Police sergeant labels derelict town centre building a hotspot for crime and antisocial behaviour
A police sergeant has labelled a derelict building in Peterlee town centre as a “hotspot for crime and antisocial behaviour”.
Lee House was once home to charity and community groups, but in 2015 the building owners ordered them to vacate the property.
Since then, the imposing town centre building has stood empty and has grown into a state of disrepair. Even the building’s clock has stopped working and has been stuck on the same ten-past-two reading “for years”.
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The building has been subject to a number of reported arson attacks attacks and a number of people were arrested for reportedly growing cannabis inside the premises.
I visited the building and found evidence of smashed windows, graffiti and discarded litter. A number of entrance points are also boarded up.
Speaking about the situation, Durham Constabulary’s Sergeant Terry Hill, from Peterlee Neighbourhood Team, said: “This building has historically been a hotspot for crime and antisocial behaviour due to its location in the centre of Peterlee and its derelict condition.
“The town neighbourhood team have done extensive problem-solving work alongside partners to try and identify offenders and target harden the building against future misuse.
“The building is owned privately and so we’ve also been working closely with Durham County Council to locate the owner to ensure the building is secured.
“This work has resulted in a marked decrease in reported incidents and work continues to find a long-term viable solution for the building.”
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Sergeant Hill has also warned people about the dangers of entering a derelict building.
He added: “The site remains part of our team’s daily patrols, and we’re keen for any issues at the location to be reported to us via 101 or online, so we can deal with any emerging trends expeditiously.
“As always, we would like to take this opportunity to warn parents and young people of the dangers of entering derelict buildings which may be structurally unsafe or have asbestos inside.”
Durham County Council have informed the Echo that the building has recently been taken on by new owners. The new owners have not been named but we have asked for our contact details to be passed on to to enable them to respond to this situation and hopefully outline their plans going forward.
If the new owners would like to get in touch they can contact me at [email protected]