Teesside Housing Giant Finally Acts on Crime-Ridden Garages in Hartlepool
- teessidetoday
- Feb 28
- 2 min read
Councillors raised concerns about the condition of garages in the towns Northumberland Walk over a year ago, where HBC Exposed has learned the landlords who own them have only just submitted planning proposals for the site to be demolished.
28th Feb 2025
A number of garages owned by a Teesside-based housing giant could finally be demolished, over a year after local councillors demanded that action bet taken, following concerns they'd become a hotspot for crime and anti-social behaviour.
The garages at Northumberland Walk and Northumberland Grove in the Belle View area of Hartlepool were first highlighted in a Hartlepool Today / HBC Exposed publication back in January 2024. At the time, local councillors were said to have been 'applying pressure' on the housing organisation to address growing concerns from local residents that the garages were frequently being targeted by vandals, fly-tippers, and arsonists. Now, well over a year later, it appears Thirteen Housing Group, the owners of the Garages have finally responded, with HBC Exposed learning that a planning application for the proposed demolition of the garages has now been submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council. The move aiming to put an end to the long-standing issues affecting the local community.
Details of the Demolition Plan
According to the planning application report, the garages at Northumberland Walk and Northumberland Grove consist of six rows of sectional brick garages situated to the rear of Northumberland Grove, including the buildings and the surrounding land adjacent to the highway. The housing provider, Thirteen Housing Group, has cited economic impracticality and persistent anti-social behaviour (ASB) as the main reasons for the proposed demolition.
In a statement supporting the demolition of the garages, Thirteen Housing Group said:
“The buildings are uneconomic to maintain and are the subject of ASB. Given the risk to residents and other buildings in the area, a decision has been taken to demolish them.”
What Happens Next?
As part of the demolition process, its claimed the site will be secured using a combination of existing boundary walls, fences, and Heras fencing to ensure public safety. Inside the site, further protective fencing will be installed around working areas. A 360-degree excavator and hand demolition tools will be used to bring down the structures, with site welfare facilities also being located within the demolition boundary.
Once the demolition is complete, the concrete bases will remain intact, with different plans for each site:
Northumberland Grove: The site will be closed off with metal fencing to prevent access.
Northumberland Walk: The site will be left as a hard-standing area to be repurposed for car parking spaces.
Hartlepool Borough Council’s planning officials are expected to make a final decision on the proposal by the end of March 2025, with locals hoping it finally marks a step toward addressing what has long been a problematic and neglected area of the town.
