Hartlepool Borough Council aims to buy disputed land in bid to build £25m new relief road

The Elwick bypass will feature a grade separated junction linked to the A19 and a new highway north of Elwick linking to existing roads.

Council officers have said it is key for “reducing the pressure on existing road networks and the economic impact of growing Hartlepool”.

The latest full council meeting saw councillors confirm the use of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) and other related orders to acquire land which has “not yet proved possible to reach agreement” over.

Council leader and independent union councillor Shane Moore said: “This is a really important infrastructure that is needed for the entire borough of Hartlepool, we can’t as a town grow without this new road.

“I hope this shows everybody that we do mean business, we are going to get cracking with this and we are going to continue doing everything that we’ve been doing in trying to make this town grow.”

Officers previously said if the CPO process leads to a public inquiry then an inspector’s decision on land acquisition might not be reached until summer 2024.

At the end of last year a final design was confirmed with National Highways, with a planning application now lodged and awaiting validation.

Finance officers have said it is currently predicted the scheme will cost £24.497million with an “upper estimate” of £26.094million.

In total £8.345million will come from grant funding, with borrowing costs of between £14.832million and £16.429million also earmarked.

The near one-mile long road will run from the locally named Devil’s Elbow, in Elwick Road, to the existing A19 junction at North Lane.