CONTROVERSIAL plans to dismantle ships on Teesside are set to become a reality after Hartlepool Council announced today that it will not contest Able UK's appeal.
In October last year, Hartlepool Planning Committee rejected three planning applications from Able, to construct, repair, refurbish and decommission ships on the Graythorpe site, near Greatham, outside Hartlepool.
Able reacted by lodging an appeal, which the council has now chosen not to contest.
Councillor Rob Cook, who chairs the council's planning committee, said new Government guidelines published this year, which recognises the need for ship-dismantling facilities in the country, had played a major part in their backdown.
However, the cost of contesting the appeal, which could have ran to £1m, had also been significant.
He said: "It was very apparent that this was a battle we had absolutely no chance of winning and the decision has been taken in the best interests of the people of Hartlepool."
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