Changes made to sizes of houses on new 162-home Hartlepool estate

Plans were previously approved in November 2020 for 162 properties to be built on land south of Elwick Road, Hartlepool, which would contribute towards a proposed 1,200 homes outlined for the wider site.

Yet an application has since been submitted seeking to replace all of the approved house types with those of the new applicant, Duchy Homes, to reflect a change in housebuilder from the previous applicant, Story Homes.

Hartlepool Borough Council planning chiefs have unanimously approved the changes, which will see several alterations made to the proposed development across the 11 hectares of land.

The house type mix will now be altered to provide 27 three bed and 135 four bed homes, with previously 27 five bed properties being planned, along with 30 three bed and 105 four bed houses.

The plans will also include some minor amendments to plot layouts to accommodate the change in house types and changes in bin storage location.

However the overall site remains largely as previously approved, according to council planning officers, which included the arrangement of roads, footpaths and public spaces.

Five objections had been submitted to the latest proposals from residents, raising concerns such as the impact plans would have on traffic and pedestrian safety, a loss of green space and views, and the lack of a need for a large housing development in the area.

Council planning officers noted many of the objections relate to the previously approved plans added that the changes are “purely to update house types”.