Durham 'Pitman's Parliament' repair project approved

The Pitman's Parliament was a gathering of the delegates of the county's collieries

A major repairs project to protect the historic Pitman's Parliament has been approved by planners.

Opened in 1915, Durham Miners Hall, also known as Redhills, housed a council chamber where colliery delegates took important decisions.

These ranged from building homes and welfare halls to setting up community hospitals and libraries.

Durham County Council has approved repairs ahead of further plans to create a community centre on the site.

Works cover the external fabric of the building, the roof of the council chamber and chimneys alongside roof coverings, stonework, exterior plumbing and modernised electrics.

Redhills was built in 1915 for the Durham Miners' Association

Repairs to the council chamber also include replacing sections of the roof structure affected by "dry rot", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A planning report said the building "is symbolic to the mining history of the communities of County Durham continuing to be used for its intended purpose and having been the scene of historically significant debates and speeches."

Redhills was recently selected by Historic England as one of the 100 places that bring the country's "rich and extraordinary history" to life.

A recent inspection also indicated that the building would be rendered unusable unless a full roof repair is carried out within the next five to 10 years.