The scheme, first announced in 2019 and led by the local authority, promises to invest in the housing issues of the former mining community. Consultation with residents found that the majority supported the proposal to buy and demolish existing properties on numbered streets and build new homes in their place.
Read more: Houses can be demolished and rebuilt in the Hordern masterplan
Up to £6 million has been pledged by the council to develop the first phase of the masterplan, which will include the acquisition of homes on Third Street. The council will then decide whether the existing properties should be demolished and rebuilt or retrofitted.
The Northern Echo: Graham Morris, Labor MP for Easington
Graham Morris, Labor MP for Easington (Image: The Northern Echo)
The local MP says he welcomes the plans but without investment the area has suffered. Labour’s Graham Morris of Easington has previously raised concerns over the amount of vacant properties in the area, hitting out at “absent private landlords who have no connection to the community and very little interest in the community”.
He also said it was a “catastrophic failure” that the joint administration in charge of Durham County Council – consisting of Liberal Democrat, Conservative and independent members – did not include Hordern in the first round of bids for the Leveling Up Fund.
“I must reserve judgement,” said Mr. Morris. “There have been a lot of false dawns when it comes to investment and regeneration in Horden, and I will be more confident when progress is made on the ground.
The MP has previously said abandoned properties, anti-social behaviour, criminality and open street drug dealing have blighted the community for years.
Hordern Together, a local group, was formed in 2021 to tackle neighborhood blight and improve the quality of life by working with residents to tackle the issues highlighted by Mr Morris, and continues to support residents Is.
The Northern Echo: Pip Fallow has recently published a book called ‘Dragged Up Propa’, which documents his life living in East Durham and the challenges facing the area today.
Pip Fallow has recently published a book called ‘Dragged Up Propa’, which documents his life living in East Durham and the challenges facing the area today (Image: The Northern Echo)
Yet, after recently assessing the current state of the surrounding communities, author and local activist Pip Fallows believes more needs to be done than simply redeveloping the neighborhood.
“Horden is a small spot in eight miles of completely destitute coastline,” he said. “All the villages have the same problems and the issue is that this is the cheapest postcode in the country and landlords are taking advantage of that. There’s no community and that’s making it worse.
“People around here were once proud of producing, of manufacturing, and I don’t see any solution to the problems in this area other than bringing it back through re-industrialization.”
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Reiterating the local MP’s claim that investment in the area is long overdue, he is demanding action on the local unemployment crisis. He added: “Sticking a little plaster on a huge wound like Third Street isn’t going to solve much.”
Despite criticism and concerns, MP Mr Morris welcomes the council’s pledge to invest £6m in Hordern. He said: “I welcome these new plans, and it is important that the council moves forward in an effective and efficient way to ensure improvements for local residents who have seen too many false promises come and go.”
The joint administration says the scheme will act as a catalyst for further regeneration and attract further investment.
Cllr James Rowlandson, the council’s cabinet member for resources, investment and property, said investing in Hordern has always been a priority. A bid of £20m was submitted in the second round of the Leveling Up Fund but was unsuccessful.
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He added: “Although we were disappointed that Horden did not receive funding from the Government, we will continue to look for other opportunities for the community.
“Mr Morris is well aware of the timescales for developing the first round of bids, as this work was done closely with local MPs. It is therefore misleading to blame the current administration of the County Council for not submitting the bid now.
“The deadline for submission was less than a month after the new administration came into office. Therefore, it is clear that the failure lies with the previous Labor administration for not working to prepare the bids on time.
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