Further support for Long Eaton projects as £6.93m proposal is cancelled

The Chairman of the Long Eaton Town Deal board has backed a decision by all members to cancel the proposed £6.93m Derby Road junction project in favour of securing and enhancing other regeneration projects.

Due to the complexity of the issues around these junctions and the current exceptional inflationary pressures, it has not proven possible to design a Derby Road Junctions project that offers value for taxpayer’s money. It is proposed that the funding will instead be reallocated to secure three of the other key projects; Long Eaton High Street, Long Eaton Walking and Cycling Network, and the Stable Block Managed Workspace. This will include:

An additional £3.43 million for the High Street project which will see a redesign and upgrade of the High Street with the aim being to enhance the public space by making it a more sociable space with seating and planting. The reallocated funding also enables an expansion in scope to include Tamworth Road.

An additional £2.96 million for the walking and cycleway improvements which will include lighting along the cycleway within West Park and replacing the bridge which connects West Park to the town centre, as well as the construction of a new bridge on Britannia Road.

An additional £540,000 for the Stable Block which will see the conversion of a former Stable Block next to Long Eaton Town Hall into modern office spaces and studios.

The decision was not taken lightly by the Town Deal Board which is made up of independent members from the Long Eaton business and voluntary community as well as representation from the local authority and other organisations. It was agreed at the meeting that the £6.93 million would be reallocated to other projects to help offset rising inflation and other cost pressures.

Richard Ledger, chair of the long Eaton Town Deal, said: “Unfortunately there has been no alternative but to cancel the Derby Road Junctions project. Costs accelerated at a rate where we could no longer deliver this as a viable project, however we can now make the best use of the remaining funding by enhancing other Town Deal projects. These developments will benefit the residents of the town and deliver value for money.”