Plans submitted to turn former Hartlepool pub into flats

Proposals by applicant Megill Billingham Ltd look to convert The Vault pub in Whitby Street into seven one bedroom flats.

The application says the one bedroom flats will provide social housing provision in the area.

A design and access statement submitted by Nova Castria Design on behalf of the applicant state the plans will look to be in keeping with the area and provide a positive development for the town.

It said: “The objective of the submission is to provide a sensitive revitalisation proposal that connects to the established local community.

“The re-development has been sympathetically designed to reinstate the traditional architectural character of the area and sit comfortably within surrounding area.

“The scheme has been prepared with great care and detail to the immediate surrounding areas and also the potential occupier’s future occupiers.”

The units would be designed to meet or exceed current standard size for one bedroom, one person living accommodation with a shower room.

The development would feature four flats on the ground floor and three flats on the first floor, with a new staircase being built to access them.

The scheme proposes having three parking spaces for the flats to the side of the property with any additional parking spaces to be formed by using the bays provided by the council around Whitby Street and Surtees Street.

The property previously featured a restaurant on the first floor as well as the public house on the ground floor, and would be stripped out inside to make way for the flats.

Minimal changes would need to be made to the outside of the buildings, with new windows and doors needing to be added.

The flats would all feature a living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.

Consultation is currently ongoing with various organisations to see if there are any objections or modifications needed to the plans.

Currently no objections have been submitted to the proposals.

A decision on the plans is expected to be made by the Hartlepool Borough Council planning department in the coming months.

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service