Plan to 'breathe life' into former Binns building

PLANS to "breathe new life" into a Hartlepool shopping centre and carry out improvements to an "iconic" building are set to move forward next year ahead of construction work taking place in 2027.

- By NIC MARKO

The re-imagining Middleton Grange project includes the restoration and refurbishment of the Grade II Listed former Binns building - most recently home to Wilko on its ground floor - to create a range of flexible spaces.

Work will also include the partial demolition of the north east wing of the shopping centre - which is the area previously home to the likes of Furniture Express, Supercuts and The Entertainer. Almost all of the units in that section now sit vacant with only Alice House Hospice currently occupying one of them.

This will allow for the creation of new public realm and open space which could be used to host outdoor events, according to borough bosses. A total of £13.8 million has been allocated to the project from the government's Town Deal.