PLANNING COMMITTEE AGENDA - Hartlepool Borough Council

Planning Committee – 25 th February 2009 4.1
Policy
15.10 The site is located within the Marina Tourism Development Areas and is
protected by virtue of Policy TO1: Tourism Development in the Marina, which
encourages tourist related facilities but also seeks to protect the areas of water
within the Marina for development. There is clearly a balance to be struck here
about the loss of water space and it is considered that the development of a floating
hotel extension in this location would not compromise the marina and would enhance
the facilities currently offered by Hartlepool. The area of water directly affected is
limited in this case.
15.11 One North East has no objection to the proposal and has confirmed that the
proposal aligns with the North East England Study – An Investment Action Plan and
accords with the events like the Tall Ships.
Affect on the Marina and surrounding area
15.12 There are residential properties to the south of the proposed extension. The
proposed floating hotel would have an affect in terms of views across the marina,
however it is considered that the design is innovative and unique and given the
distance between the proposal and neighbouring residents it is considered the
proposal would not have a significant adverse affect in terms of visual amenity.
15.13 In terms of the affect on the marina regarding activities currently enjoyed by a
variety of bodies, the Council’s Adult and Community Services Team have assessed
the proposal and consider that these could still occur and they support this proposal
as an innovative project and a clear indication of positive economic investment.
15.14 In respect of the Hartlepool Maritime experience the Adult and Community
Services team consider that the proposal is sufficiently far away and does not have a
detrimental impact on the tourist attraction, nor any foreseen major events.
15.15 The agent has provided an e-mail from the Director of Hartlepool Marina who
is in support of the application as he considers the development to be attractive and
imaginative and would have no negative effect on the operation of the marina.
Ecology
15.16 An Ecological survey has been submitted with the application which has been
assessed by the Council’s Ecologist. The site of the application is outside any
designated nature conservation sites. The closest designated sites are West
Harbour & Middleton Beach SNCI and the ‘Bird Island’ in West Harbour, which is
designated as part of the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA. This proposal is of
a small enough scale and far enough away from these sites that the Council’s
Ecologist does not envisage that it would have any effect on them. Although not
designated for nature conservation, Jackson Dock and the Marina are used by
numbers of diving birds. However it is considered that unlikely that this development
4.1 Planning 25.02.09 Pl anning apps 88