Council Land Sale for future Housing Development Still Unresolved Three Years On....

Hartlepool Borough Council approved the sale of the land at Coronation Drive back in 2022, where three years later, the sale of the land to an undisclosed developer still wrangles on !

11th Feb 2025

The sale of council-owned land in Seaton Carew for a future housing development reportedly remains incomplete—three years after Hartlepool Borough Council approved plans to sell the site to a secret developer.

HBC Exposed understands Hartlepool Borough Council recently approved changes to its contractual obligations with the undisclosed third party, altering the terms of the sale agreement for the land at Coronation Drive, Seaton Carew. This decision, said to have been signed off through an officer-delegated notice, comes after prolonged negotiations which have delayed the site's development.

The council report seen by HBC Exposed confirms that:

"Following a Finance and Policy Committee approval in March 2022, the Council exchanged conditional contracts for the sale of land at Coronation Drive. The completion of the sale is dependent on the grant of planning permission for the proposed residential development. This has not yet been obtained by the developer, and thus the sale has not yet completed."

Despite the land being effectively 'publicly owned', the revised terms of the sale still remain undisclosed. The council insists the amendments aim to expedite the sale, but the apparent secrecy raises fresh concerns about transparency at HBC.

The decision to sell the land was originally made in 2022 as part of the council’s efforts to offset its financial struggles. However, neither the sale price nor the identity of the developer has ever been made public. With mounting frustration over the lack of transparency by one of Teessides most Troubled local councils, residents are said to be left questioning whether this deal truly serves the town’s best interests, or is this yet another 'backhander' to line the pockets of a wealthy developer ?

The latest contract amendments were said to have been signed off by HBC's Director of Neighbourhoods & Regeneration, Tony Hanson. Yet, after three years of negotiations and no visible progress, one question remains—will this deal ever be finalised, & who's ultimately set to financially benefit from it ?