Community hub plans prompt safety concerns
GooglePlans to convert a vacant flat at a community building have prompted safety concerns among residents.
Objectors said plans to turn the accommodation on the first floor of the Salvation Army Temple in Park Road, Hartlepool, into a space used for "educational, training and cultural activity" would lead to traffic issues.
Hartlepool Borough Council has received more than 10 objections, with one resident saying "the prospect of unfamiliar visitors and additional parking demands creates worries about safety".
A planning statement in support of the Salvation Army's proposals said it would "directly enhance the cultural and education opportunities available to local residents and visitors".
If approved, the disused flat would be turned into a space used for "small scale educational, cultural and/or community based functions", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
"The size of the rooms will accommodate small group meetings and private study and are considered naturally suited to these forms of activity," read the planning document.
"The change will greatly benefit the local community and ensure the long established facilities provided by the Salvation Army continue to support all sections of the local population and visitors alike."
It adds the development would create a "modest scale of activity" which could be fully supported by existing facilities without alteration.
Plans note the site has its own secure car park with 18 spaces and two accessible bays.
A decision is expected to be made on the application by the council planning department in January 2026.