Councillors in Hartlepool have been celebrating after hearing that Seaton Carew is set to benefit from a £600,000 Coastal Communities Fund grant to breathe new life into the resort.

Hartlepool Council is one of 33 areas in England to receive funding which was announced by the Government’s Communities Secretary Sajid Javid.

The funding will form part of a £1.3m package of improvements for the resort which is expected to be completed by March 2018. Hartlepool Council is the other main funding provider with support from the private sector.

Improvements will include the creation of a new outdoor leisure park with water jets, play equipment, beach huts, picnic tables and new attractive landscaping. A new coastal sculpture to reflect the town’s strong maritime history will be located on the promenade near Seaton Reach. It follows submissions from nine artists of local, regional and national repute, of which the winning sculpture was chosen by a public vote.

A further sculpture, called ‘Boy and a Bicycle’ dedicated to Hollywood film director Ridley Scott will be sited at the Transport Interchange in the Church Street area to link key areas of the town via public art.

The Grade II Listed Bus Station and Clock Tower will also be rejuvenated, complete with new footpaths and a gateway feature. Councillor Kevin Cranney, chair of Hartlepool Council’s regeneration services committee, said: “This is tremendous news and will enable the Council to accelerate the regeneration of Seaton Carew.

“The Council set out its vision to revitalise Seaton Carew two years ago through the Seaton Carew Masterplan and it’s really pleasing to see developments now coming to fruition.

“Over the next 12 months we will see significant improvements at Seaton Carew which will benefit residents of the town and strengthen the resort as a visitor destination.”

Other recent investment at Seaton Carew include improvements to the sea defences and promenade whilst the Council has recently received bids from companies interested in providing a crazy golf course on the promenade.