New Business Unit Plans for Park View Industrial Estate Rejected by Hartlepool Council...

Applicant claims the move would have created employment opportunities, however the proposals were firmly rejected by council planning officials.

15th August 2025

Proposals to build a new business unit on unused land in Hartlepool have suffered a major blow, after planning officers rejected the scheme at the final decision stage.

The application, submitted by Pyramid Architectural Designs on behalf of K Ord, sought permission to construct a new business unit to house a salon on Park View Industrial Estate. The plans outlined a new 137.8m² building, classed as Sui Generis, with associated parking spaces. According to the application, the design was tailored specifically to meet the needs of a predominantly disabled clientele, with adequate space and accessibility built into the layout.

Planning documents seen by The Teesside & Durham Post described the site as a vacant patch of grassed land on Parkview Road West. While the estate already hosts a variety of businesses, including both E Class and Sui Generis uses, the proposed salon aimed to add to this mix without disrupting existing operations or neighbouring businesses.

The agent noted that the land appeared to have never been developed and that their plans would retain a grassland buffer to the east whilst making use of an existing access point.

The applicant argued the development would diversify the estate, complement the areas growing business zone, and have no detrimental impact on surrounding businesses. They also suggested the salon could serve estate workers and provide valuable local employment opportunities, both full-time and part-time.

However, when the plans went before Hartlepool Borough Council’s planning officers this week, its said that they were met with opposition, not by members of the public, but by council officials themselves, where in its decision notice Hartlepool Borough Council stated:

“In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, the submitted sequential test has not suitably demonstrated that the proposed development would meet the sequential approach, where other suitable units are considered to be available within the designated retail centre. The proposed use is also considered not to be located within a suitable area for uses outside of designated retail centres and is considered contrary to the aims and objectives of Policies RC1 and RC19 of the Adopted Hartlepool Local Plan.”

This decision therefore leaves the future of the proposal uncertain, with the applicant now facing the choice of appealing the ruling or seeking an alternative location within one of the town’s designated retail zones.