The village was once a thriving mining community, but the area is no longer desirable so property prices have crashed to as little as £5,000.
A once-thriving seaside community in northern England has become a ghost town, with properties put up for sale for as little as £5,000..
Horden, situated in Durham, was previously a bustling mining settlement. But following the industry’s demise, it has been stripped of employment opportunities and, more significantly, the residents who brought it vitality and character.
After launching in 1904, Horden Colliery remained operational until 1987. The region has endured severe joblessness ever since, reports the Express. Today, entire streets feature abandoned properties up for sale.
Residents pointed to escalating criminality and insufficient support from authorities as factors behind the village’s decline.
One local, who asked not to be named, said: “We are based in the most deprived area of County Durham. The council has given homes to the most deprived people and not many people come to this area.”
The community’s distinguished and extensive mining heritage once earned recognition throughout Europe.
This was when dedicated workers established a record for the highest coal extraction in a single day, pulling out 6,758 tonnes on May 9, 1930.
During the 1930s, Horden Colliery was recognised as the “jewel in the crown” of the area and Britain’s most productive coal mine.
A representative from Horden Parish Council previously said: “The parish council is aware of the decline in the village since the colliery closed in the late 1980s and the effect on house prices.
“The National Coal Board housing stock was sold off, especially from one social housing supplier, and it is now predominantly in the hands of absent landlords and that is probably the reason behind the decline of the village.
“The ownership of the houses is mostly with landlords and many of them don’t look after the properties The Government has also failed to invest in the local community.”
Last year, Durham County Council agreed to invest £6million into the regeneration of Horden as part of an ambition to provide a better standard of housing and quality of life for local people.