Seaham Strategic Place Plan

Help shape Seaham town centre's future

We are starting work in Seaham 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 Seaham 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 Seaham to be in the future.

There are no existing ideas in mind, this vision will be directly shaped by the people of Seaham 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 Seaham

Seaham is County Durham’s only coastal town, located 6 miles south of Sunderland and around 13 miles east of Durham City. Its strategic position on the Durham Coast, combined with excellent connectivity via the A19, places it within the key north–south corridor linking Tyneside and Teesside, reinforcing its role as a well‑connected hub for business, investment and commuting.

Over the past twenty-five years, Seaham has been transformed through sustained public and private sector investment. Comprehensive programmes in infrastructure, land reclamation, master planning and place‑making have delivered new housing, retail and hospitality outlets, employment space and leisure developments, fundamentally reshaping the town’s economy and civic environment.

Seaham is widely recognised as one of the North East’s most distinctive coastal destinations. Its harbour marina, dramatic promenade, restored beaches and high‑quality coastal landscapes offer a rich visitor experience rooted in natural beauty, heritage and maritime culture. The town includes a designated Conservation Area centred around its historic harbour and surrounding streetscape, an area that reflects its architectural, industrial and maritime past. Seaham’s coastline also forms part of the Durham Heritage Coast, known for restored beaches, scenic walking routes and unique ecological habitats.

The iconic “Tommy” First World War sculpture (officially 1101), located on Terrace Green, has become a significant landmark and visitor attraction, drawing people from across the region and beyond.

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.

Seaham town centre is centred on the historic shopping area of Church Street and the adjoining Byron Place Shopping Centre on South Terrace. The town centre extends northwards towards the top of North Terrace, incorporating the commercial units and public space located at the edge of North Railway Street.

At its lower edge, the town centre boundary sweeps from Byron Place around the rear of Church Street, continuing through Shelley Street and Viceroy Street, before returning via Sophia Street to Blanford Place, and finally continuing down the rear of Church Street towards Green Street.

It also includes some of the areas linked to the town centre and which will have an influence on the Vision for the town including Seaham Train Station, Seaham Harbour Marina, Nose’s Point (Durham Heritage Coast), the Conservation Area and Tommy World War One Soldier Sculpture - Eleven 'O' One.

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 Seaham Strategic Place Plan - Durham County Council

Phase one of this consultation will close on 31 May 2026.

For more information contact CED@durham.gov.uk

To have this in a different format contact letstalkcountydurham@durham.gov.uk.