Chester-le-Street Strategic Place Plan
Help shape Chester-le-Street town centre's future
We are starting work in Chester-le-Street with our partner Urban Foresight to find out your views and ideas about how you would like to see the town develop over the next 10 years.
We want this plan to be developed with our communities, so its important that you tell us what you would like to see for the future.
We want to hear from the people who live and work in Chester-le-Street to help shape the future of your town. We want to understand your thoughts on its strengths and opportunities, what can be improved and what we’d all like Chester-le-Street to be in the future.
There are no existing ideas in mind, this vision will be directly shaped by the people of Chester-le-Street from the very beginning.
Over the next eight weeks, we will be talking to people in the streets, at transport hubs, bus stops, shopping centres, organising drop-in meetings, listening to children and young people in schools, visiting community meetings and local organisations to find out your thoughts on the town's strengths, opportunities, and challenges, and your hopes for its future.
About Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is one of the main towns in County Durham with a population of around 54,000 residents, and has convenient access to Durham, Newcastle, Washington, Gateshead and Sunderland. The town is adjacent to the A1 and has a station on the East Coast Main Lane with great regional and national connectivity . The town is also bounded by the A167, which is one of the main local routes through County Durham to Darlington.
The good connectivity of the town is one of a number of attractions for residents, as well as access to the countryside, the large town centre, Riverside Park, and well as its' Roman and Christian built heritage (e.g. castles, viaduct, and listed buildings).
Your Views
We will use the information gathered from you alongside what we know about the town to develop a draft vision.
We will then come back and ask you again what you think about the vision and start to draw up plans to help us get there.
The boundary map shows the Chester-le-Street town centre boundary. The map is bounded by Mains Park Road and Church Chare to the East, North Burns to the North, crossing to South Burns, west side of Front Street, Station Road and Osborne Road to the West and Ropery Lane and Ashfield Terrace roundabout to the South. It also includes some of the areas linked to the town centre and which will have an influence on the Vision.
We want to know if you think we have missed any important areas which should be included in the map.
Complete our survey to enter into a free prize draw for a £100 One4All gift card. You will see the terms and conditions and privacy notice at the end of the survey.
Below shows what will happen during the project at each stage, how you can take part in the online surveys and other ways to have your say. The dates for future stages are provision and may change as the project progresses.
For more information visit Chester-le-Street Strategic Place Plan.
Phase three of this consultation will close on 19 April 2026.
For more information contact CED@durham.gov.uk
To have this in a different format contact letstalkcountydurham@durham.gov.uk.
9 days left
Phases
Understanding your feedback
In phase two, we have been understanding what you have told us
We have gathered your feedback from events, the survey, from schools and community groups and local organisations and employers and cross reference it with data and information we have about the town. We will then develop a draft vision for the town to share with you in the next phase.
What you told us
We engaged with 1,174 people across a range of demographics:
- 251 survey responses representing residents of Chester-le-Street, wider County Durham, visitors and businesses
- 410 people engaged in 6 drop-in or on-street community events
- 503 young people engaged – 186 through school council engagement at Newker PS, 200 at Red Rose PS. Additionally, 117 young people engaged through the Durham Youth Council survey.
- 10 key stakeholders engaged during 8 interviews. Additionally, focus groups were undertaken with Chester-le-Street Business Association, the Residents Association and the Heritage Forum.
The key findings are based on themed areas of heritage and regeneration; transport; safety and security; housing; education, skills and opportunities; community spirit; and health and wellbeing.
A summary of what you told us about the town is below.
Heritage and regeneration
Strengths
- Interesting Roman and religious heritage.
- Ample natural assets (Riverside Park, Cong Burn Woods, Waldridge Fell).
- Presence of independent shops and some larger chains on the high street continue to attract shoppers.
Challenges
- Limited shop diversity (dominated by vape shops, barbers, charity shops).
- Prominent empty buildings on Front Street (e.g., Red Lion, Queen’s Head).
- Declining parts of the townscape (empty units, run-down buildings, poor maintenance, broken paving, litter).
- Widespread perception that there is a lack of visible regeneration and previous regeneration efforts have had a detrimental effect on the town, (e.g., contributing to the loss of a regular market).
Opportunities
- Opportunity to build on surrounding natural assets and integrate surrounding green spaces into the town centre.
- Maximise heritage assets through better promotion.
- Develop a ‘café culture’ through utilising outdoor seating and hosting community events in the Market Place, as well as repurposing empty units for community or creative use.
- Opportunities to maximise use of regenerated Market Place for community events and markets more regular markets.
