Plans laid out for £18million A19 bypass and link road into Hartlepool

Hartlepool Borough Council’s finance and policy committee are to discuss the Hartlepool Western Growth Corridor project consisting of the development of a bypass for the village of Elwick and a bridge over the dual-carriageway at the current Elwick North junction on the A19.

It will also assist in the building of around 1,500 new homes to the west of Hartlepool, as set out in the town’s local plan.

Tees Valley Combined Authority has granted £4.172million of funding towards the project, while the council is in advanced discussion to secure a further £4.173million from Homes England to support the scheme.

Plans have been drawn up for the remaining £10.161million to be funded from council borrowing which will be repaid by contributions from developers looking to build new homes as part of the plan, over a seven to 10 year period.

Under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, contributions can be sought from developers towards the costs of providing community and social infrastructure needed as a result of a new developments taking place.

A draft final design has now been drawn up for the new Elwick bypass junction and a planning application is expected to be submitted in early 2019.

A council report from Denise Ogden, director of regeneration and neighbourhoods, states the scheme will have many benefits for the town and the surrounding area.

She said: “The Western Growth Corridor and associated grade separated junction is designed to address safety and capacity issues in relation to traffic movements through Elwick village.

“It will also facilitate future housing growth which in turn will provide increased council tax income to help maintain council services.

“Given the importance of these infrastructure improvements it is considered necessary to have in place a final funding commitment from council to agree the prudential borrowing to cover the cost of the scheme.

“Over the next 7 to 10 years the authority will be able to secure Section 106 payments from housing developments within the vicinity of the bypass which will repay the prudential borrowing.”

At present, Hartlepool only has two main road routes in and out of the town for the A19.

The new road proposals would create a bypass for the village of Elwick and deliver an upgrade to the current Elwick North junction to the A19, to give a third route into Hartlepool.

The scheme would relieve pressure on existing access points to allow them to support economic growth elsewhere, such as the Port and three Enterprise Zones.

The report will be brought to the council finance and policy committee meeting on Monday, November 26, at 10am at the Civic Centre.

Nic Marko, Local Democracy Reporting Service