A GRAND vision to regenerate a town at a cost of between £10m and £20m has been unveiled.

Hartlepool Borough Council has agreed an outline plan to develop swathes of the town, including sites around the marina, Trincomalee Wharf, Church Street and an entire disused retail centre at Jacksons Landing.

The overall vision, called the Hartlepool Regeneration Masterplan, has been agreed by the authority’s Regeneration Committee.

The idea is to increase the number of visitors to the town and the council will now seek specialist expertise to help make the idea a reality.

No details on potential council or private financial investment has yet been issued although the council say any developer or partner must look at an entire vision for the town, not just select areas.

Christopher Akers-Belcher, leader of Hartlepool council, said the area scored highly for the number of high earners living in the district. However many people left the district to shop or enjoy leisure activities elsewhere.

“Hartlepool has one of the highest average earnings in the region, but the money goes out, it’s like our economy leaks money. We want to find an income generator the town.”

Coun Akers-Belcher said all options were open on how the Masterplan could be developed and it was hoped a more detail plan of action would be in place in a year’s time.

Retail units at Jacksons Landing, at Hartlepool Marina, have been empty for a decade and have been bought by the council for £1.5m using a Government interest-free loan.

Other areas the authority wants to improve include Church Street, which leads from the town centre, and replacing the ageing Mill House Leisure Centre. The prospect of creating more water based activities and sports in Jackson Dock will also be looked at.

Stephen Catchpole is the managing director of Tees Valley Unlimited, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton.

He said: “We are starting to see across Tees Valley a growing confidence and a steadily growing economy and welcome Hartlepool Council’s plans to position the borough as best placed to take advantage of that.

“We look forward to seeing the Masterplan next year and supporting the Council in its delivery.”