Hourglass Pub Site Set for Re-Development as Council Approves Bungalow Plans in Principle...

The site which has been a target for fly tipping & previous arson attacks when the former public house was standing could now be brought back into use as the site for five new bungalows...

16th May 2025

The site, when HBC Exposed went out to visit back in 2024

Plans to redevelop the site of a once-troubled Hartlepool pub have taken a significant step forward after Hartlepool Borough Council approved a Technical Details Consent application for the construction of five new bungalows on the land formerly occupied by the Hourglass public house on Eaglesfield Road.

The site, which had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour since the closure of the pub, has long been a source of concern for nearby residents. Years of vandalism, arson attacks, and persistent fly-tipping turned the derelict land into a blight on the local community. Even after the Hourglass Pub was eventually demolished, the site was left uncleared—piled high with rubble and debris, drawing further complaints and prompting enforcement action by the council.

In September 2024, the site owner, Muj Ansar Properties Ltd of Derby Street, Colne, was prosecuted by Hartlepool Borough Council for failing to meet planning conditions imposed during the approval of the pub's demolition in April 2023. The firm failed to attend the hearing at Teesside Court, but the case proceeded in their absence. The company was handed a £10,000 fine, alongside a £4,000 victim surcharge and £400 in court costs.

Council officials said the successful prosecution sent a clear message to landowners who neglect their responsibilities and allow derelict land to blight neighbourhoods. A spokesperson for the council at the time stated the case underlines the council’s “determination to clamp down on irresponsible property owners.”

Now, with consent granted for new a residential development, the long-neglected site could soon be transformed, with the local council reportedly eager to see the area brought back into productive use and integrated once again into the heart of the community.

Residents, many of whom have called for action over the years, however will be watching closely to see whether this latest development finally delivers the long-promised change—and turns a former eyesore into much-needed local housing.