County Hall closure

For more than six decades, it has been the beating heart of local government in County Durham, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Bill Edgar.

Through the doors at the landmark County Hall in Aykley Heads, generations of councillors have debated over school closures, mining communities, social care budgets, planning rows and multi-million-pound regeneration schemes. 

Thousands of council staff have walked through its doors. Campaigners have gathered on its steps. Protesters have packed its public gallery. And countless residents have arrived hoping to persuade elected members to change their minds.

As Robbie Roddis, council chairman, put it: “Buildings like this are more than just a building.”

But on Friday (July 31), the doors closed to the public for the final time.

County Hall’s closure marks the end of an era stretching back to 1963, when the then-modern headquarters replaced the Victorian Shire Hall on Old Elvet as Durham County Council’s new home. Opened by Prince Philip to huge fanfare, it symbolised an expanding local authority serving one of England’s largest counties.

More than 60 years later, the building is preparing for demolition as part of the wider redevelopment of Aykley Heads into an innovation district expected to create thousands of jobs. Council staff and democratic services are relocating to the nearby Rivergreen building, which will become the authority’s new headquarters.

However, the decision to leave County Hall has not been without controversy.

Plans to relocate have evolved significantly over recent years. Initial proposals for a brand-new civic headquarters in Durham city centre were eventually abandoned in favour of purchasing and refurbishing Rivergreen, which was formally owned by Atom Bank. 

Within its council chamber, political control has shifted through changing administrations. What was once an almost guaranteed Labour administration has been run by a coalition of parties and Reform UK in recent years. 

The headquarters has also hosted heated planning debates over housing developments, renewable energy projects and major regeneration schemes. Public inquiries, licensing hearings and countless committee meetings have brought residents face-to-face with councillors, often over issues affecting their own streets and communities.

But the signs of County Hall’s decline have been evident for several years. 

Many council services have already relocated, while increasing numbers of staff now work remotely or from smaller offices across the county. In recent months, rooms have been stripped back and the historic artwork that once adorned the walls has been relocated. 

John Hewitt, chief executive of the council, said: “The sheer size of County Hall is something that strikes you when you first visit. Although over the years we have slowly closed off access to the upper floors, anyone who visited when the building was open will know that getting lost in County Hall was all part of the experience. 

“Many visitors were often found wandering the corridors, late for their meeting, no doubt having done a few laps of the various floors. 

“Despite people’s differences, our councillors, officers and partners come to work to make a positive difference to people’s lives in County Durham – and County Hall has provided a place for that to happen. 

“I’m sure its place in our history will be looked back on long into the future.”

Durham County Council staged a public exhibition earlier this summer celebrating County Hall’s history, displaying photographs, artefacts and memories from more than six decades of public service before the building’s final farewell. 

The closure also represents a wider shift in local government, with local authorities moving away from large central sites. 

Large civic headquarters, once symbols of municipal power, are becoming increasingly rare as councils adapt to hybrid working, financial pressures and changing public expectations. Across the country, authorities have downsized offices or moved into smaller, more flexible accommodation.

Andrew Husband, council leader, said: “The closure of County Hall is a significant milestone in both the council and County Durham’s story. Over the decades, the building has served the council well as a headquarters. However, its size and mounting cost of maintaining it mean it is no longer viable; it is not a suitable base for the modern and efficient council we strive to be. 

“By moving our teams to more appropriate buildings across the county, we are better-placed to serve our communities more locally.”

Demolition will clear the site for the next phase of Aykley Heads’ transformation, with council leaders hoping the innovation district will become a major economic hub for County Durham.