Mayor Kim McGuinness and the North East Combined Authority have approved almost £4.5m investment to support the regeneration of Horden in East Durham.
The funding will support delivery of over 100 new two and three bedroom family homes, including council housing that will be affordable to local families.
The money is in addition to the £6.2m that Durham County Council has already invested and will be used to support the regeneration of homes known as ‘The Numbered Streets’ in the former mining village.
The investment will support delivery of the Horden Masterplan, a major regeneration programme developed by Durham County Council in partnership with the community. The plans will see a range of new houses and bungalows being built with others refurbished, as well as improved walking and cycling routes to Peterlee town centre, Horden train station and the Durham Heritage Coast.
The investment will kick start a programme of house building and regeneration across the North East outlined in the Mayor’s manifesto, with council and social housing at its heart.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “Our investment in Horden is a downpayment on my ambitions for housing in the North East. We will go from brownfield to beautiful, build genuinely affordable homes for local people and create thriving and vibrant places local people will be proud of. As Mayor I will not sit back and let villages and towns be overlooked, and let land sit idle, while waiting lists are getting longer and families are locked out of the housing they need. This captures the powerful role we can play breathing new life into places crying out for investment – creating prosperity and opportunity for people across the North East.”
Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “We are delighted to have been successful with our application for £4.5m from the North East Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund. This will give us more than £10.7m towards our ultimate goal of regenerating Horden including through the provision of high quality housing.
“This new money, on top of the £6.2m we have already committed to the delivery of the Horden Masterplan, will allow us to tackle even more of the Numbered Streets, which is a council priority.
“We have been working on the acquisition of properties on Third Street which will pave the way for new council housing or redevelopment. This added funding means we can extend the scope of our work into Fifth Street, and potentially deliver more than 100 properties across Third, Fourth and Fifth Street, including some council housing that will be truly affordable.
“It remains our ambition that what we are doing will act as catalyst for more regeneration activity within Horden and help us to attract outside investment in the community.”
Dame Norma Redfearn, Elected Mayor of North Tyneside Council and Cabinet Member for Housing and Land at the North East Combined Authority, said: “Everyone should have somewhere that they are proud to call home, and as a combined authority we are committed to creating high-quality, affordable housing for our residents.
“This looks to be fantastic development and work is just getting started. We will continue to look for opportunities to create more affordable housing and will do everything within our gift to ensure that we have the right types of homes available to suit the needs of those who need them.”
Delivery of the first phase of the Horden Masterplan was approved by Durham County Council’s Cabinet in January 2024 after receiving widespread support from the community during a public consultation. The aim is to transform the village’s Numbered Streets by addressing the number of empty homes and private landlords and supporting those with housing needs. Along with the introduction of improved walking and cycling routes, the council is exploring options to create a new care facility, shops and business space.
The local authority is working closely with owners to negotiate the purchase of properties in Third Street, as part of the initial acquisition phase.
A comprehensive rehousing strategy has been developed for affected residents – both owner-occupiers and tenants – to identify suitable alternative accommodation where appropriate or to assist them to secure their own properties elsewhere.