Gallery's clock tower to reopen after seven years
Geograph/Dave KellyA clock tower offering panoramic views of a town will be reopening after seven years.
Proposals submitted to Hartlepool Development Corporation earlier this year to carry out repairs and improvements at Hartlepool Art Gallery in Church Square have now been approved.
The work will allow the 120ft-high (36.6m) clock tower at the venue to open for the first time since 2018.
In February, Hartlepool Borough Council was awarded £302,383 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Museum Estate and Development (MEND) Fund to carry out the repairs.
A listed building consent application was subsequently filed by council chiefs seeking to secure permission to carry out the work.
A report from development corporation planning officers confirmed the proposals had been approved, adding they would "improve the condition of the listed building and maximise its long term-use as a visitor attraction".
LDRSWork will include internal stonework repairs to the full tower, repairs to the south-east spiral staircase, repairs and adjustments to existing doors, audio loop improvements and remedial works to the viewing platform.
Other measures include improvements to the lower roof, guarding and handrails, additional protections to the bell mechanism for health and safety, metalwork repairs and fire alarm upgrades, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A planning statement in support of the proposals noted the project would "preserve the existing fabric and improve maintenance of the historic structure".
Built in 1854, the Grade II* listed building was formerly the Christ Church before its conversion to its present use during the 1990s.
The clock tower has been closed since 2018 due to the cost of repairs being beyond the council's maintenance budget.