Horden's famous 'numbered streets' to be transformed after £6m Durham County Council regeneration plan is approved

Durham County Council has agreed to invest £6m into the regeneration of Horden as part of an ambition to provide a better standard of housing and quality of life for local people.

Properties in the village’s Third Street will be acquired by the council and will then either be redeveloped to provide high quality housing, demolished and new properties built in their place or a mix of the two.

Improved walking and cycling routes to Peterlee town centre, Horden train station and the Durham Heritage Coast are also included in the masterplan.

An “extensive” consultation was carried out with residents in affected areas and those living nearby.

Responses showed there was “strong support for the demolition and clearance of the numbered streets” the council said.

The long-term goal is to transform Horden’s terraced streets by addressing the number of empty homes, the high numbers of private landlords and supporting those with housing needs.

It comes after repeated calls for action against anti-social tenants and poor landlords.

The £6m deal was approved by councillors on the Conservative, Lib Dem and independent coalition-led county council’s cabinet.

Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Wilkes, however, accused Labour of leaving the area behind when it was in power.

He said: “In 2015 Labour were offered 130 properties on the numbered streets in Horden for £1.

“Labour refused and just left the area to further deteriorate.

"Labour had a chance to start the regeneration of Horden and utterly failed, increasing the cost to fix the problem massively. I am absolutely appalled at what we were left with. And it extends to the state of these areas too.”

But Labour councillor Kevin Shaw, the party’s lead for housing, explained: “Labour is part of the fabric of Horden. Its community knows it has been failed by the council.

“Labour’s plan to regenerate Horden was agreed, the funding bid was oven ready, but this Tory-led coalition ignored the plan, ignored the bid and by doing so, ignored the people of Horden. The Levelling up failure is down to cllr Wilkes and his chaotic coalition colleagues.”