Should the Shildon Arches be repaired or demolished?

Durham County Council is putting it to the public to decide whether the Shildon Arches should be repaired or demolished.

The three structures were erected in the town’s Main Street, Church Street and Town Square in 2000 but have since started to flake paint and rust.

With the cost of repairing and maintaining all three arches over the next 20 years estimated at £221,449, councillors are asking residents whether they think the investment is worth it.

They've launched a public consultation, letting residents decide whether to repair the arches or demolish them. They've also included the option of demolishing two of the arches and using the leftover metal and brick to repair the remaining one.

There are four options being put to the public in the consultation:

• Keep all three arches – immediate repair work would need to be carried out, with regular inspections and ongoing maintenance work totalling an estimated £221,449 over the next 20 years.

• Remove the arch sections and keep the columns – this would mean there would no longer be a need for regular inspections or repainting. The columns could also be put to alternative use as a home for artwork or floral displays. The cost would be just over £18,000.

• Demolish two arches – the cost of repairing and maintaining one arch would be significantly lower than three arches but would be dependent on which arch was retained.

• Demolish all three arches – at a one-off cost of just over £17,000.