Town centre building labelled a disgrace by residents has been taken on by new owners

Residents living in Peterlee had labelled the derelict Lee House building as a “disgrace” and an eyesore which gives a “terrible” impression of the town.

Lee House was once home to charity and community groups, but in 2015 the building owners ordered them to vacate the property.

Since then, the imposing town centre building has stood empty and has grown into a state of disrepair. Even the building’s clock has stopped working and has been stuck on the same ten-past-two reading “for years”.

Durham Constabulary have also confirmed the building has become a focal point for antisocial behaviour and crime.

However, Durham County Council has now confirmed the building is in new hands. Economic development manager Graham Wood said: “We have worked with the previous owner to try to ensure the building is secured while we await proposals for its long-term future.

“However, we understand the building changed ownership late last year and we are now seeking more information from the new owner about their plans.”

What residents said

Anthony Robinson, 74, who is from Peterlee but now lives in Wingate said: “It’s a disgrace what has happened to the building. The clock hasn’t worked for years and there’s always crimes being reported there.

“It’s such a big building that it gives a really bad impression of the town. Something needs to be done. Maybe the new owners could convert it into flats.”

Fellow retiree Geoff Short, 77, said: “It has been like this for years. The clock hasn’t worked for at least five years and it just gives a terrible impression when people come into the town.

“I think it could be converted into flats but if the building is just going to be left then they might as well just knock it down.”

It’s sentiment shared by fellow Peterlee resident Sheila McGowan, 80, who said: “The building just seems to have been left. It’s horrible and has been like this for years and gives a really bad impression of the town.

“If they can’t afford to redevelop the building then they should just knock it down.”

Retired social worker and Peterlee resident, Rob Trewick thinks the state of disrepair at Lee House is symptomatic of a wider issue of decline experienced in the town.

Rob, 66, said: “The building has had incidents of arson, cannabis being grown inside and is just a real big problem.

“It just doesn’t look great and is symptomatic of a wider state of neglect and decline being experienced in the town.

“It looks like a good building, so something should be done with it.”

The new owners of the building have not been named by the Council, although we have asked for our contact details to be passed on to the new owners to enable them to respond to this situation and hopefully outline their plans going forward.

If the new owners would like to get in touch they can contact me on [email protected]