For whom it Tolls!
A celebration to mark the start of work on Ilkeston’s iconic 1930s crescent-shaped Toll Bar building has taken place this week – a project that will bring new opportunities for small businesses in Erewash.
Toll Bar House is one of Ilkeston’s most distinctive buildings and sits alongside White Lion Square roundabout at the gateway to the town centre. Now owned by Erewash Borough Council, it was originally built for Nottingham Electric Power Company.
Erewash Borough Council and its partners have now started work to upgrade, redevelop and revitalise the building as part of a £850,000 environmental project to transform it into an energy and water efficient building to help combat climate change. The refurbishment will enable the art deco landmark to provide accommodation for small and growing companies.
The project will include creating 22 offices, shared meeting rooms, kitchen and bathroom facilities with the flexibility to combine spaces to create larger letting units and the development of old garages to form workshop space.
D2N2 – the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – has allocated £425,000 from its Local Growth Fund allocation towards the refurbishment.
Councillor Michael Powell, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Regeneration and Planning, says:
“In these challenging times that we still face, this is such good news and we thank all our partners for getting this vital project underway. Toll Bar House is such a landmark building and it is a credit to all involved that work has started in these difficult times to transform it and offer high quality office space and allow the opportunity to attract new businesses to our borough.
“It is difficult to put a price on this project – it will be priceless to local business.”
PHOTO: Councillor Carol Hart, Leader of Erewash Borough Council, is pictured front alongside Councillor Michael Powell, Lead Member for Regeneration and Planning, and Councillor Dan Pitt, Lead Member for Town Centres, with council officers and representatives from J Tomlinson contractors.
