Progress is being made on projects that will see significant improvements made to Long Eaton.
The town was allocated provisional funding of £24.8m by the government last year thanks to a bid put together by the multi-agency Long Eaton Town Deal Board, led by chairman Richard Ledger and vice chairman Councillor Carol Hart, leader of Erewash Borough Council.
The first project to progress will be the Long Eaton Stable Block Managed Workspace Units. This is a project to convert the derelict stable block behind Long Eaton Town Hall into studios and offices to support new and growing Long Eaton businesses. The completed project will complement existing managed workspaces at the neighbouring Bridge House, a previously successful conversion of redundant council buildings.
Professional architects have already been contracted to produce quality design. The next milestone for this project will be the submission of a final bid to Government to release the £1.1 million of funding allocated to it.
Progress is also being made on the West Park Visitor Attraction project. Engineering and architectural designs are underway to improve the West Park event space parking area and facilities and provide a new waterfront to the Erewash Canal.
‘Project champions’ will be taken on for each aspect and new leading roles have been launched by Erewash Borough Council to help drive forward the key projects.
This will include a development partnerships project manager to focus on redevelopment ambitions for the town centre. In addition, a programme manager will also be recruited to co-ordinate across all aspects of the projects.
Councillor Carol Hart, leader of Erewash Borough Council and vice chair of the Town Deal Board, says: “It is great to see so much progress being made and the projects are really starting to move forward. The stable blocks will be converted into small business units which will bring new businesses and people into the town.”
Richard Ledger, chair of the board, says: “The projects are moving into the delivery phase and it’s great to see. We will keep residents informed as each project progresses.”
