Blackhill Church Was Left to Crumble – Now the Council Has Responded

Blackhill’s historic St Aidan’s Church has become the subject of Durham County Council’s highest-ever planning enforcement fine—totalling £124,800—after its owners failed to carry out urgent repairs.

Purvis Construction NE Ltd, owners of the Grade II-listed church, were penalised in court this week after ignoring multiple legal notices and failing to attend two hearings.

The fine, issued by Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, follows the company’s failure to carry out any of the legally required maintenance since an enforcement notice was first issued in November 2023.

Court Imposes Maximum Fine

This week, magistrates imposed the maximum penalty allowed under planning law: £500 per day since the first conviction in December 2024, where the company was fined £10,000.

The court heard that no work had been started or completed despite legal orders, prompting Durham County Council to pursue a second prosecution.

Condition of the Church

St Aidan’s, which holds listed status and stands within a conservation area, was found to be in such disrepair that it was no longer wind or watertight.

The original Section 215 notice required the company to:

• Repair or replace broken and missing roof slates, lead flashings, and ridge tiles
• Clear and restore gutters, downpipes, and other rainwater systems
• Replace broken or missing window security screening
• Cut back overgrown trees and shrubs on the property boundary

None of these works were undertaken within the 16-week deadline.

Council Response

Cllr Lyndsey Fox, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, stated:

“St Aidan’s occupies a prime place in Blackhill and its listed status and the fact it is within the local conservation area add to its importance locally.

Regrettably over time it has been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair and that has upset a lot of people living in the area who regard the old church as an important part of their heritage…

We hope that penalty might serve as food for thought for any property owners who might not look after important heritage assets as well as they could.”

Background

Purvis Construction, based on Silksworth Road in Sunderland, was first taken to court by the council in December 2024. That prosecution ended in a £10,000 fine.

Since then, the company has not engaged with the enforcement process. At both hearings, it failed to attend court.

Cumulative penalties now stand at £134,800, making this the most significant planning enforcement fine Durham County Council has ever secured.

Looking Ahead: Community Ideas for Reviving St Aidan’s

While fines continue to mount, the building itself remains untouched—and its potential untapped. Locals have long recognised St Aidan’s Church not just as a neglected structure, but as a landmark with real value for Blackhill.

So, what could this space become if brought back into public or community hands?

• A cultural or arts centre, celebrating Consett’s heritage and creating space for events, exhibitions, and local talent
• A youth or wellbeing hub, offering services, activities, and support where they’re most needed
• Affordable workspaces for start-ups, creatives, or social enterprises
• A community café or meeting place, blending history with modern use, and creating jobs in the process
• Green redevelopment, such as community gardens, with part of the building repurposed sustainably

Beyond its historic significance, restoring and reusing St Aidan’s could help uplift its surrounding area—visually, socially, and economically. It’s a space with identity and memory. Letting it crumble may cost more than any fine.

The broader question is: how can councils and communities gain the power to step in earlier, before a listed building is pushed to the point of ruin by inaction?

Is it time for a change in law—or funding—that better enables communities to protect and repurpose sites like St Aidan’s, instead of watching them decay under absentee ownership?

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