Dawdon Miners’ Hall could become apartment block under plans

Residents living on Mount Stewart Street in Seaham say they fear converting the Dawdon Miners’ Hall into 11 apartments would “destroy the fabric of the street”, as they reminisce about the loss of the “hub of the community”.

The building has sat empty since the Covid pandemic, but now plans submitted to Durham County Council promise to give it a new life as eight two-bed and three one-bed “high quality” apartments.

But Kathleen Fox, 57, told the Echo: “It could destroy the fabric of the street.

“We used to go to the club when we first bought the house; my husband’s dad was a miner, and he was always in there.

“It’s a big worry to us who go in there, it’s just terrifying.”

She added: “Then there’s the issue of parking, there isn’t room.

“Mount Stewart Street has always been difficult for parking, especially as it’s a bus route.”

June Lowes, 91, who has lived on the street her entire life, added: “During the Second World War, if you wanted something to eat, you went to the Miner’s Hall.”

June’s daughter, Gail, told us: “In the early 80s, during the miners’ strike, it was the hub of the community.

“It had a soup kitchen, and the miners’ wives would get food there. Sadly, such a communal hub is no longer there; it survived two wars and two miners’ strikes, but didn’t survive Covid.”

In the planning application, documents state ‘Dawdon and the wider Seaham area comprise a predominantly working-class community with modest household incomes and a high proportion of lower-value housing stock.’

The building sits on Mount Stewart Street in Dawdon, Seaham. (Image: Google Street View)

It adds, ‘In this context, delivery of new, high-quality accommodation through adaptive reuse provides a significant contribution to local regeneration.’

The application, which proposes eight two-bedroom apartments and three one-bedroom apartments, states that the change of use ‘encourages the reuse of community buildings where they are no longer viable’.

However, several ward councillors and residents have raised concerns about the loss of the building’s historical and community value, alongside objections related to anti-social behaviour and parking under the new, proposed plans.

Councillor Chris Fairs, another who feels strongly against the plans, said: “This site and its immediate surroundings already experience persistent anti-social behaviour (ASB) and associated nuisance.

“In my view, the proposal would materially worsen those issues and would also create poor living conditions for future residents unless major changes and robust controls are secured.

Councillor Andrew Harrison expressed similar reservations, stating: “In my view, intensifying this site to 11 separate dwellings – with increased daily movements, visitors, deliveries and refuse generation – creates a clear risk of worsening ASB, undermining community safety, and causing avoidable harm to neighbouring residents’ amenity.”

Stephen Reed, Durham County Council’s planning manager, said: “We have recently received a planning application seeking to convert the former miners’ hall in Dawdon into 11 flats.

“All comments received in response to this consultation will be carefully considered in line with usual processes.”

On Monday, March 9, Councillors Chris Fairs and Andrew Harrison met with residents to further discuss the plans.

At the meeting, the developer stated there would be around 10 resident parking bays added, but residents told both councillors they do not believe this is sufficient.

Both councillors were told during the meeting that clearing work has already started, but reiterated that building works should not proceed unless/until planning permission is approved.

The application is currently ‘pending consideration’.