Transport
Strengths
- Excellent links to Durham and Newcastle via East Coast mainline.
- Proximity to A1 and good bus services.
- Compact town centre supports walking and Riverside Park is seen as an excellent asset for outdoor recreation and active travel.
Challenges
- Parking costs are seen as a deterrent to people visiting the town centre.
- Limited train frequency and reliability.
- Poor maintenance and lighting on walking/cycling routes.
Opportunities
- Improve walking/cycling links between the town centre and Riverside Park.
- Introduce disc parking or free afternoon parking seen as a way to encourage shoppers into the town centre.
- Better signage and promotion of transport assets could help position Chester-le-Street as a regional transport hub.
Safety and security
Strengths
- CCTV coverage in parts of the town.
- Well-lit and busy areas during the day.
- Some positive feedback on home security and councillor responsiveness
Challenges
- Rising anti-social behaviour, theft, and vandalism.
- Lack of visible police presence and community policing.
- Night-time safety concerns, especially for women and vulnerable groups.
Opportunities
- Increase visible policing and patrols to act as a deterrent for anti-social behaviour.
- Improve lighting and environmental design for safer routes to help increase sense of security and use of spaces for transport and recreation.
- Strengthen partnerships to tackle anti-social behaviour and drugs.
- Enhance CCTV and safety around station and underpasses.
Housing
Strengths
- Good mix of housing types (Victorian terraces and newer developments).
- Relative affordability housing compared to nearby towns.
- Walkable connectivity between some residential areas and town centre.
Challenges
- Shortage of social housing and genuinely affordable homes.
- Poor conditions in some properties (damp, insulation issues).
- Uneven quality of housing between neighbourhoods with fly-tipping and visible neglect of properties a key concern.
- Infrastructure under pressure from housing growth.
Opportunities
- Repurpose empty properties and vacant town centre units for housing.
- Deliver more accessible housing for older residents.
- Improve landlord standards and neighbourhood management could help improve the appearance of some neighbourhoods and address anti-social behaviour.
Education, work, skills and opportunities
Strengths
- Excellent schools and good availability.
- Active community groups and volunteering opportunities.
- Access to some employment on outskirts of town at the Drum Industrial Estate. .
Challenges
- Lack of high-quality local jobs leads many residents to commute elsewhere or remain unemployed.
- Limited training and adult learning provision.
- Insufficient childcare and wraparound support.
Opportunities
- Develop new employment opportunities for all age groups.
- Expand community-based skills training and upskilling pathways.
- Invest in education and creative facilities to attract talent.
Community
Strengths
- Friendly and supportive residents.
- Strong volunteer base and active community centres.
- Popular events like Summer Activity Days, Remembrance Day parade and Christmas lights switch on.
Challenges
- Declining sense of pride and cohesion.
- Poor communication between council and community groups.
- Limited activities for young people.
Opportunities
- Organise inclusive, affordable community events (e.g., food festivals, outdoor film nights).
- Promote heritage and improve town centre appearance to boost pride.
- Better council engagement and support for volunteers.
Health and wellbeing
Strengths
- High number of gyms (both council-run and private).
- Ample green spaces for outdoor exercise.
- A range of indoor and outdoor exercise groups including community centre activities, outdoor walking groups and a weekly Park Run and Junior Park Run.
Challenges
- Leisure centre and swimming facilities are viewed as outdated and in need of replacement or considerable renovation.
- High cost of private gyms and some activities limit accessibility.
- Residents report difficulty accessing GP and dentist appointments.
Opportunities
- Renovate or replace leisure centre.
- Increase outdoor activities and movement-based events.
- Create more spaces for young people (e.g., teen gym, skate park).
- Better promotion of existing health and wellbeing activities.
Our approach for the next stages
We have shared these findings with senior officers across the council to develop a greater understanding of what local residents, organisations and businesses are telling us about the town. We will be setting up a group which will be made up of council officers and local partners to help identify what can be done to improve the area over the next 10 years.
As part of this, a vision for the town will be developed and shared with you for your comments. In addition, we are developing an investment plan.
Upcoming and ongoing events
Past events
Event date: November 29th, 2025 from 15:30 to 19:30.
Chester Le Street Market place
Event date: November 29th, 2025 from 10:00 to 14:00.
St Cuthbert's Walk Shopping Centre
Event date: November 18th, 2025 from 10:00 to 13:00.
Chester-le-Street Leisure Centre
Event date: November 13th, 2025 from 15:30 to 19:30.
Chester-le-Street Library
Event date: November 13th, 2025 from 10:30 to 14:30.
Bullion Hall