Plans approved for 186-home development at Wynyard Park

Hartlepool Borough Council Planning Committee unanimously backed the proposals from Countryside Properties on November 4 to provide the houses at the Wynyard Park site.

The development is to offer a mix of builds to ‘reflect the need for quality, family housing’ in the area, according to the applicant.

Krishna Mistry, a town planner at Pegasus Group, speaking on behalf of Countryside Properties, told councillors the development would have numerous benefits for the area.

She said: “This application represents Countryside Properties’s confidence in delivering homes in the North East and are committed to delivering a high quality development and investment into the region.

“During the construction phase it is estimated that the proposals could deliver up to 118 temporary jobs per year both on site and in the wider economy.

“The development will also generate significant investment into the region with an estimated value of up to £23million.”

She added the new homes could also generate up to £390,000 per year in additional council tax revenue.

Access to the development is to be taken from a roundabout junction at the Wynyard Park site, while a central area of public open space, including a playground area, is also featured as part of the plans.

The site will take up around 16.9 acres on currently vacant land located just off the A689.

The approval is subject to the developer providing various financial planning contributions to the area, including £559,000 towards primary education, £365,240 towards secondary education and £39,740 towards health facilities.

They would also need to contribute approximately £690,000 to highways work and £185,000 towards footways/cycleways.

When plans were initially submitted at the end of 2019 they stated 189 new homes would be provided, but proposals were later amended to offer 186 properties.

A design and access statement submitted by the applicant stated the development will provide ‘an attractive, high quality designed area to live’.

Aidan Dobinson Booth, council principal planning officer, had recommended the proposals were approved by councillors prior to the meeting.

This was despite concerns being submitted by Elwick Parish Council over the proposed development.

They argued it would be overly dense, cause increased pressures on roads, that driveways were not big enough and there is a lack of capacity within existing schools.

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