County Durham village reaches milestone in refurbishment plans

The next stage of regeneration work in a County Durham village is underway.

In 2014, Durham County Council acquired and demolished 52 terraced properties in Dene Terrace in West Chilton, many of which were empty and unfit for use.

A new health centre was also built on land adjacent to the street in 2015. Now, work is set to begin on 18 bungalows on the site, which will provide social rented affordable bungalows to meet demand in the area.

Cllr Kevin Shaw, cabinet member for strategic housing and assets, said: “We have been working on the regeneration of West Chilton for a number of years and have implemented a number of measures to help improve the lives of residents.

“The start of building work is an exciting stage in the improvement of the area and we know the new housing development will be a welcome step forward for residents.”

The development is being led by Esh Group, using Homes and Communities Agency funding on behalf of Livin housing association.

Graham Morgan, divisional director of Esh Construction Property Services, added: “As a company that believes in creating value for communities, Esh is pleased to be creating affordable homes for Livin and Durham County Council.

“We specialise in delivering high quality homes as part of housing-led regeneration projects for a range of partners.

“The West Chilton scheme will help to shape the improvement of the area together with creating employment opportunities through the construction process too.”