Repairs approved for Pitman’s Parliament

A major repairs project to protect County Durham’s historic Pitman’s Parliament has been given the green light by council planners.

Opened in 1915, Durham Miners Hall, also known as Redhills, housed a council chamber where colliery delegates took important decisions that transformed the area.

This ranged from building homes and welfare halls to setting up community hospitals and libraries.

In recent years, a campaign was launched to save the Grade II-listed building after it was revealed urgent repairs were needed.

The repairs programme also aimed to pave the way for Durham Miners’ Association’s wider vision to create a community and arts hub on the site.

Works cover the external fabric of the building, the roof of the council chamber and chimneys alongside roof coverings, stonework, exterior plumbing and modernised electrics.

Repairs to the council chamber also include replacing sections of the roof structure affected by “dry rot.”

Following consultation, Durham County Council’s planning authority approved the plans.

A report states the building “is symbolic to the mining history of the communities of

County Durham continuing to be used for its intended purpose and having been the scene of historically significant debates and speeches.

“The primary benefits will be the appropriate repair and restoration, making the building fully watertight and improving its performance, tied in with new uses and sustainability of this prominent historic building as part of a larger Heritage Lottery Fund project.”