Pride in Place
The government's Gov.uk: Pride in Place Programme will see up to £20 million of investment and support over the next 10 years (from 2026) to 284 communities across the country to make long term improvements.
In County Durham, four areas have been selected to receive Pride in Place funding including:
Phase 1: 2024 to 2034
- Spennymoor
Phase 2: 2026 to 2036
- Crook North/Tow Law
- Peterlee East
- Stanley South
Residents, businesses and community groups will work with their local MP and us to decide how they would like to shape their area and deliver real improvements that matter to local people. Communities will be able to spend the funding on what matters most to them - from improvements to pavements and high streets to investing in culture and green spaces in line with Government investment themes:
- Regeneration, high streets and heritage
- Housing
- Work, Productivity and Skills
- Cohesion
- Community Power
- Health and Wellbeing
- Transport
- Safety and Security
- Education and Opportunity
Funding allocated to each neighbourhood should be spent for the benefit of the local community within the agreed geographic area.
Projects will not be limited to within this boundary and can span to key local areas such as the high street or local green spaces, but the concentration of money and activity must deliver on local people's priorities across the 3 overarching aims:
- Stronger communities - build social cohesion, sense of belonging, and local safety
- Thriving places - revitalise high streets, improve public spaces, and enhance local services such as health and education
- Taking back control - empower residents to make decisions affective their area, from local asset ownership to skills development and entrepreneurship.
Timeline for 2026
Crook North/Tow Law, East Peterlee, and Stanley South
February – March 2026
- Local councillors representation confirmed for each area on the Board
- MPs briefed on the programme and agreed next steps
- Recruitment of the three Board Chairs
- Undertake initial perceptions and priorities community engagement in three areas
- Recruit Board members and provide briefing on the PiPP
April 2026
- £150,000 of initial funding will be released to us to support the consultation and establish the Board
- A further £135,000 grant funding to support:
- running the Neighbourhood Board, community engagement and developing a Pride in Place Plan
- advice and expertise for Neighbourhood Boards for technical elements of plan development and delivery
- work to get projects up and running quickly, such as starting planning applications, drawing up architectural designs, getting legal advice, or carrying out any other tasks that councils and Boards believe will help move their plans forward quickly
- Convene first Board meeting
- Targeted community sessions to determine each areas priorities and identify projects
17 July 2026
- Areas to confirm their Neighbourhood Boards and any proposals to alter the ‘default’ boundary
Summer 2026
- Arrange and commission events and activities to engage and support the co-creation of draft visions and priorities from each of the three areas
- Ongoing work to share, review, and amend documents with the community
Autumn 2026
- Present draft submission documents to Boards
- The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will review membership of the Neighbourhood Boards and boundary proposals and confirm with each area if these are acceptable.
28 November 2026
- Neighbourhood Boards submit their Pride in Place Plan to MHCLG for assessment and approval
More information about the Pride in Place Programme go to Economic development - Durham County Council
To find out more about the Strategic Place Plans go to Strategic Place Plans Programme | Durham County Council
