Hartlepool's former York Hotel set to become student accommodation

Proposals have been submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council planning department to convert The York Hotel into a site providing 13 bedrooms for student accommodation.

The applicants, Dr Catherine Stephenson and Miss Julie Brooks, are registered landlords with The Northern School of Arts (NSA) and are both also registered with the National Landlord Association.

The plans state the former 12-room hotel in York Road would be converted into seven studio apartments, two one-bedroom flats and two two-bedroom flats, all for students.

The proposed accommodation would be targeted at second and third year students coming out of halls of residence, with the aim of providing a complementary offer to existing first year accommodation in the area.

A planning and sustainability statement, submitted on behalf of the applicant, states the development would offer ‘much needed’ quality student accommodation in the town.

It said: “The proposal to provide 13 high-quality student accommodation bedrooms within a range of accommodation types within the existing building represents a relatively modest scale of development which is of an appropriate scale for this edge of town centre location.

“The proposal would provide important and much needed high quality student living accommodation whilst also bringing a large empty building back into use to the significant benefit of the area and its local community.

“The scheme would be delivered by reputable and NSA registered landlords with a proven track record of delivering student properties in Hartlepool to an excellent quality.”

Plans also note the introduction of a permanent residential use on the site would result in an ‘increase in the security and surveillance’ of the predominantly commercial part of the town.

The applicants are currently the largest private landlords in Hartlepool, according to planning statements.

In total they have 62 student bedrooms spread across 14 properties ranging in size from three to six bedroomed units, all of which are kept to a ‘very high standard’.

The new development would also feature a common room, laundry facilities, a staff office and secure cycle parking, with minimal external alterations planned.

A decision is expected to be made on the plans by the council planning department in the coming weeks.

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