Change of Use Proposals for a former Dance Studio to be considered by council planning officers.

Bathgate Terrace Hartlepool

The part-retrospective plans have been submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council for a change of use of the former dance studio, with the proposals set to be considered by the councils planning department.

14th May 2025

Hartlepool Borough Council planning officers are preparing to assess a part-retrospective planning application for the change of use of a building on Bathgate Terrace, raising new questions about how the town’s planning department handles commercial repurposing—especially when developments are already said to be partially underway.

The application, submitted by Mr. Paul Wilkinson under reference H/2025/0133, seeks formal permission to change the building's use from a dance studio to a yoga studio and wellness centre, in what appears to be yet another case of ‘ask for forgiveness, not permission’ as operations at the site are already said to be 'partially active'.

According to the applicant’s planning statement, the business aims to run around 20 yoga and wellness classes per week, Monday through Saturday, with the possibility of occasional Sunday events for training courses. Class sizes range from 12 to 15 people, depending on the session, although the applicant concedes that demand may take time to build up. The last class would finish at 8.30pm, with early sessions planned for Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6.45am—though currently under-subscribed.

The upper floor of the premises is said to be earmarked for private treatment rooms, with four therapy spaces seeing clients on a one-to-one basis. Should the studio operate at full capacity—with a larger class in session and all four therapists seeing clients—there could be up to 24 people on-site at any one time. The applicant states there are currently no overlapping sessions across both studios in order to preserve a "serene and calm environment."

Concerns around parking and local disruption have not gone unaddressed. The statement acknowledges the limited nearby parking but points to several paid car parks within walking distance, limited unrestricted parking on Waldon Street, and potential interest in obtaining permits for therapist parking—though it’s not yet clear how that process would work. Waste collection will reportedly be arranged via the local council.

Interestingly, the application is part-retrospective, suggesting that some operations may have already begun without prior consent—a common issue across Hartlepool in recent years, with small business owners often caught between red tape and financial survival. It remains to be seen as to whether planning officers will turn a blind eye to this phased approach or call for stricter compliance going forward.

A decision on the application is expected in early July 2025, and could set a precedent for future applications of this kind—especially in light of Hartlepool’s ongoing balancing act between promoting health-based enterprises and upholding its increasingly overlooked planning protocols.

As always, HBC Exposed will keep a close eye on this and similar planning matters. Locals who want to have their say can quote reference H/2025/0133 when submitting comments to the planning department.

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