These Hartlepool engineering schemes have all been shortlisted for excellence awards

Thirteen ‘pioneering’ projects celebrating excellence in the region have been shortlisted by Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East for its Robert Stephenson Awards 2019.

Projects in the running in Hartlepool are drainage to address flooding Stranton Cemetery, the Headland coastal defences and Greatham South flood alleviation scheme.

Projects from the region have been shortlisted across three categories according to their budget.

The Institution of Civil Engineers stated: “Awards are made to recognise particular merit, physical achievement, innovation or ingenuity.”

The winners of the Robert Stephenson Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Newcastle on May 2.

Tony Hanson, Hartlepool council’s assistant director (environment and neighbourhood services), said: “We are delighted to be in the running for these awards.

“Almost a quarter of all the projects shortlisted – the Stranton Cemetery drainage, the Headland coastal defences and the Whitley Bay central promenade coastal protection works – are Hartlepool Borough Council-led schemes, designed and delivered by the council’s Engineering Design and Management Service.

“To have such a considerable presence on this prestigious awards shortlist is a substantial achievement in itself.”

But the inclusion of the £9.5m Headland coastal defences scheme in the awards shortlist has come in for criticism from some local residents.

Coping stones on a new ramp fell out in December sparking an urgent investigation by Hartlepool Borough Council.

And in January, the Mail reported how two more large stones at the top of the sea wall near Sea View Terrace had moved out of position.

Headland resident Alan Cook, 72, said of the awards nomination: “I think it’s an insult to the people of the Headland.

“It’s unproven and it’s beginning to fail within a very short time.”

Another resident, Thomas Chapple, said: “The noise now is worse than it was before they put this cladding on the front.”

Another Headland resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “Some of it is alright, but there is parts that are not good enough.”

Regarding the Headland works criticism, the council said previously the problems occurred along isolated sections of the sea defences where the localised wave environment differed.

It added the project at the time was not complete and a modified coping stone has been developed and installed.