Hartlepool

Dec 6 2007

HARTLEPOOL is well used to change.

A tide of regeneration has swept through the town in recent years.

A decade of change has seen millions of pounds invested in the area, transforming huge chunks of the town and breathing new life into sites that were once disused or derelict.

Development of the Marina and the awardwinning Historic Quay have helped earn the town local, national and international recognition.

But it doesn’t stop there - and even more is planned for the town.

Hartlepool’s Victoria Harbour scheme is the biggest regeneration project currently underway in the region.

The huge £500m regeneration site in Hartlepool’s docklands - a joint development between Tees Valley Regeneration and land owners PD Ports - will open up 200 acres of prime seafront land.

A new school, quality homes such as family townhouses and chic apartments, offices and attractively landscaped green open space are just some of the features proposed in the plans.

An attractive coastal path and innovative bridge across the harbour entrance for pedestrians and cyclists will also link the Headland to the site and bring the whole of Hartlepool into the scheme.

But one of the most striking and talked about elements of the design is the ‘wave’, a stunning architectural concept for the public that combines landscaped parkland, water features and public art and will separate the new residential developments from the existing commercial areas.

Major employers have their roots in Hartlepool.

House builder Yuill Homes started out in 1927 and has created more than 30,000 beautiful homes during the years and employed generations of North-east people.

The company operates on 16-20 developments every year across the North-east.

It not only builds successful new homes but also creates thriving new communities, forming effective partnerships to regenerate neighbourhoods and engage with residents.

The company is currently building at three new developments - College Gardens, Billingham, Trinity Court Hartlepool and St Cuthbert’s Mews, Middlesbrough.

The call centre industry is also a major player in our region.

And Garlands Call Centres has its head office in Hartlepool.

The company employs about 3,500 staff across sites in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool - and is opening a new contact centre in South Shields which could create up to 1,000 jobs.

Work continues on the development of Queens Meadow business park at Hartlepool.

The 140-acre site is already home to UK Steel Enterprise’s innovation centre, Quality Roofing Systems and Deepdale Solutions.

When it is fully occupied, the park will house up to 100 businesses and provide 1,500 new jobs for the town.

Also helping business grow is the Brougham Enterprise Centre.

It offers a variety of accommodation and tailored support services catering for businesses wanting to start-up in comfortable, friendly, supportive and adaptable surroundings.

The centre is run by Hartlepool Council and offers start-up units for new businesses.

It has been in existence since 1992 and has recently undergone a £1.3m refurbishment.

Hartlepool has been home to the ‘ghost ships” since 2003 when Able UK secured a deal to dismantle a defunct US naval fleet at its Graythorp yard near Hartlepool.

After years of discussion and debate, permission has been given to the company to develop its yard and begin work.

Able UK will develop its yard for the construction, repair, refurbishment and decommissioning of all types of ships, vessels and other craft.

The company has already begun recruiting for 100 site construction jobs.

But the long term potential is far greater.

The site will be the largest dry dock in the world producing £200m of work over the next four years and about 1,500 jobs in total.

British Energy is another key employer for the Hartlepool area.

Owner of Hartlepool’s nuclear power station, around 540 staff are employed at the site.

During 2007 £25m has been invested in the plant and £4m was spent on its training centre last year.

Hartlepool Power Station is due for decommissioning in 2014, although British Energy hopes recent investment can extend this to 2020.

But thousands of jobs on Teesside could be created if a new power station at Hartlepool is commissioned.

A replacement plant would take up to six years to complete, cost between £1bn and £2bn and employ up to 3,000 construction workers.

A new generation power station would secure the future of about 600 jobs at the plant.

A new station would see the plant generate energy for another 60 years.

A Government report on suitable UK sites for a new fleet of nuclear power stations had placed Hartlepool sixth out of 14.