Hartlepool chiefs confident on Church Street scheme, despite setbacks caused by covid pandemic

A view of Church Street during lockdown.

Hartlepool Borough Council officers explained the pandemic has led to a delay in building grants being received and works carried out in Church Street as part of the Townscape Heritage Scheme.

A building grant scheme was previously set up as part of the project for businesses in the street, which invited them to bid for lottery funding as part of the initiative to improve the area.

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Council officers explained the pandemic was a key reason why they have been unable to deliver the building grants and activities to date, with the scheme being revised, simplified and extended until November 2022.

Sarah Scarr, council heritage and countryside manager, told councillors many businesses had to assess their future plans due to the pandemic, leading to a delay in the works.

However, speaking to the regeneration services committee, she said they are committed to helping to improve Church Street.

She said: “I think a lot of them were just looking at their future plans, it took them a long time to work out what they wanted to do with their businesses and how they wanted to take it forward.

“Particular issues were that people were looking to do work in 2020 and obviously we had the pandemic, so the planning process slowed down and then that had a knock-on effect.

“When we get a year like we did last year, it really does just halt the process somewhat.

“Throughout that time we have been engaging with business owners and all of them have shown that they have a commitment to Church Street and do want to invest in their properties.

“It’s just them requiring some clarity on the situation and the future of things before they want to make that final investment.”

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Another issue delaying the works was the challenge of recruiting an officer to oversee the project, with six months passing prior to an officer being in post, and it becoming vacant again in December 2019 for a further 10 months.

Gemma Ptak, council assistant director for preventative and community based services, said there were challenges due to the fixed-term nature of the contact, but someone is now in place.

She said: “The challenges were in relation to the length of the contact.

“Often when it’s a fixed-term post there’s less interest, and it is quite a specialist role in terms of what we would like to progress, especially linked to the nature of the conservation area and the aspirations for that.

“It’s been challenging but we’ve now got someone who’s experienced in that role and hence why we’re bringing the proposals because we’re confident we can really progress and pick up some momentum and get this programme delivered.”