Distinctive Hartlepool town centre building is to be transformed into town's latest HMO

Proposals were submitted in 2024 to bring the property at 47 Church Street back into use.

The largely green-painted building was most recently used as part of offices for town solicitors Smith and Graham although this use ceased in January 2023 and the site has been vacant since.

The application from Borthwick Properties sought to transform the property into a 12-bed HMO consisting of a mixture of double and single bed rooms, each with en-suite facilities.

A shared kitchen space will also be provided.

The proposals initially looked to deliver a 13-bed HMO before being amended to convert one of the planned ground floor bedrooms into a “communal room”.

Hartlepool Development Corporation, which had the final say on the proposals, has confirmed that the application has been approved.

It said: “The site is located within the town centre of Hartlepool and will help support the vitality and viability of the town centre by providing new residential space which will help increase footfall in the area.”

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It added the bedrooms “would be adequate in size” and external alterations “would be minor in nature”.

One objection had been submitted to the application from bosses at a nearby support service.

However, the report from corporation planning officers noted “the development is considered to be acceptable”, subject to routine conditions being complied with.

A planning statement from ASP Services in support of the application noted use as a HMO “would be the most beneficial for this property”.

It added: “In its current use the client has found it difficult to attain full occupation of the building.

“Given the previous few years of the pandemic, office space has become somewhat redundant.

"Therefore, the owner is seeking to find an alternative use for the property which will make it viable under his occupation.”

The statement adds that it is “felt that the development will bring a more efficient use of the site” and it is in an “ideal location”.

While supporters of HMO schemes say they satisfy housing needs, the “proliferation” of applications in Hartlepool was described in March 2024 as “a massive problem” by Hartlepool borough councillor Gary Allen.