Jackson's Landing

[tankerville]

Will the Mayor disclose 'his' findings on the purchase of Jackson's Landing before leaving office within the coming weeks from H.B.C.?

I won't hold my breath waiting for an answer.

[rabbit]

The site closed in July 2004, but has more or less been defunct for over ten years.

Next 10 years??......

[DRiddle]

Apparently a deal is close to being concluded.... within weeks.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk//7.22100

Although the exact number of 'weeks' is ambiguous because it's been close to being concluded 'within week's' for several years. (see links to The Hartlepool Mail).

I'm not knocking the project, or the idea of doing SOMETHING with it, it's not helping the town having it sitting there doing nothing.

However, the problem the council, the owners, or anyone else for that matter has is you're talking about a 70,000 square foot retail unit. Which is about the size of a large football pitch.

Given that there's an ACTUAL football pitch (complete with stands and all the associated facilities) that Hartlepool United seem unwilling to pay £350,000 for, it's difficult to see how anyone would be willing to pay anywhere near the reported £2 million asking price.

The new travel lodge, the new sports domes at Seaton, the soon to be opened Dunhelm Mill retail outlet, the Range over near B and Q, none of them will have cost ANYWHERE NEAR that kind of money.

As a retail unit it's worthless, so flattened as a peice of land for housing it's surely worth nowhere near that in this climate. There are lots of other 'football pitch size' bits of land available around the town for a lot less than that kind of money.

For example, you can buy Tunstall Court complete with all it's nearby land and planning permission to build a load of houses on the grounds for a similar price.

Is a 'tin shed' on the marina worth as much as a good chunk of land on West park? No it's not. The council would be crazy to invest our money in any deal to do with Jackson's landing. If they're looking to do a 'flip-flop' deal on a grot spot at a time when land values are at a (recent) all time low, they should be talking to local house builders about 'tunny court', not wasting their time trying to punt on a tin shed.

[fred c]

I hope the purchase of "The Big Tin Shed" isn`t the Final Swan Song of Mayor drummonds time in office, like DRiddle i find it inconceiveable that HBC would want to buy this White Elephant at this present time of economic doom & gloom.

The simple fact is " NO " reputable Developer has even sniffed at the site in 10 years, so why would they have a change of mind if HBC bought it & then tried to punt it on, i would take the view the that it would be even cheaper to buy it off HBC than it is to buy from the present owners.

The marina area as portrayed in "marky`s" video is now looking more than a little ragged around the edges, so why would HBC want to add to the general downturn in the area by purchasing The Tin Shed.

We have seen how HBC`s foray into property development turned out with the purchase of Morrison Hall, spent £60,000 plus costs, plus repairs, & its still in the same condition as it was several years ago in the hands of HBC............ so why would jacksons landing prove to be any more of a succes

[DRiddle]

I'm not against HBC buying up property in the recession per se. I just think it needs to be strategic and shouldn't be about making a quick buck.

It should be about what's good for the people of the town, jobs and it's general economy rather than just simply about adding a quick half a million or whatever into the council's capital funds pot.

Our council has the power to grant practically whatever permissions it pleases regarding planning. The BEST it could hope for from Jackson's landing is a load of flats and required car parking, and a quick half a million if anyone was daft enough to buy it off them.

Tunstall Court (and more importantly the land around it) is available for about £5 million less than in the boom of 2007.

If for example the council bought the land and then did a deal with a local firm (such as Gus Robinson or someone) they could ensure that a lot of local people stay in work, a grot spot in an otherwise nice area was dealt with, perhaps combine some affordable housing with some higher value homes and in the medium term turn a decent profit.

That's a far better option that the Jackson's landing project.

It would also be a far better option than telling lies about £1 million or more of 'phantom money' vanishing from the town's economy via the so called 'bedroom tax'.

[mk1]

I would not be surprised if our dozy lot have locked themselves into a price that reflects the 'value' before the boom went bust...............

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

HBC are supposed to be experts in emptying bins, surely they are out of their depth here.

The sale of Rockhaven as one of many examples shows that they are no good at getting a good sale price.

[steveL]

Remember the £85,000 sale of Rockhaven was followed a few months later by an £85,000 grant - so I suppose it's just as well that they didn't 'sell' it' for a higher price. 

[fred c]

It never ceases to amaze me just how "Generous" some people are "With Other Peoples Money"..........

[testing times]

I don't know why people continue to expect themselves to be taken seriously when such sagas are allowed to drag on for years. I'm sure Mr Drummond announced months ago that this was within a couple of weeks of being resolved but then wasn't the issue of HBC taking over the infrastructure of the Marina also set to be finally resolved at least a couple of years ago? Can I be boring for a moment and just remind everyone that such inaction in the private sector would never be tolerated nor would the continued employment of those responsible.

[norfolkngoode]

Apparently it is going to be a new drop in centre for councillors struggling to live on their meagre expences, and it already has a fabulous new name....... Rapacious House

[The Great Dictator]

The shed is worthless as a retail unit but the land is still premium and worth the £1.75m that is agreed.

[fred c]

The shed is worthless as a retail unit but the land is still premium and worth the £1.75m that is agreed.

The site is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it..... there has been No Interest from commercial companies in the building or the land for almost 10 years.

So what makes you think that because HBC could be the new owners, that there would be a sudden interest from Commercial Developers

Is it worth the gamble for HBC ie.The Rate Payers to pay £1.75 Million pounds, "Hoping" to make a return on that money, will HBC need to "Borrow" the £1.75 Million pounds to fund the purchase , in these financially stringent times is it right that when services & jobs are at risk HBC are prepared to spend that amount of money on what is after all a Gamble ?

[The Great Dictator]

I would say it is worth every penny and it will be under local authority control. It will be either used by them or secured by them but ultimately it will become their responsibility to maintain or sell it on later. It is likely to be used for some function until the property market starts to move in 5 years. The developer of the land behind Tunstall Court paid £2.4m 14 years ago, they don't make land anymore.

[fred c]

I would say it is worth every penny and it will be under local authority control. It will be either used by them or secured by them but ultimately it will become their responsibility to maintain or sell it on later. It is likely to be used for some function until the property market starts to move in 5 years. The developer of the land behind Tunstall Court paid £2.4m 14 years ago, they don't make land anymore.

You seem to be either extremely well informed or a person with an extremely lively imagination, if HBC purchased the place of course it would be under local authority control, how could it be anything else ?

By using the place do you mean as an Office facility ?... The building is in a complete mess, the Interior was Stripped to the bare bones & the Exterior is of the Short Term Building type, so Demolition is a more likely option.

By securing what is it you envisage ? Will HBC board the place up & employ a security company to monitor the building ?

What is your definition on Maintaining the Building ? The Marina area as a whole has reached the point of Needing a Major effort on it`s maintenance & refurbishment, so will HBC allow the buidings fabric to deteriate until a Possible Buyer comes along in 5 years time ( have you a Crystal Ball ).

As for Tunstall Court...... It has been a source of mumerous problems for HBC, The Police, The Fire Brigade & most of all to the People Who Live In The Area..... Obviously a responsible owner hoping to make a Massive profit at some point in time.