Find, save and share Public Notices that affect you in the area.
Search the Public Notice Portal What is the Public Notice Portal?What is the Public Notice Portal?
The Public Notice Portal carries statutory public notices published in local newspapers and is the fastest and most effective way of finding out what is happening in YOUR neighbourhood.
Search the Public Notice PortalCounty Hall has officially closed its doors after more than six decades as the political heart of County Durham.
Friday’s closure marks the beginning of a major relocation and redevelopment programme that involves demolition, temporary moves and the opening of new offices.
It brings an end to 63 years of council meetings, political debates and public decision-making at the Aykley Heads headquarters, which first opened in 1963.
Over the coming months, Durham County Council's staff, councillors and public services will be dispersed across several temporary and permanent locations while work continues on a new headquarters nearby.
Staff relocation
Most council employees have already begun moving out of County Hall, with services transferring to a network of offices across the county.
The council's long-term headquarters will be the refurbished Rivergreen building at Aykley Heads, which is being converted into modern offices complete with a purpose-built council chamber and public reception area. The move is intended to provide a smaller base while freeing up the existing County Hall site for redevelopment.
Until the new site is ready, staff will also be based at nearby offices including Salvus House and Corten House, while committee meetings will be held at other council buildings.
Where will councillors meet?
Although County Hall has now closed, council business will continue uninterrupted.
From September, full meetings of Durham County Council will be held at Spennymoor Leisure Centre while committee meetings will rotate between venues including Salvus House, The Light in Durham, Green Lane and Spennymoor Education Centre until the Rivergreen chamber opens.
When will demolition begin?
The landmark headquarters will remain standing for several months before demolition begins.
The council expects the building to be handed over to development partner Muse in March 2027, when demolition work is scheduled to start.
While the building itself will disappear, several historically significant features have already been preserved. The Norman Cornish miners' mural was relocated to Bishop Auckland Town Hall in 2020, while the council's archives have moved to The Story at Mount Oswald.
What will replace County Hall?
The demolition is the first stage of one of the biggest regeneration projects in County Durham.
The former County Hall site forms part of the wider Aykley Heads Innovation District, where the council hopes to attract thousands of high-value jobs in science, technology and professional services.
Read more
-
Reform slams solar farm schemes and says Durham cannot become 'dumping ground'
-
City centre businesses urge Prime Minister to reduce rates and support high street
Working alongside development partner Muse, the authority plans to transform the area into a commercial innovation campus linked with Durham University, NETPark and the city's existing business district. The wider vision is expected to support around 4,000 jobs and deliver hundreds of thousands of square feet of new office and commercial space.
Council leaders say relocating from the ageing 1960s headquarters will reduce running costs, create a more sustainable workplace and unlock one of Durham City's most strategically important development sites for future investment.
The closure represents both the end of an era for local government in County Durham and the beginning of a long-term transformation of the Aykley Heads estate, with demolition expected to begin next spring before redevelopment gathers pace over the following years.
Share