Derbyshire County Council (DCC) has approved plans to vacate its Mercian Close offices in Ilkeston as part of a wider reorganisation of its accommodation in Amber Valley and Erewash.
Under the proposals agreed by DCC’s Cabinet on Thursday 24 July 2025, services and staff currently based at Mercian Close, Ilkeston, and the Parkwood Centre, Alfreton, will be relocated into two “hub” sites:
• The Grammar, Heanor – the restored former grammar school recently refurbished with Government “Future High Streets Fund” support.
• Ilkeston Town Hall – which will continue to be used for public access to services and council business.
Both sites will be leased for an initial five-year term.
The decision to base DCC staff at The Grammar has been one of the most hotly debated local issues this year. The landmark Grade II-listed building was promoted during its £8.6m restoration as a mixed-use community and business hub, with flexible spaces intended for public benefit. Campaigners argued that leasing it primarily for council offices would reduce community access and undermine the original vision funded by the Future High Streets Fund.
Over recent weeks, petitions have circulated, public meetings have been held, and residents have called for Amber Valley Borough Council (AVBC) to rethink the plan. The AVBC Cabinet’s original decision to lease the building to DCC was “called in” for review by the council’s Improvement & Scrutiny Committee, prompting a packed meeting at Ripley Town Hall last night (Tuesday 12 August 2025).
Following heated debate, the committee confirmed the lease will go ahead as proposed, clearing the way for DCC to move in.
For Ilkeston, the key local change is that Mercian Close will no longer operate as a DCC office once the relocation is complete. The future use or disposal of the Mercian Close building has not yet been announced.