerous structural building props are firmly fixed in place.

"They will individually take tonnes and there are 13 installed,” he said. “They could hold up the weight of the entire house, not just a couple of floors and the roof.”

He added a member of the council’s building control team previously inspected and approved the foundations.

As it is his property, he says he is allowed to continue with the extension and will do so.

The council granted planning permission for the extension three years ago.

It is being extended 4.2 metres beyond the property’s original footprint.

Mr O’Connor, who was the contracts manager for O’Connor Roofing Services, which has experience of major building projects, said of the closure: “I think it’s unnecessary.

"This is causing disruption to neighbours and road users.”

A Hartlepool Borough Council spokesperson said: “We are in discussions with the building owner to remedy the situation and open the road as soon as possible.

"Our first duty of care is to residents and as such the road will need to remain closed until such time as the structural concerns are addressed.”

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Hartlepool Mail website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.