Legal Action Looms Over Derelict Admiral Court Nursing Home in Hartlepool

The former Admiral Court Nursing Home in Hartlepool's Greenland Road

The former Nursing Home which has stood derelict for over a decade now potentially set to become a legal battle, as its claimed Hartlepool Borough Council seeks a demolition order on the site....

3rd July 2025

A former care home which has stood empty for over a decade could soon become the subject of a legal case for its demolition after its claimed council official have ran out of patience with the absent developers.

After more than a decade of decay, arson, and legal stalemates, its claimed Hartlepool Borough Council could be poised to take formal legal action that could finally bring about the demolition of the former Admiral Court nursing home – a vandal-stricken eyesore that residents say has long blighted the area.

Located just a short walk from Hartlepool’s Central Estate, Admiral Court has stood empty for over ten years. During that time, the building has become a magnet for antisocial behaviour, including repeated break-ins and several arson attacks – the most recent occurring back in 2024 when a serious fire once again tore through the unsecured structure.

The deteriorating state of the site prompted town councillors earlier this year to push for decisive action, where a formal four-month improvement notice was issued to the landowners, requiring them to either bring the building up to an acceptable standard or demolish it altogether. That notice has now expired with claims no cooperation has been forthcoming from the owners, leading to council officials preparing for court proceedings as the only viable next step to remedy the heavily damaged structure.

Independent Councillor Shane Moore, who represents Hartlepool's Headland Ward, confirmed in a recent statement that the time for patience had run out. “With the four-month notice now elapsed and the owners refusing to act, legal action is the only remaining option,” Cllr Moore said. He added that council officials are actively exploring the legal framework necessary to obtain a court order, which could ultimately pave the way for a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on the site bringing the site into council ownership.

Cllr Shane Moore pictured with former Conservative MP for Hartlepool Jill Mortimer outside of the care home in June 2021

In July 2021, Hartlepool Borough Council had been forced to intervene when the building became insecure, spending what was claimed at the time to have been £10,000 of taxpayer money to secure the property following several break-ins. At the time, the council promised that it would recover the costs by placing a charging order on the land, preventing any future sale until the council’s expenses were repaid.

Now, with the landowners seemingly 'unresponsive', and the building said to be posing a persistent safety risk, the council's being urged by residents and local representatives to take definitive action.

Should a court order be granted, it would allow the council to proceed with the demolition of the site, removing what has become a long-term blot on Hartlepool’s urban landscape and opening the door for potential redevelopment.

The former nursing home is widely viewed as symbolic of broader concerns about derelict and abandoned buildings across Hartlepool, many of which have been allowed to fall into disrepair whilst legal and bureaucratic barriers slow down efforts to revitalise them.

With no formal court date yet announced, the council's being expected to act soon, with growing support from local communities frustrated by years of inaction. If successful, the legal challenge could mark the beginning of the end for Admiral Court – and possibly set a precedent for how the town deals with similar problem sites in the future.