Pathetic Decision!

As a member of Hartlepool Council Planing Committee I often witness some strange and unbelievable decisions. Yesterday's meeting was no exception. A planning application to spend millions of pounds on the Teesbay Retail Park was TURNED DOWN! Unbelievable!


The main reasons seemed to be a desire to protect the Town Centre Shops and safeguard the Victoria Harbour Development. Protecting the Town Centre didn't seem to be to important when TESCO wanted a new site, ADSA appeared to be acceptable when they moved OUT of the shopping centre. So why not Teesbay?

In my opinion the Town Centre wants to lower its rents and introduce free parking, that would be one way of getting more businesses to take up some of the empty shop units and one way of encouraging more people to actually use the shopping center

As regards Safeguarding Victoria Harbour! We have been waiting for this promised development for years and so far its just pie in the sky. The developers of Teesbay Retail Park wanted to put money into the site NOW. They were projecting stating work within the next five to six months.

Once again Hartlepool Planing Committee have shown themselves to be instrumental in blocking progress in Hartlepool! The only crumb of comfort was the vote was 7 against and 6 for so it was only turned down by the narrowest of margins. I hope the Developer's appeal the decision and the investment isn't lost to the town.