Plans to Convert Hartlepool Estate Agent Offices into a HMO Withdrawn..
- teessidetoday
- Nov 28
- 2 min read
HMO Conversion Plans for an Estate Agents Offices have been Quietly Dropped with no reason given....
28th November 2025
A planning proposal to convert the upper floors of 127 York Road, Hartlepool, into a six–bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) has now been withdrawn, following claims growing public awareness of yet another potential HMO development in the town centre reportedly led to a number of objections to the plans....
The application sought approval for the change of use of the first and second floors of the property — currently used by the estate agent occupying the entire building — from Class E(C)(ii) Professional Services to Class C4 HMO Use, which would have allowed multiple tenants to live independently within shared accommodation. Under the proposal, the ground floor would have remained in commercial use, while the upper floors were set to be converted into six individual bedrooms, supported by two communal kitchens and a shared lounge area.
Importantly, the plans indicated that no external changes would have been required to the building, meaning the property would have continued to look the same from the street. A side elevation referencing new steps, walls and a door had caused some confusion, but the applicant later clarified that these works were not part of the conversion and were included in error.
Access to the accommodation was to be via a separate existing doorway on the left-hand side of the York Road frontage, ensuring the HMO and the estate agent business could operate independently of each other.
However, with the proposal now withdrawn, the upper floors remain classified under Use Class E, continuing to form part of the estate agency’s business — though currently not used.
Local's Say no to HMO's
HMO expansion remains a major talking point in Hartlepool, particularly in its town centre areas where the number of multi-tenant properties has steadily increased over the years. While these developments can provide useful low-cost housing for some, many residents argue the balance is now being tipping too far — often without local consultation or consideration of the long-term impact on communities, services, and infrastructure.
The withdrawal of this application means that, for now at least, York Road avoids another HMO conversion, but questions remain as to what future plans may emerge for the unused upstairs space.
Read our previous report here :
