HARTLEPOOL NEWS
New buyout for Teesside MD
Construction starts on £ 12m station revamp
Work has begun on the construction of Hartlepool station ’ s new second platform , with piling being carried out in the first phase of the scheme .
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen and Hartlepool Borough Council leader Shane Moore visited the station to see first-hand the developments , being led by Story Contracting .
Ahead of the piling , workers demolished the disused Platform 3 over 108 hours , removing 1,500 tonnes of spent material in the process .
A total of 64 piles will be driven into the ground to support the creation of 16 canopies for the new platform . The existing Platform 2 will also be extended by 20 metres to house the new footbridge and lift .
The work will help provide more capacity to enable future service for routes ,
including those between London and Sunderland operated by Grand Central . The development will also provide a potential boost to Northern services , which connect Hartlepool with Middlesbrough , Newcastle and other towns on the Durham Coast line .
Mayor Houchen worked closely with Cllr Moore to provide £ 12m in funding for the project , backing the aims of the Hartlepool Mayoral Development Corporation ( MDC ) and a potential Investment Zone in the town . The MDC aims to reshape the town to make it a more attractive place to live and visit , support small businesses and deliver a master plan to maximise future funding .
The station upgrades , supported by Network Rail , Northern Trains , Grand Central and Hartlepool Borough Council , are due to be completed in time for the Tall Ships coming to the town in July 2023 .
The Hartlepool-born managing director of Acland Homes has celebrated adding Origin Planning Services to his portfolio .
Origin Planning Services is a commercially focused town planning practice that assists clients in navigating the complexities of the town planning system .
MD Stephen Litherland is excited about his new acquisition , which is a buy-out and rebrand of Hedley Planning Services ( Yorkshire ), which he already owned a 50 per cent share in .
Origin Planning Services already has some major players on its books including housebuilders Taylor Wimpey , Persimmon , Bellway and Gleeson and Miller , plus a long and varied list of medium-sized commercial organisations and individual clients .
Engineering event focuses on green energy projects
Progress on a major green energy project was highlighted at a showpiece engineering conference .
More than 100 people attended the Tees Engineering Network event , which heard from Protium , px Energy Solutions and zero emissions motorsport firm the Green Vroom .
Protium is the UK ’ s largest green hydrogen firm and is working on plans for a hydrogen production facility at Wilton Universal Group ’ s Haverton Hill site .
Due to be completed in 2026 , Tees Valley Net Zero will generate renewable green hydrogen energy to supply local manufacturers .
The plant is expected to generate almost 70MW of green hydrogen energy , saving 55,700 tonnes of CO2 per year .
Roofing contractor offers chance to slash bills
A Teesside roofing contractor is expanding into renewable energy to help customers reduce their bills .
Hartlepool-based Findley Roofing is launching a new solar division , which will install solar panels and battery systems on customers ’ roofs .
In a bid to make solar and battery installations more affordable , chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in his autumn statement that they will no longer be subject to VAT , making it the perfect time for Findley ’ s new venture to support its customers .
Improved loft insulation , and solar and battery installation are part of a number of energy-saving initiatives offered by the team .
Council calls on Vision Techniques for 52-vehicle project
Hartlepool Council has commissioned Vision Techniques to install safety technology in 52 of its HGVs and passenger transport vehicles .
Blackburn-based Vision Techniques will install Brakesafe , which stops rollaways by implementing a handbrake failsafe system , and Ident Plus , designed to prevent theft or injury caused by untrained and unauthorised drivers .
Hartlepool Council ’ s fleet officer Liam Wilkinson said : “ We ’ ve worked in partnership with Vision Techniques for over ten years and have relied on their innovations to help us enhance fleet safety .
“ Unfortunately , we ’ ve seen instances of rollaways in other parts of the country , and as a local authority , we need to eliminate risk wherever possible .”
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