75-bed care home could be built on former public open space in Erewash despite sustained opposition

The proposed care home in Wardlow Road, Ilkeston. Image from KWL Architects.

A 75-bed care home could be built on former public open space in a Derbyshire town “disposed of” in a council “fire sale” three years ago despite a sustained wave of opposition.

In 2023, Erewash Borough Council disposed of an innocuous 1.4 acres field off Wardlow Road in Ilkeston, to the rear of The Rutland Cottage pub.

This move, finalised by Labour and started by the former Conservative administration, sought to fill a budget gap by bringing in much-needed money from sales and eventual development of the plot, which the authority felt it had no use for.

The Wardlow Road sale, among many others, aimed at garnering more than £4 million, had been dubbed as a “fire sale” of council assets and the “community’s family silver” by opposition councillors.

A total of 58 objection letters were submitted to the meeting at which the approved sale was ratified in late 2023, alongside a petition signed by 382 people.

Residents said the plot had great value for community welfare, including its popular use during the Covid-19 pandemic, charity events and by dog walkers.

The council had said: “It is anticipated that future capital receipts would enable investment in new land or buildings to generate additional income streams for the council alongside potential broader economic regeneration ambitions.”

It also detailed: “There may be further objections from the public which could impact the council’s reputation if a sale is progressed and a subsequent planning application for development is submitted.” 

Two years later, a planning application for a 75-bed care home, from Gloucestershire-based Mercian Developments, has been submitted to the council.

The firm lists 11 other ongoing care projects on its website and says it has been focusing on the sector since 2017 following years of out-of-town retail developments.

It says the scheme could provide 100 full and part-time jobs (75 full-time equivalent).

In its application, the company says: “The proposal will deliver specialist dementia care accommodation in a sustainable urban location and will make effective use of land that the council has assessed as surplus to its open space requirements.”

It says the development would “enhance” the landscape of a plot which has been fenced off from public access since September 2024, two years ago.

The firm says: “As the council’s own open space assessment and our own review of existing provision have shown, there remains substantial open space provision of a number of typologies serving this area and its loss would not result in any material impact on local open space provision. 

“Environmentally, it would make effective use of an under-utilised urban site while retaining and enhancing key landscape and green infrastructure features. 

“Any limited adverse impacts associated with the loss of former open space are outweighed by the evidence that the site is surplus to requirements and by the availability of alternative local provision.”

The council will make a decision on the application in the next few months.