Families in a County Durham village are being asked for their views on plans to improve a local shopping street.

Durham County Council has drawn up proposals for Blackhills Road, in Horden, that are designed to improve the overall appearance of the street, tackle parking problems and make it safer for pedestrians.

The council has worked with Horden Regeneration Partnership, Horden Youth and Community Centre management and local councillors on the scheme, which is part of the Urban and Rural Renaissance Initiative.


Proposals for the street include: raising the main section of the road so that traffic will have to slow down to drive onto it; installing new railings along the sides of the road to discourage illegal parking; installing a new pedestrian crossing and improving the overall appearance of the road.

June Clark, Chair of Horden Regeneration Partnership, said: "We first starting looking at ideas for improving Blackhills Road about four years ago and we’re very pleased to see those ideas becoming a reality.

"We particularly want to attract more businesses to the street, which will hopefully help to regenerate the village centre.

"We'd love to see Blackhills Road as busy as it was when the colliery was there, with as many businesses and the same variety of businesses that there once was."

(CD/JM)