Admiral Court Nursing Home: Absent Developer Leaves Hartlepool Council in the Lurch...& out of pocket !

The former Admiral Cout Nursing Home in Hartlepool

Efforts to get the developer to take action on the vandal ridden site appears to have been fruitless, after HBC Exposed finds the company responsible for the building has been dissolved..

12th March 2025

Efforts to get an absent developer to take responsibility for a vandal-stricken building have been dealt yet another blow, after an investigation by HBC Exposed has revealed the company responsible for the derelict Admiral Court Nursing Home has now been dissolved—almost immediately after receiving notice from Hartlepool Borough Council to take action on the site.

The business believed to have owned the derelict nursing home was dissolved almost immediately after recieving notice from Hartlepool Borogh Council

This latest development has fueled speculation that Hartlepool Borough Council may now be forced into a costly compulsory purchase order (CPO) to finally resolve the issue. Last month, its claimed Hartlepool Borogh Council served notice on the developers, requiring them to take action on the site within four months. The order mandated either the demolition of the decaying structure or significant remedial work to secure the site. However, with the developer's business now officially dissolved by comapnies house, any such enforcement may now prove to be 'impossible'.

A Troubled History

The former Nursing Home in Greenland Road, Hartlepool, as it was pictures in the mid 2000s

Admiral Court Nursing Home was originally built in the early 1990s and operated as a care facility until its closure by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Following its closure, the property was acquired by a business that was later found to be running an illegal Ponzi-style financial scheme. A Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigation led to the court-ordered winding up of the business, leaving the property abandoned thereafter.

There'd been no activity with the business for almost three years until very recently, when the business was almost immediately wound up

Its claimed the last clean up operation on the site four years ago cost Hartlepool Borogh Council around ten thousand pounds.

Since then, the building has remained in a state of decay for over a decade, with repeated efforts to address the site's ongoing issues have yielding little success. The last known cleanup operation undertaken some four years ago reportedly cost Hartlepool Borough Council around £10,000, which was spent on installing security screens on the doors and windows in an attempt to prevent further unauthorized access. However, despite these measures, the site has continued to deteriorate.

Fire Damage and Worsening Conditions

A fire in Feb 2024 caused considerable damage to the building leaving someparts structually unsafe.

In recent years, the building has suffered extensive fire damage, further compounding concerns from local councillors and residents. With Oakesway Ltd—the last known owners—now officially dissolved, the situation has become even more complicated. Sources suggest that without a responsible party to enforce action against, Hartlepool Borough Council will likely have to pursue a compulsory purchase order as a last resort. This would allow the council to take control of the site, clear the remains, and potentially use the land for future development.

What Happens Next?

With no developer left to hold accountable for the condition of the site, the burden of addressing the Admiral Court site now appears to fall squarely on the shoulders of Hartlepool taxpayers. If the council proceeds with a CPO, it could take years to resolve, and the associated costs are expected to be substantial. Meanwhile, the site remains a blight on the local landscape, attracting further vandalism and posing ongoing safety risks.

This case raises serious questions about Hartlepool Borough Council’s handling of derelict properties and its ability to enforce action against absentee developers.

As this situation unfolds, HBC Exposed will continue to monitor developments , however it seems the wrangling over the former care home is likely to be far from over....