On the 14 July 2010, the Seahouses Development Trust launched ‘POINTERS: a design guide for Seahouses and North Sunderland’.

The Pointers document provides guidance to anyone who is involved in the design, construction, maintenance or management of works which affect the appearance of, or access to, Seahouses and North Sunderland. This may include works undertaken by the local authority, landowners, utility companies, community groups or volunteers.

The guidance should be regarded as good practice to be applied to all works. It seeks to reduce the influence of those features that detract from the townscape and recommends measures to conserve and enhance those that add to the character and distinctiveness of the town.

In 2002 the Trust carried out an environmental audit of Seahouses that recommended preparing a village design statement. However, it has taken a further eight years to secure the funding to support this work from the Rural Development Programme for England, which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, managed by One North East in the North East region.

Whilst the design guide has been supported by short-term funding, it is intended as a stepping stone in the Trusts long-term efforts to support the physical regeneration of the town. Through the design guide we hope to increase the profile of our work and to re-enforce existing partnerships with local authorities, agencies and local people. Ultimately we want to create a platform for longer-term work that contributes to a vision for Seahouses as a place with a thriving local economy, shaped by a strong local identity, which provides an attractive local environment supporting a quality tourism sector.