One resident of the coastal village said the demolition plans amount to ‘social cleansing’ as the regeneration project gathers pace
Plans to demolish historic homes in the UK’s most affordable seaside village have been labelled as ‘social cleansing’ as a local authority pushes forward with its proposals.
Durham County Council has submitted a planning application to tear down 100 properties in Horden’s ‘Numbered Streets’, an area that was established in the early 1900s and originally provided housing for the coal mining community.
Horden, along with neighbouring Peterlee, was recently named as the UK’s cheapest place to live by the sea in a ranking by Rightmove. It has also frequently ranked among the nation’s most deprived areas.
The proposed demolition zone stretches from First Street to 13th Street and is part of a £10.7 million regeneration project that it is hoped will breathe new life into the area. Homeowners have been asked to sell their properties to the council so new housing can be built.
However, local residents are resisting the plans, which they claim to have largely opposed since a consultation was first launched in 2019, according to the Express, reports Chronicle Live.
Joe, a community organiser for Shelter, said it was “immediately obvious it wasn’t what people wanted” when he first arrived in the area, adding that there was palpable anger at a parish council meeting.
Campaign group Fair Deal For Horden found that 72 percent of the community preferred refurbishment, with only 2pc supporting demolition.
Joe added: “The council says there’s widespread support. I beg to differ.”
Shelter’s research shows that buying and renovating empty properties for social rent can require roughly 20pc less grant funding than new builds, when clearance and compensation costs are taken into account.
Raymond Bellingham has lived with his sister in a mortgage-free home on Third Street since he was nine years old. This year marks his 60th anniversary at the address.
He opposes the plans, saying locals want restoration to breathe new life into the area rather than bulldozing people’s homes. A similar scheme was implemented in The Green in Hartlepool, restoring crumbling Victorian houses rather than knocking them down.
Raymond said: “There was originally talk of other plans – renovation, refurbishment, etc. But all of a sudden, all other options disappeared, and the council has gone down the path of total demolition. They’re totally ignoring the people living here, refusing to do another consultation.”
He insisted the streets’ terrible reputation is baseless, “a misrepresentation”, saying people view it as “gang-laden – people carrying machetes with dangerous dogs” – but this “couldn’t be further from the truth”.
Joe pointed out the irony that this year marks the 125th anniversary of Horden as a village: “What better way to celebrate than by wiping out the historic homes of the people who built that community, the people who contributed to British industrial progress?”. Raymond said “there’s not much to celebrate”, declaring: “The council wants to wipe out this community, to build new houses and obliterate heritage and history.
“It’s affecting people who still live here. They want to clear the area, trying to buy homes for £30,000-£35,000, way below market price. That’s what actually makes the area undesirable. Exactly what they’re supposed to be avoiding.
“It might sound drastic, but it’s a form of social cleansing. Good people live here, and they’re being driven out of their own homes, their village, their community. They don’t care about the people here; they have no sentiment for this community.”
Joe revealed that Horden features amongst the nation’s most deprived areas, explaining: “Locals do need something to happen. It does need regeneration, but what cost does that come at?”.
“This plan shouldn’t come at the cost of people’s lives being torn apart. If the council went the refurb route, it could do more for the Numbered Streets.”
Although a relocation package is available for residents selling their properties to the council, Joe insists “many feel they’ll be financially worse off”.
Leaving Horden would prove expensive, he said, alongside the heartbreaking impact of breaking community bonds and family ties.
Joe contended this simply “perpetuates a cycle of instability for lots of people”.
Durham County Council claimed the Horden Masterplan had attracted “strong support” throughout several years of comprehensive consultation. Michael Kelleher, the head of planning and housing, stated: “We have worked hard throughout the process to ensure residents feel heard and represented.
“Following our consultations in 2018, 2019 and 2022, the demolition, clearance and provision of new housing was consistently ranked higher than refurbishment by residents.
“The aim of the masterplan is to regenerate the village and improve life for local people by tackling issues such as the high number of empty properties in the Numbered Streets, supporting those with housing needs, enhancing community facilities and paving the way for new council housing that is truly affordable. All while respecting the history and heritage of Horden.
“We understand this is an unsettling time, and we are working closely with owners and landlords to negotiate the purchase of their properties and help people to find alternative accommodation should they need it.”