Billingham

Proposals to create inclusive and accessible new spaces in Billingham, while protecting its retail offering were created following the Let's Talk About Our Towns public consultation in 2020..

Intervention in Billingham is necessary to achieve this vision and a Masterplan for the town centre has been developed as part of the Council's commitment to invest in the town and bring transformational change.

Council investment in Billingham

We have led a number of programmes over the last 10 years to make Billingham a different type of place and experience:

• in 2011, we invested £18million in a large refurbishment of Billingham Forum and Theatre, to ensure a wide range of community and leisure facilities will remain in the town centre - the popular ice rink, swimming and gym facilities were kept in place and improved
• we completed a £2million investment in 2013 to improve public spaces and paving in the town centre, this included new public toilets, new lighting and seating as well improvements to bus stops and parking
• in 2014, we invested £3.5 million in the construction of a new customer service centre and library
• a park and children's play equipment has been added to John Whitehead Park
• recently, we also invested in improved seating in the theatre
• we also support Billingham International Folklore Festival, which draws in new visitors to the town centre

The Levelling Up Fund

Billingham has been awarded £20million from the Government's Levelling Up Fund in a major boost to the Council's regeneration plans for the town centre.

The Levelling Up Fund is designed to invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the country, supporting town centre and high street regeneration, local transport projects, and cultural and heritage assets.

Billingham's Masterplan

Billingham's Masterplan sets out a future vision for Billingham town centre based on the following areas: 

• relocation of existing businesses in West Precinct and Queensway South
• the purchase of the West Precinct, Queensway South and former library site
• the demolition and clearance of the buildings in order to unlock the development potential of the town centre sites
• the creation of new and fit for purpose retail floorspace improvements to parking, public toilets, accessibility and public realm
• refurbishment of the former Council office, Wynyard Housecreation of a new residential-led, mixed use development in the town centre 

View the masterplan (PDF) [31MB]

Members of the public and businesses will have the chance to comment on the emerging plans for improvements to parking, public toilets, accessibility and public realm in Billingham during a period of engagement in September.