The plans are said to have been approved by HBC Officers this week, despite being submitted over 18 months ago, with local parish councils... as well as locals feeling as if their concerns are once again being 'ignored'...
8th Jan 2025
Plans for the construction of a gas-powered standby electricity generator on the outskirts of Hartlepool have been approved by Hartlepool Borough Council, despite a wave of objections from residents, parish councils, and local community groups.
The proposal, submitted by Forsa Energy Gas Holdings Ltd in July 2023, sought permission to build the facility on land east of the Worset Lane electricity substation. However some local residents are said to be questioning why it's taken the council nearly 18 months to make a decision, particularly given the volume and intensity of local opposition to the development.
“The Rural Area is Paying a Heavy Price”
The Hartlepool Rural Plan, a local community group that monitors developments in the town’s rural areas, was among those reportedly raising concerns over the proposed development, In a damning statement, the group said:
“The number of applications along the A179 apparently attracted to the long-established Hartmoor Substation are a source of extreme concern. There seems to be an insatiable demand for these developments, and the rural area of Hartlepool is paying a heavy price.”
That sentiment was reportedly echoed by furious locals, who argue the relentless over-development in the area is stripping the village of its rural charm. Parish councils are also said to have voiced their dismay, accusing Hartlepool Borough Council of ignoring their pleas to protect the countryside from what they see as unchecked over-development.
A History of Broken Trust
This latest decision has reignited tensions between Hartlepool Borough Council and the rural parishes it represents. Critics argue that the council is repeatedly dismissing the voices of those who live in the borough’s rural districts, fuelling growing resentment. One local resident summed up the community’s frustration:
“It just feels like we’re being sacrificed for profit all the time. Our concerns don’t matter to them (Hartlepool Borough Council), so long as developers get their way.”
The fallout could once again re-ignite the debate over whether the towns rural district parish councils in Hartlepool’s could, once again, consider declaring a vote of no confidence in Hartlepool Borough Council. A similar vote held back in 2021 nearly led to rural parish councils breaking away from Hartlepool altogether to join County Durham, signalling just how deep the divide has now grown.
What’s at Stake?
Residents are not only said to be concerned about the environmental impact of the gas generator but also about the precedent it sets for future developments. Many fear this approval will open the floodgates for more industrial projects in areas that should be protected for their natural beauty and rural character, with many locals now feeling as if their concerns are being wilfully dismissed by a local council who's seemingly out of touch with its rural districts, leading many to ponder whether a break away to another borough council may be the only viable way forward in order to ensure that the areas rural aspect is maintained & protected from a local council that seems hell bent on allowing it all to be used for whoever's the highest bidder...