Hartlepool’s parks and play spaces are set for a major boost thanks to a £300,000 programme of investment.
Hartlepool Borough Council is delivering the improvements which will revitalise some of the town’s most loved green spaces, in partnership with the Hartlepool Board, with funding from the Pride in Place Impact Fund.
Brand new play equipment, outdoor games tables and modern park furniture will be provided, creating vibrant, welcoming spaces for families to enjoy.
Three locations—Burn Valley Gardens, King Oswy and Rossmere Park—will receive new play equipment, giving children improved, safer and more engaging places to play. These upgrades place community wellbeing and family activity right at the heart of the investment.
A standout feature of the investment is the installation of nine new outdoor games tables across parks and play areas, including:
- Seven Teqball tables — supporting one of the world’s fastest‑growing sports that blends football and table tennis on a curved table
- Traditional games tables featuring games such as snakes & ladders and ludo, to encourage fun, active outdoor play for all ages.
A range of parks will also receive new furniture, including accessible picnic benches and more bins, to make them more inclusive, more attractive and easier for everyone to enjoy—whether meeting friends, enjoying a family day out or simply spending time outdoors.
Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, with Hartlepool Board members Iain Caldwell (left) and Carl Jorgeson at Rossmere Park.
Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “This investment marks a major step forward in our commitment to give families access to high‑quality, welcoming and inclusive green spaces. Our parks and open spaces are at the heart of our communities, and this funding allows us to create safer, more engaging places for children to play and for people of all ages to enjoy. It’s another clear sign of our ambition for Hartlepool—and just the beginning of the improvements people will see across the town.
“This £300,000 investment will deliver real improvements now, while also paving the way for even more enhancements in the years ahead. It’s an exciting moment for the town and a proud milestone in our long‑term vision for Hartlepool’s green spaces.
Alongside the £300,000 being delivered now, additional funding contributions have been secured by the Council which it will use to try to unlock further investment to improve even more play areas across the borough in the future.
Hartlepool is receiving £750,000 from the Pride in Place Impact Fund this year, with another £750,000 arriving in 2026/27.
This investment supports the wider ambitions of the Hartlepool Board, which leads the Pride in Place programme and brings together residents, businesses, community groups, partners and others passionate about the town’s future.The Board is driving forward a £20 million, 10‑year Pride in Place Regeneration Plan (2026–2036), shaped by the views of more than 1,400 residents.
Councillor Hargreaves added: “Making parks safer and more enjoyable places to go for families was one of the top priorities that came out the consultation carried out last summer — and this investment shows how we are listening and taking decisive action to deliver residents’ priorities.”
Hartlepool Borough Council is delivering Pride in Place Impact Fund scheme in partnership with Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash, who is Deputy Chair of the Hartlepool Board.
He said: “In partnership with the Hartlepool Board, I’m proud to have secured this funding for Hartlepool through the Pride in Place Impact Fund, delivering a £300,000 boost for our parks and play areas.
“This is exactly what that funding is for, real, visible improvements that families will see and use every day. From new play equipment to outdoor games and better facilities, we’re investing in the spaces that matter most to people.
“This is about backing our communities, restoring pride in our town, and making sure Hartlepool gets its fair share of investment. And it’s just the start of what we’re delivering through Pride in Place.”