Design and Conservation

Buildings Conservation

The conservation of historic buildings and conservation areas is the responsibility of the County Council in conjunction with the borough and district councils. The Design and Conservation Section shares staff with Wear Valley and Teesdale District Councils and advises Chester-le-Street, Derwentside and Easington District Councils on these matters. We also work closely with Durham City and Sedgefield Councils, although they employ their own specialist staff.

The section is responsible for accessing funding to finance county-wide grant schemes for the repair & restoration of historic buildings and improvements to conservation areas and also promotes good practice in the repair and upkeep of historic buildings through advisory and technical publications which are available to the public.