FAQs

The exciting plans aim to unlock the potential and growth of the town centre, and include the restoration of the Grade II Listed former Binns building to create a range of flexible spaces. It is also proposed to remodel the north-east wing of the shopping centre to provide space for new public amenities. A new "gateway" entrance to the shopping centre from Stockton Road will be created. It features the restoration of the Grade II Listed former Binns building to create a range of flexible spaces and a more "multifunctional centre", incorporating a greater focus on leisure and hospitality industries.

There is £13.8m funding coming from the government’s Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities. Hartlepool was awarded £25m along with 100 other towns throughout the country as part of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund.

In 2019, the Government invited towns throughout the Country to bid for up to £25m for projects that drive long term economic and productivity growth through investment in connectivity, land use, economic assets including cultural assets, skills and enterprise infrastructure. 

Hartlepool submitted five projects for approval following extensive consultation when developing the Town Investment Plan. These include redeveloping the derelict Wesley Chapel as a boutique hospitality venue with 36 bedrooms, the Waterfront Connectivity Scheme which will improve the connectivity between Seaton Carew, Town Centre and the Marina, new Health and Social Care and Civil Engineering Skills Academies as well as the Reimaging Middleton Grange project. These projects were approved in 2022 by both the Council’s Finance and Policy Committee and the government following the development of comprehensive business cases for each project.

Hartlepool Borough Council has secured £13.8m from the governments Town Deal which was approved to be spent on the project by the Council’s Finance and Policy Committee in August 2022.

The project is aiming for completion by March 2026 and is currently at the design stage.

Hartlepool Borough Council owns the freehold of the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre and HBC have been successful in securing external funding to re-imagine and improve this area of the town centre and bring a heritage asset back into use. This investment is vital to the regeneration of the town by creating a compact, consolidated and connected town centre with a rich mixture of uses to attract increased visitors to the town centre and increase the viability of other businesses.

Yes, over 400 local residents and businesses took part in the Hartlepool Town Deal consultations. This consultation helped to shape what local residents thought were the key priorities for the Deal. The Hartlepool Town Deal Board took on the feedback gathered throughout the consultations to progress five projects as part of delivering a long term Town Investment Plan.

The funding through Town Deal comes with strict criteria on what it can be spent on including only capital (building and restoration) projects and town regeneration schemes. The Council cannot use this external money for existing council services and the projects must be approved by government.

There are a number of vacant units across the shopping centre and the project aims to not only retain existing operators but create a more aesthetically appealing and vibrant retail centre that will attract new businesses.

Yes, as this project is just focusing on improving the North East wing of the centre and not the whole shopping centre. When plans are confirmed for where works will take place and when, they will be shared on this page.