Lighting That Transforms: Supporting Town Centre Regeneration in County Durham
Client
Durham County Council
Project location
Spennymoor, Durham, United Kingdom
Project date
2025
Photography
Joss Guest Photography
Spennymoor Market Place and Consett Middle Street revitalised
At Thorn, we believe lighting plays a vital role in place making—and nowhere is this more evident than in the regeneration of town centres. As part of Durham County Council’s ongoing commitment to revitalising its communities, new lighting schemes have been delivered in Spennymoor and Consett. These spaces have been thoughtfully re-imagined to encourage footfall, support local events, and foster civic pride. Our adaptable, event-ready lighting solutions have been central to achieving this transformation.
A New Focal Point for Community Life
Town centres are more than retail spaces—they’re where people meet, celebrate, and come together. In Spennymoor Market Place and Consett’s Middle Street, we’ve helped create welcoming, flexible spaces with Thor LED lanterns and gobo projectors mounted on bespoke columns. These solutions allow for event-specific visuals—from poppies on Remembrance Sunday to festive motifs during the Christmas season—reinforcing identity and belonging through light.
Smart, Functional, and Built to Last
The Thor urban lantern delivers on both form and function. With high-quality, comfortable illumination and full compatibility with existing control systems via ZHAGA sockets, it’s designed for future proof flexibility. The custom columns with illuminated heads integrate seamlessly into the streetscape, while the gobo projectors provide seasonal customisation—displaying anything from coronation symbols to community emblems.
THOR
Urban lighting for the cities of today and tomorrow
Combining simple design with wireless connectivity, the Thor family of lanterns and bollards are prepared for the future. Thor offers a single design concept for numerous applications. The larger Thor Large lantern is suitable for major urban roads, while the smaller Thor Small is ideal for paths and residential streets.
A range of optics carefully tuned for different road types are also available. Thor lanterns come in post-top, lateral, suspended and catenary mounted versions for visual consistency across areas.
"We wanted to create spaces that were welcoming, functional and unique to the community. This partnership has helped us commemorate key events and bring people together in a way that truly resonates with residents.”
Paul Gleadow, Street Lighting and Operational Support Manager at Durham County Council
Designed with Precision, Delivered with Care
Every element of the scheme was carefully planned and executed. In Spennymoor, aligning the projections to land precisely on key spaces required multiple on-site adjustments. In Consett, highlighting building façades involved careful placement to ensure consistency and balance. These challenges were met with hands-on technical expertise, ensuring the final result not only worked—but elevated the environment.
And the impact speaks for itself. The new lighting has quickly become a source of community pride—encouraging people to linger, attend events, and reconnect with the heart of their towns. With increased footfall and positive feedback from residents and businesses alike, the benefits of a well-designed lighting strategy are clear.
The Power of Light to Connect and Inspire
At Thorn, we do more than illuminate—we help shape the spaces where life happens. The regeneration projects in Spennymoor and Consett show how lighting can support economic growth, enhance safety, and strengthen community spirit. When light works harder, places do too.