Member Article

Hartlepool Regeneration Masterplan receives backing from local businesses

A blueprint that could breathe new life into a North East town has received the backing of local businesses.

Hartlepool Regeneration Masterplan, which covers the town’s marina and waterfront, won the backing of North East Chamber of Commerce members at the organisation’s Hartlepool Area Meeting this week.

The masterplan forms part of the Hartlepool Vision unveiled by the local authority earlier this year, which aims to revitalise the centre of Hartlepool, spark wider regeneration and lay foundations for future prosperity.

The waterfront and surrounding area masterplanning details what can be delivered as well as showing where and how regeneration can be achieved.

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

Deputy Chairman of Trustees of HMS Trincomalee and Chairman of the NECC Hartlepool Area, Peter Olsen, said: “Hartlepool is bursting with potential and boasts a wealth of assets and vibrant businesses, but there is remains so much more that could be done to make the town a better place to live, work and visit.

“This Masterplan has the potential to stimulate investment, attract new business and give the town a much-needed shot in the arm to make us attractive to inward investors, encourage new visitors to the town and give them a better experience whilst they are here”.

NECC Head of Member Relations, Rachel Anderson, said: “By focusing on developing and attracting major new retail and leisure facilities, the document provides an ambitious, but achievable, blueprint of how the town can prosper as a visitor destination, a centre for advanced manufacturing and create new job opportunities.

“If we can seek to emulate the successes of places such as the Belfast Titanic Quarter or perhaps Portsmouth and provide a real destination on the East Coast it will provide a major economic boost.

“We would however like to go further and develop the railway station to allow better rail connections to the town and to see land tied up around the marina released for development.

“Developments such as this are never easy to deliver but we very much welcome having a really ambitious plan to work towards.

“Members were impressed with ambition demonstrated in the document and wholeheartedly endorsed the aim to maximise the undoubted potential that Hartlepool has.”

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