Business owners say the move will "devastate" local businesses in the area, with some even considering closing down altogether if the plans are approved
Sunday 4th December 2022 08:50am
Over 130 objections have been logged against plans to close a busy car park to facilitate the construction of a new substance misuse centre.
Rocker Street Car Park near the towns York Road has become the potential target for development onto which locals claim will significantly affect local businesses in the area….
The application has come up against fierce objections from the local community, following plans recently submitted by the local council to turn a currently “busy” car park near the town’s shopping centre into the site for a substance misuse centre.
Applicants Hartlepool Borough Council (Applying to themselves) are looking for permission to close down a popular car park to facilitate the installation of a number of portacabins on the site to create a new substance misuse centre, replacing the current centre situated in the towns Whitby street that the council claims is "no longer fit for purpose"....
The Car Parks considered to be a considerable size piece of land that the councils looking to develop into a new substance misuse centre,
However, the plans have now come up against fierce objections from the local community, chiefly a number of small businesses in the immediate area of the car park who claim that the closure of the 76 space car park would have a devastating effect on local businesses, with some business owners saying it could prompt them to close down altogether.
Talks to move the service into the areas One Life Centre just metres away from the proposed new location "broke down" when the COVID pandemic struck according to council officers.
Plans for a new substance misuse centre had previously been discussed some time ago where one proposed location reported to have been mulled over was to relocate the service to the nearby One Life Centre situated just meters away from the proposed new development at Roker St & just minutes away from the areas Middleton Grange Shopping Centre.
A number of business owners however say that the car parking area at Roker Street currently proposed to be developed by Hartlepool Borough Council is in regular use, & that if the council wants to promote local business growth in the town, they would not be doing so through the removal of a well-used car park used to facilitate those local businesses nearby.
The plans have also been slammed by local Labour Councillors, one being the areas ward councillor Tom Feeney who manages a nearby business in the area that’s set to be potentially effected by the closure of the car park if the plans are given the green light .
Council Officers claim they’d spent 18 months searching for new premises for the service, after previous plans for a lease at the One Life Centre fell through due to Covid-19, this is despite claims from members of the public that the current centre in the towns Whitby Street was only purpose built for the substance misuse centre just a few years ago & cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to the local tax payer.
Labour Cllr Tom Feeney, said to be one of the councillors objecting to the proposed development
No date has currently been set for the plans that will now have to be put before councillors at a planning committee meeting due to the sheer number of objections received, however some claim the whole saga has “hill view” written all over it, where despite hundreds of objections coming forward, the general attitude of Hartlepool Borough Council has always been “its our way or no way”, with many claiming the plans are merely a foregone conclusion & will be passed despite significant public objection with members of the public feeling increasingly concerned that local matters relating to planning leave some councillors covering their ears & closing their eyes when locals object to plans.
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