Peterlee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peterlee |
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 Peterlee town centre |
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 Peterlee
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| Population | 20,164 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NZ430409 |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PETERLEE |
| Postcode district | SR8 |
| Dialling code | 0191 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Peterlee is a town in County Durham, England. It lies between Sunderland to the north, Hartlepool to the south, the Durham Coast to the east and Durham to the west. It gained town status in 1948 under the New Towns Act 1946. The act also created the nearby settlement of Newton Aycliffe and later Washington, Tyne and Wear.
Contents
History
The case for Peterlee was put forth in Farewell Squalor by Easington Rural District Council Surveyor C.W. Clarke, who also proposed that the town was named after the celebrated Durham miners' leader Peter Lee. Peterlee is unique among the new towns which came into being after the Second World War in that it was the only one requested by the people through their MP. A deputation, mostly if not all working miners, met with the Minister of Town and Country Planning after the Second World War to put the case for a new town in the district. The minister Lewis Silkin responded by offering a half-size new town of 30,000 residents. Subsequently, they came largely from the surrounding villages in the District of Easington.
The Peterlee Development Corporation was established in 1948, first under the direction of A V Williams, then under Dr. Monica Felton. The original master-plan for towering blocks of flats by Berthold Lubetkin was rejected as unsuitable for the geology of the area, which had been weakened by mining works, and he resigned in 1950. George Grenfell Baines replaced Lubetkin and began to build quickly, resulting in buildings of poor-quality construction. Williams invited an artist Victor Pasmore to be head of the design team for the landscaping.
Landmarks
Apollo Pavilion
The Apollo Pavilion,designed by Victor Pasmore, was completed in 1970. It provided a focal point for the Sunny Blunts estate as well as a bridge across a water-course. It was named after the Apollo moon missions.
From the late seventies the Pavilion became a target for vandals and anti-social behaviour. Original murals on the building faded and to discourage anti-social behaviour staircases were removed in the 1980s. In 1996, there was a failed attempt to list the Pavilion. English Heritage described it as "an internationally important masterpiece". However, some local residents and councillors saw Pavilion as an eyesore and campaigned to have it demolished. The campaign appeared to have been successful when demolition was proposed in 2000. However, in July 2009, a 6-month revamp programme was completed at a cost of £400,000. As part of the revamp original features such as the murals and stairs reinstated.
In December 2011 English Heritage gave the pavilion a Grade-II* listing.
Transport
Road
Peterlee is served by the main A19 road running west of the town to Sunderland in the north and Hartlepool in the south, and the A1086 to its east leading to Easington in the north and Hartlepool to the south. The B1320 runs through the town centre linking the town to Horden and the A1086 in the east and Shotton Colliery and the A19 in the west. The B1432 to the north of the town centre leads to Easington Village, Hawthorn and Seaham on the route of the old A19. The A181 runs to the south-west of the town at the Castle Eden and Wingate junction on the A19 leading to Wheatley Hill, Thornley, and Durham. In 2008, the A688 was extended to the A181 at Running Waters from the A1(M) junction at Bowburn, creating a trunk road from Peterlee to the A1(M) via the A19, A181 and A688.
Buses
Peterlee is served by Arriva North East and Go North East in the local area, to Dalton Park, and to the towns and cities of Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, Hartlepool, Sedgefield, Newton Aycliffe, Billingham, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Darlington.
Rail
Peterlee is served by Horden, approximately 1 mile (1.5 kilometres) east, on the Durham Coast Line. This station, which opened on 29 June 2020, replaced Horden's earlier station which closed in May 1964. Until 1952, there had also been a station approximately two miles (three kilometres) west in Shotton Colliery called Shotton Bridge.
Culture
- Peterlee holds a two-day event called the Peterlee Show, which is held at the end of the summer holidays (usually the first weekend of September) on Helford Road Cricket Ground, which is not far from Victor Pasmore's Apollo Pavilion. A fireworks display is held at the same venue every November.
- Castle Eden Dene mostly within Peterlee's boundaries, is a national nature reserve.
Town twinning
Nordenham, Germany (since 1981)
Education
Secondary
- Dene Academy
- The Academy at Shotton Hall
- St Bede's Catholic School
Notable people
In alphabetical order:
- Jan Graveson (born 1965), actress and singer
- Courtney Hadwin (born 2004), award-winning teenage rock singer, has studied here.
- Mark Hoban (born 1964), politician, former Conservative MP for Fareham
- Gina McKee (born 1964), actress
- Crissy Rock (born 1958), actress
- Roy Walker (born 1940), comedian and television presenter
- The Krankies lived in Peterlee in the late 1970s.
Images for kids
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The Apollo Pavilion
See also
In Spanish: Peterlee para niños
