Bulldozers may be moving in
HOPES THAT WRANGLE MAY END SO THAT ‘AWFUL’ OLD SCHOOL BUILDING CAN BE DEMOLISHED
The fate of a wrecked school site involved in a 20-year wrangle could be resolved within days.
A demolition order for Easington Colliery School was approved two years ago, but was halted when Historic England said not enough had been done to find a new use for the baroque-style buildings.
Constructed in 1913 and empty since 1997, the Grade II listed site has fallen into a state of disrepair and proved a magnet for thieves and vandals, as well as pigeons.
Various proposals have been put forward for the site, but none have materialised.
An independent report commissioned by Durham County Council has concluded efforts to find a redeveloper have been exhausted.
It is hoped that it will persuade Historic England to allow another demolition order to be submitted so the site can be cleared.
A meeting will take place this week, bringing together councillors and officers from Durham County Council, Historic England and the site’s owner Tony Mann to discuss the issue.
Councillor David Boyes, who will attend alongside fellow ward member Angela Surtees, said: “My hope is, and 99% of the Easington community is behind this, that demolition can go ahead on that site and get something else on there.
“It’s been shut for 20 years, it looks awful.”
If a further demolition order is submitted and approved by planners, the application will still have to be given the OK by the Secretary of State.
Shutters have recently been installed because of break-ins.
The site is still being marketed as a development opportunity.