CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after a deal was struck to keep an historic building for community use.

Durham County Council has reached an agreement to lease Woodleigh, in Flatts Road, to Barnard Castle Town Council after residents launched a petition when an initial bid was rejected.

More than 350 concerned residents signed the petition and after talks, both the county and town council agreed an increased annual rent of £8,000, more than £5,000 more than the initial offer.

Barnard Castle Town Council, along with the Citizens Advice Bureau and Association of Teesdale Day Clubs put forward plans in September to take over the building which has sat mostly empty since 2013.

Led by resident Elizabeth Gott, the community argued that the building was originally gifted to the people in 1939 by the out-going town clerk Ingram Dawson, who purchased it in a joint enterprise with Barnard Castle Urban District Council.

Mr Dawson transferred the ownership of the building to the council on his death with the understanding that it would be used to benefit the people.

The town council proposed to rent Woodleigh for £2,575 a year while subletting it to the two charities and also planned to invest around £90,000 to maintain the building over the course of the 15-year lease.

However, Durham County Council, which now control Woodleigh, rejected the bid saying it fell significantly short of the building’s value.

Town Council Clerk, Michael King, said an agreement had been achieved last Tuesday and that the three organisations hoped to be settled in their new home by spring 2015.

He said: “The three organisations are delighted to be able to work in partnership to reach the county council’s expectations for leasing Woodleigh.”

Neil Bradbury, CEO of Citizen’s Advice County Durham, said: “By sharing the building we hope we can share in the development of services that meet local people’s needs in a place and at a time that’s convenient for them.”

Peter Wood, Chairman of the Association of Teesdale Day Clubs, added: “It’s an opportunity for us to have more suitable administrative accommodation that helps us to support the day clubs working across the whole of Teesdale.”

On hearing the news Mrs Gott said: “On behalf of the people of the town, it’s a really good thing and I would like to thank the town council for all the hard work that they have put in.”

Stuart Timmiss, Durham County Council’s head of planning and assets, said: “We are delighted to be working with the town council and other organisations on what looks set to be an interesting and exciting next stage in the history of Woodleigh.”