Jomast is given OK for £100m wharf plan

Jun 26 2008 by Graeme King, The Journal

A £100m development scheme is set to transform the town of Hartlepool after councillors granted planning permission late yesterday.

Jomast Developments, headed by multi-millionaire Stuart Monk, has been told it can go ahead with its ambitious Trincomalee Wharf scheme which will deliver a four-star hotel, restaurants, shops, offices and apartments – adding up to 470,000sq ft of development.

The 11.5-acre site, equivalent to seven football pitches, lies at the south end of Hartlepool Marina and will help to link the area with Hartlepool town centre.

The project, close to the home of the historic HMS Trincomalee and the popular marina, will help to complete the development of the old port of Hartlepool, and further the town’s ambitions to regenerate its economy.

Mr Monk, managing director of Jomast, said: “We are very pleased that planning permission for the scheme has now been granted.

“Trincomalee Wharf is a highly prestigious development that will add an exciting new dimension to the marina. It has the potential to become a new landmark destination for the North East and will benefit the town, its people and the wider business community.

“With any such scheme we will now have to take account of the conditions and deal with all reserved matter.”

Jomast Developments was established in 1971 and has since grown to become one of the North East’s leading developers.

Last year, the company was named as the preferred developer for the Trincomalee Wharf site by joint owners Hartlepool Council, HMS Trincomalee Trust and English Partnerships. This April Jomast secured a 990-year lease for part of the development site after lengthy talks with the landowners and other key organisations.

Mr Monk was listed on the Estates Gazette Rich List last year with a fortune of £93m – up from £79m in 2006.

Jomast played a pivotal role in the redevelopment of Hartlepool Marina and has developed out-of-town offices at Teesdale.