A regeneration partnership initiated by the then regional development agency One North East. Deborah brought together a small team of part time consultants drawn from a variety of backgrounds to lead a regeneration programme aimed at integrated social, cultural and economic change which brought around £10m into this small market town and its surrounds.
Projects included the building of the UK’s largest and cheapest rural broadband infrastructure, reaching 99% of the most remote farms in Teesdale, the restoration and expansion of a central community building to encompass arts, business and community space, the reduction of the retail vacancy rate from 27% to 5% through support for independent businesses; a £3m Landscape Partnership supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the creation of a gallery and digital hub supporting a community of artists and creative businesses.