A ground-breaking ceremony has been held in Seaham, County Durham, to mark the start of construction work on a £19m scheme to transform the town's St John's Square area.

Plans include a new public open space at the heart of the development, along with the demolition of existing Durham County Council (DCC) offices and NHS County Durham buildings and the construction of a new multi-purpose facility housing a library. A café, facilities for people with learning disabilities and a mental health resource centre will also be included in the multi-use centre as part of the scheme, which forms part of the wider regeneration of Seaham. Construction work on a £3.2m project to transform the North Dock into a working marina started last month.

Alan Napier, DCC deputy leader, said: "The development is an extremely important part of our long-term plans to breathe new life into Seaham and will see the creation of a wide range of facilities on a key site in the heart of the town."