County Police Communication Tower is a Grade II listed building in the County Durham local planning authority area, England. First listed on 26 March 2003. Communication tower.
County Police Communication Tower
- WRENN ID
- spare-oriel-shade
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- County Durham
- Constituency
- City of Durham MP: Mary Kelly Foy (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 26 March 2003
- Type
- Communication tower
- Address
- County Police Communication Tower, City of Durham
- OS grid reference
- NZ 269 439
- Coordinates
- 54.78981, -1.58318
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The County Police Communication Tower, built between 1965 and 1968 for the Durham County Police, is a radio mast designed by Ove Arup and Partners. Standing at 49.4 meters tall, plus an additional top aerial spigot mounting, it features a unique structure supported by three legs. The tower was precast in five elements: a mast unit, three leg units, and a key unit connection, which eliminated the need for full height scaffolding and formwork during construction. The leg and key units were erected to form a tripod on an in situ foundation, and the mast unit was lifted into place by two large cranes, allowing for stability against wind without additional support during construction.
The design prioritizes elegance and functionality, as the slender reinforced concrete mast meets the required wind tolerances while preventing bending that could distort radio frequencies. The tripod base further enhances the slenderness of the mast while adhering to the precise specifications needed for radio operation. The tower is situated in a sensitive location overlooking Durham Cathedral, and its design received special mention at the Concrete Society Awards in 1969.
Local climate
County Police Communication Tower receives an average of 790 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 58% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 96% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 41 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 79% of listed buildings. Of these, 24 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
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- No EPC on record for this property
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- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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