Plans have gone in for the proposed demolition of a former town Social Club and nearby Car Wash after both were purchased by a supposedly 'cash strapped' council for many times more than they were actually worth....
12th Jan 2025
Plans to breathe new life into Hartlepool’s Church Street area could be around the corner, but many locals are likely to ask at what price?, as proposals have been submitted to the Hartlepool Development Corporation (HDC) for the demolition of two prominent sites: the former ‘Clippy’ Social Club on Whitby Street and the nearby Diamond Car Wash which were snapped up by a supposedly 'cash strapped' council for many times more than they were actually worth.
According to a report set to be reviewed by the HDC, the closure of the social club last year led to Hartlepool Borough Council purchasing the property as part of its acquisitions program under the Levelling Up Fund for the Hartlepool Production Village project. The council also acquired the adjacent Diamond Car Wash, securing ownership of the entire site.
The plans are said to be part of a broader effort to revitalise the towns Whitby Street area and integrate it into the ambitious Hartlepool Production Village initiative.
Spearheaded by the Hartlepool Development Corporation and the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the project's said to be a multi-million-pound investment aimed at transforming Hartlepool's Church Street into a hub of cultural and economic activity despite decades of similar investment programmes yielding little economic benefit for the town.
HBC Exposed reported on the controversial purchase of the site last year
The most latest project however has not been without its controversy. In February Last year, Hartlepool Borough Council faced a major backlash after it was revealed that the supposedly cash-strapped council spent over half a million pounds in tax payer funds to purchase the former social club site. The development sparked outrage amongst local residents when it was disclosed that the building had been valued at just £71,000 the year before, fuelling concerns over the councils potential misuse of public funds and transparency in the decision-making process to purchase the site without public consultation. .
As demolition plans now reportedly move forward, many in Hartlepool are said to be watching closely to see if these efforts will deliver on the promised regeneration, or become another contentious chapter in the town’s redevelopment history.