27-Acre greenfield site Near a Quiet Nature Reserve Quietly Put Out for Tender – 200+ Homes Proposed?

Plans for a further 200 homes could be on the Horizon, as a stretch of land near to a local nature reserve is put up for sale to the highest bidder....

9th June 2025

A 27-acre greenfield site bordering Summerhill Country Park has quietly gone out to informal tender where HBC Exposed reveals could pave the way for yet another major housing development being created on Hartlepool’s increasingly overburdened green spaces.

The land, reportedly owned by developers Cecil M Yuill Ltd, is located off Summerhill Lane, right on the doorstep of Summerhill Country Park, a much-loved destination for families, walkers, and wildlife enthusiasts. Despite its environmental and recreational value, this parcel of green space is now being marketed for potential residential development – without any planning permission currently in place.

The marketing is being handled by Savills, with tenders invited by 5th June 2025. And whilst no deal has reportedly been done yet at the time HBC Exposed has gone to publication with this report, the details paint a worrying picture for those already alarmed by Hartlepool’s ever increasing overdevelopment of homes in the area.

Plans for 200+ Homes on the Horizon?

Behind the scenes, Yuill has reportedly submitted a pre-application screening request to Hartlepool Borough Council’s Planning Advisory Service, indicating its intention to seek permission for approximately 200–220 homes on the site. A concept plan which HBC Exposed has seen shows the proposed layout, suggesting primary access to the site being made from Catcote Road, with a possible secondary access to the north of the site itself.

Although the plans are said to be 'at an early stage', we’re told the Council’s initial response has been “positive” — a clear red flag for concerned residents and campaigners.

 A Rural Retreat at Risk

The site itself is currently a greenfield patch of land — mostly open and undeveloped, apart from a small section used for pony grazing. Bordered by hedgerows, a small river, and treelines, it's said to represent one of the last remaining buffers between Hartlepool’s urban sprawl and its rural edge.

The southern portion of the land is being eyed for development, in part to avoid impacting the High Tunstall Green Wedge and to steer clear of a reported Flood Zone to the north. Yet even a partial buildout could have serious consequences for local biodiversity, public amenity, and the semi-rural character of this cherished stretch of the town regarded by many has Hartlepool's 'Hidden Gem'.....

There's been little in the way of public consultation on the plans & is likely to come up against strong objections

The land is being sold via informal sealed tender, meaning no formal public announcement, no full public consultation has taken place— just developers quietly invited to submit their best offers behind closed doors.

Importantly, both conditional and unconditional bids are being considered – with no obligation to accept the highest bidder. This process allows developers to speculate on land without accountability or transparency, even when that land borders protected or valued community spaces.

Its expected that a full application for planning permission on the site could be submitted by late 2025 if any sale progresses, leaving little time for local residents, community groups, and environmental defenders to make their voices heard, with the Hartlepool Local Plan whilst technically allowing for some housing growth, now risks allowing developers to creep into semi-rural green spaces, especially ones next to nature reserves, & is almost certain to raise serious objections when the plans go public & is likely to be one of the most contentious developments since the Hill View Housing Development Scandal of 2020...