Student hall plan rejected (From The Northern Echo)

Hartlepool student hall plan refused

4:13pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Hartlepool News

A PLAN to create a hall of residence for students in a residential area of Hartlepool was rejected by councillors.

Residents packed the public gallery of Hartlepool Borough Council's planning committee to object to the idea of a hall of residence for 28 students of Hartlepool College of Art and Design.

The authority's planning officers had recommended the plan for the Hutton Avenue site be approved and the committee chairman acknowledged the decision would "almost certainly" be appealed.

But councillors pointed out potential car parking, traffic and anti-social behaviour issues, and pointed out the hall of residence could be out of keeping in a designated conservation area.

Councillor Paul Thompson said: "We should be careful not to label all young people as a fear of crime issue. However, there could be a noise problem."

The idea was to create the hall of residence in a former 8,000 sq ft nursing home.