Vandalised care home to be reacquired by council
BBCA vandalised former care home is to be reacquired by a council after becoming a "blight" on a town.
Feryemount on North Street in Ferryhill has been repeatedly targeted in recent years, with smashed windows and graffiti.
Local Reform UK councillor Joe Quinn said while the council had made the building secure it was not a long-term solution, having spent nearly £30,000 keeping the property safe.
A Durham County Council cabinet meeting approved of the plans to reacquire the town centre property. Owner Care Co Plus has been approached for comment.
The building was sold by Durham County Council to developer Care Co Plus Ltd for £225,000 in 2021.
The council will pay for the reacquisition using money in the capital receipts fund - which is money made from council property sales. The actual amount has not been established yet.
Quinn said: "This has been a blight on the town since its closure many years ago.
"After years of campaigning, today I am proud to have moved a recommendation that will allow the council to use our contractual right to reacquire the building."
The Reform-led authority said it had spent nearly £30,000 keeping the property safe, despite asking the owner to take action.
Ferryhill town mayor Curtis Bihari said he was pleased to see the council reacquiring the property.
He said: "I wish this had been done sooner, so the building hadn't been allowed to deteriorate further and become a blight on the town for years.
"However, this is clear progress and I look forward to hearing what the council's plans are once they have reacquired the building."
Labour MP for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor Alan Strickland said the state of the building was "totally unacceptable".
"It is simply not good enough that it has been allowed to deteriorate for so long," he said.
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