Long Eaton Town Deal delays

The now demolished former Galaxy Row Cinema in Long Eaton. Image from Long Eaton Town Deal Board.

By Eddie Bisknell – Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Derbyshire council is being urged to ask the Government for a further extension to spend £25 million to avoid the risk of having it taken back.

Erewash Borough Council was awarded £24.8 million by the former Conservative government in 2021.

The council has now told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that just £9.3 million of this has been spent after nearly five years.

It had an initial deadline to spend all of this funding by March 2025, which was later extended until March 2026 and subsequently March 2027.

A report this week shows four of the projects funded by the Town Deal are going to be in the thick of construction beyond this March.

Two of those schemes are now listing estimated construction completion dates of March 2027- the same month as the second extended deadline.

Meanwhile, the town deal website shows the authority has successfully drawn down £14.37 million so far, half of the total £24.8 million funding, as of the end of June last year.

The council has now said it has only spent £9.3 million of the money it was allocated five years ago, nearly a year after the original spending deadline and one month away from the first extension, with a little over a year to go before that further deadline is reached.

Over the years, there have been multiple calls to ask the Government for extensions to the grant funding deadlines, with the date to spend all money being pushed back to March 2027 last July.

As it stands, the council has not drawn down half of the money it was awarded, which could well be taken back by the Government.

A town deal report this week shows construction on the Britannia Mills bridge is due to be completed in July, the Broad Street bridge in August, the High Street regeneration is not due to start until May and be completed by next March and the former Galaxy Row Cinema site project is also due to be completed next March.

The Britannia Mills bridge involves a new bridge being build over the Erewash Canal in Bennett Street and is accessed through the under-development housing estate at the former Britannia Mills, with no current crossing for half a mile in each direction.

Meanwhile, the Broad Street Bridge involves the removal of an existing bridge from West Park to Broad Street which includes a very low crossing over the canal footpath – providing a hazard to cyclists.

It will be replaced with a modern curving bridge and waterside terrace, including seating for 100 people, pontoons for launching kayaks and space for food and drinks vans.

The Galaxy Row Cinema scheme involved demolishing the former historic 100-year-old cinema in Derby Road and a number of attached buildings, including a club, to build a block of 16 flats, four houses and three commercial units.

A High Street regeneration is to include a new central square, more greenery and seating, features to celebrate the town’s furniture industry, widening various pavements and improving access and blue badge parking spots.

Cllr Wayne Major, Conservative opposition leader, said: “We have repeatedly warned the administration that continued delays are putting this much-needed investment in Long Eaton at risk.

“Each time these concerns were raised, they were dismissed.

“We now urge the Labour administration to either allocate the necessary resources to meet the deadline or urgently seek an extension from the Government, so that the £25 million funding secured by the Conservatives for Long Eaton is not lost.”

Cllr James Dawson, Labour borough council leader, said: “With three of seven projects already completed and a further three under construction, we are confident that the Long Eaton Town Board will achieve the Government’s funding timetable.

“As of 30th January 2026, £9,322,991 has been spent excluding commitments, and we are currently on track with commitments.

“The Long Eaton Town Deal Board is responsible for the delivery of these projects. Erewash Borough Council is a partner for the Long Eaton Town Deal.”