Delay in Demolition of Former Care Home: What’s Holding Things Up?

West View House, in Hartlepool's West View Road is awaiting Demolition due to vandalism

Plans for Demolition of the heavily vandal stricken building were set to commence in the middle of March, HBC Exposed understands those plans have now been thrown up in the air due to delays by council planning chiefs...

7th April 2025

The uncertainty over a fire-ravaged former care home near Hartlepool’s Central Estate, continues as plans for its demolition have hit an unexpected snag.

The site notice which was placed near the building set to be demolished.

Initially slated to begin in mid-March 2025, the demolition of this vandal-stricken structure has reportedly been delayed due to a prolonged decision-making process by Hartlepool Borough Council’s planning officers. Despite no objections to the proposal and visible preparations made on-site, the final approval remains elusive, leaving developers—and the community—in limbo.

According to documents seen by HBC Exposed, the site’s owner, North Bay Developments Limited, submitted plans earlier this year to demolish the heavily damaged building, which suffered significant destruction in a blaze back in August 2022. The fire left the structure unsafe and an eyesore for the local community, prompting calls for its removal to pave the way for future redevelopment. The original timeline aimed for demolition to commence in March and wrap up within eight to ten weeks, a process that would see the site levelled and cleared by early summer. Yet, as of April 7, 2025, the wrecking ball remains on hold.

What’s causing the delay?

Whilst scaffolding has already been removed in anticipation of the work, the council’s planning officers have yet to issue the green light. Sources indicate that despite the absence of objections from the public, the application is still said to be 'under review'. This bureaucratic bottleneck has reportedly frustrated efforts to move forward, leaving the skeletal remains of West View House standing as a stark reminder of both its troubled past and an uncertain future.

The building’s history adds urgency to the situation. Once part of a functioning care home, West View House has been abandoned since the 2022 fire, which saw firefighters battle for over six hours to contain the flames. The blaze caused extensive damage, rendering around 40% of the structure unsalvageable and exposing it to further deterioration from vandalism and the elements. For local residents, the site has become a symbol of neglect, with many eager to see it replaced by something new—though plans for the land’s future use remain undisclosed, pending a separate planning application.

North Bay Developments Limited, led by Adam Hartley, has emphasised the need to demolish the building not just for safety reasons but also to unlock the site’s potential for redevelopment. The company has lined up an experienced contractor to carry out the work, with proposed hours from 8 AM to 6 PM Monday to Friday and 8 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays. All that’s missing is said to be the council’s approval to set things in motion.

The care home is one of two within a short walking distance of each other which have been left to considerable neglect, with the former Admiral Court Nursing Home also laying in ruins due to repeated fire damage, this is despite efforts by Hartlepool Borough Council to spur the absent developers to tend to the site & make it safe, with critics claiming the delays in planning approval for West View House doesn't bode well in the eyes of responsible developers looking to quickly deal with troublesome sites in a bid to ensure they no longer become a problem for the local community.

For now, locals are just left having to wait... The delay raises questions about the efficiency of the planning process and what it means for other stalled projects in Hartlepool. As the clock ticks, the hope is that a decision will come soon, allowing the site to shed its troubled past and step toward a fresh start.