An old village with newer edges
Greatham has its own parish, its own church of St John the Baptist, two pubs (the Hope and Anchor and the Bull and Dog), a Church of England primary school and a community centre. At its heart is the Hospital of God, an almshouse foundation whose Grade II hospital buildings and chapel stand off the High Street. Rows such as Woodbine Terrace, Egerton Terrace, West Row and Vicarage Row sit close to the centre, while closes like Ashfield Close and Woodgate Close were added later.
The 2021 Census includes Greatham in the Fens & Greatham ward. For the village itself, the census area around the centre (LSOA Hartlepool 014D) is the better guide. Its 950 households were 44% semi-detached, 26% detached, 26% terraced and 4% flats. 69% of homes were owner-occupied, 18% were socially rented, and 35% of households had two or more cars or vans.
So Greatham has a bit of everything:
- Older terraces and cottages in the conservation area, often fronting straight onto the street.
- Semis and bungalows on the post-war roads, usually with room for a drive.
- Detached houses on the newer closes, where replacing or widening is the normal job.
The conservation area and listed buildings
The Greatham conservation area covers the historic centre. Around 15 listed buildings stand within a short walk, all Grade II. They include 2, 4, 16 and 18 Front Street, 10 and 12 Front Street, 5 and 50 High Street, Greatham House, Greatham Hospital and the Hospital Chapel. Several boundary walls and gate piers are listed in their own right.
What that means in practice:
- Ask Hartlepool Borough Council's planning team before removing or lowering a front wall or gate piers in the conservation area.
- A listed building needs listed building consent for works that affect its character, including some changes in its grounds.
- Materials matter. Clay pavers, setts or a bound gravel suit the village better than plain grey concrete blocks.
Outside the conservation area, a permeable front drive on a house, or one that drains to a border, is permitted development. Non-permeable paving over five square metres draining to the road needs planning permission.
Greatham Beck and the flood zones
Greatham is the lowest-lying place on this list. Greatham Beck runs about 300 metres south of the centre towards the Tees marshes, and the Environment Agency's flood map shows 13 Flood Zone 3 and 7 Flood Zone 2 areas within 300 metres of the village centre. Look up your address before you plan anything.
On or near a flood zone:
- choose a permeable surface or drain the drive into a soakaway on your own land,
- keep the finished level below the damp-proof course, ideally 150mm lower,
- avoid sending water into the road or onto neighbours' land.
The British Geological Survey maps the village on glacial till over Sherwood Sandstone. The till drains slowly, so a soakaway needs testing before it is relied on.
The kerb and the cost
Dropped kerb. In Hartlepool your accredited contractor applies for the £145 vehicle crossing permit, paid in advance. The council checks the site and usually issues the permit in about two working days. A standard crossing is 2.7 metres wide. In the narrow streets near the green, visibility and parked cars can make a crossing harder to approve. More on our dropped kerbs page.
Prices. For a 25m² drive at Checkatrade's April 2026 UK averages:
- gravel in a grid at about £60 per m²: roughly £1,500,
- tarmac at about £90 per m²: roughly £2,250,
- block paving at about £100 per m²: roughly £2,500,
- resin bound at about £120 per m²: roughly £3,000.
Permeable block paving, drainage near the beck and care around old walls can add to the cost. Clay pavers cost more than concrete.
Nearby parts of Hartlepool
- Fens driveways: North across the A689, a large estate of semis.
- Seaton Carew driveways: East over the railway, the seaside suburb.
- Hart driveways: The borough's other main village, north-west of the town.
Options that suit a village street: block paving, gravel, dropped kerbs.
Every area on our list: All areas.
Questions people ask in Greatham
Do I need permission to remove a wall in Greatham?
In the conservation area, check with Hartlepool Borough Council's planning team before removing a front wall or gate piers. Some walls are listed in their own right.
Is Greatham at risk of flooding?
Parts of the village near Greatham Beck are in mapped Flood Zones 2 and 3. Check your address on the Environment Agency's flood map and choose a surface that drains onto your own land.
What surface suits a Greatham cottage?
Clay pavers, setts or a resin-bound gravel usually suit the old centre better than plain concrete. Permeable versions also help with drainage.
How do I get a dropped kerb in Greatham?
Your contractor applies for Hartlepool's £145 permit. The council checks visibility and the street before approving it, normally within about two working days.
Sources: ONS Census 2021, Fens & Greatham ward and LSOA Hartlepool 014D (TS044, TS045, TS054 via Nomis); Planning Data: conservation areas and listed buildings; OpenStreetMap: streets, churches and waterways; BGS Geology Viewer, 1:50,000; Environment Agency flood map for planning; Hartlepool Borough Council: vehicle crossing policy; GOV.UK: permeable surfacing of front gardens; Checkatrade driveway cost guide (April 2026).