Member Article

Council seeks expert company to help deliver major regeneration vision

A North East council has started its search to appoint an expert company to help deliver on a radical new blueprint for the town.

Hartlepool Borough Council is seeking to work with an organisation that has significant regeneration experience to help develop an ambitious Masterplan covering the town’s Marina and waterfront.

The announcement follows hard on the heels of the Council’s launch of the Hartlepool Vision – attended by over 150 representatives from business and industry – which aims to revitalise the centre of Hartlepool, spark the town’s wider regeneration and lay the foundations for its future prosperity.

The Masterplan aims to increase Hartlepool’s profile as a major leisure and visitor destination and unlock opportunities for the economic growth of the town.

These new facilities will complement other key sectors that will drive the future growth of the Hartlepool economy including the advanced manufacturing, process industries, energy and engineering sectors.

The Council is seeking creative and deliverable solutions for leisure, tourism, commercial, retail and recreation uses to redefine the town and open up its full potential.

Hartlepool has lots of assets such as the award-winning Maritime Experience, which is home to the world’s oldest wooden battleship afloat, HMS Trincomalee and where visitors can experience a typical 18th century seaport.

Hartlepool was also host to the world famous Tall Ships Races in 2010 which attracted one million visitors to the town from around the globe.

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, the leader of Hartlepool Council, said: “Hartlepool already has lots to offer but we must build on the previous successes with a bold new and achievable plan for regenerating the wider area, especially unused sites such as Jacksons Landing and the Trincomalee Wharf.

“The master planning of the waterfront and surrounding area will articulate in more detail how much of our collective ambition can be delivered but also show where and how this can be achieved.

“Gone are the days when councils can go it alone on ambitious plans like this and the Masterplan process will provide the opportunity to work together with businesses, land owners and developers to regenerate key areas of our town.

“We are incredibly lucky that Hartlepool has such a rich maritime history and a heritage that provides us with some very clear building blocks upon which we can build a clear plan to develop the local economy.

“Our aim is to create major new retail and leisure facilities, increase the town’s profile as a visitor destination and produce much-needed job opportunities for the town. It is all about promoting Hartlepool as a quality, thriving destination to live, work and visit.”

Hartlepool Council recently purchased the former Jacksons Landing site which lies at the heart of the marina and is one of several areas earmarked by Council chiefs to be revitalised.

Sandy Anderson, the Chairman of the local enterprise partnership Tees Valley Unlimited described the Council’s aspirations for the town as visionary, challenging and inspiring.

He said: “The Hartlepool Vision is entirely consistent with the strategy for the Tees Valley. It will certainly contribute to our longer term ambitions for future. I wish Hartlepool the very best in delivering this strategy because I think it is fantastic.”

Damien Wilson, assistant director (regeneration) for Hartlepool Council, added: “Hartlepool has come a long way in the last 20 years and the Hartlepool Vision and Masterplan is fantastic opportunities to kick start the next stage of major regeneration.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to invigorate key parts of the town and through the Masterplan process we will explore in depth the full potential of the areas and propose realistic solutions for what can be achieved.”

Companies have until 7 March to submit their bids for the Masterplan tender. An appointment is expected in April which will be followed by significant consultation and engagement with residents, businesses, land owners, developers and other key stakeholders before the completion of the Masterplan by January 2015.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Graham Vincent .