Nik Welsh, Executive Director of Communities and Customer Services at believe housing, has been appointed chair of the Pride in Place Peterlee East board.
Pride in Place will see £20 million invested in the town over the next ten years, supporting the regeneration of high streets and community infrastructure.
Peterlee East is one of three areas in County Durham selected for the programme, alongside Stanley South and Crook North and Tow Law, as part of the government’s Pride in Place initiative investing up to £5 billion in 250 places across the UK.
The programme will be overseen locally by a neighbourhood board, administered by Durham County Council, with community representatives and partners shaping local priorities and investment.
Engagement with residents, businesses and stakeholders will be key to developing a long‑term regeneration plan tailored to the area’s needs.
Nik’s involvement reflects believe housing’s role in supporting and enhancing communities for customers and wider society.
As a not‑for‑profit landlord with more than 18,000 social and affordable homes across County Durham and beyond, including in Peterlee, it offers valuable insight from working closely with residents and partners to help deliver healthy homes and places where people can thrive.
Nik said: “Pride in Place is giving us £20 million to invest over the next ten years, and we want to spend it where the community wants it.
“This is a community‑led board, providing community‑led results, with a focus on long‑term engagement and long‑term regeneration, so we can create real pride in the community of Peterlee.
“What’s really important now is that we get people’s views.
“We’re running a number of engagement events across Peterlee, and I’d like people to get involved and share their views, as that will help shape what happens next.”
It is expected that the Pride in Place programme will begin mobilising through 2026, with initial delivery funding anticipated from March 2027.
