A new planning application could see an industrial site in Ilkeston converted into a 24-hour electric bus manufacturing and servicing facility, bringing a different kind of activity to an already busy employment area.
The proposal relates to a building at Manor House on Merlin Way, currently used for storage and distribution. The site was previously occupied by pharmaceutical distributor W.R. Evans Healthcare, reflecting its long-standing role as a logistics and distribution hub. If approved, it would now be repurposed for general industrial use, with plans for electric bus assembly, maintenance, servicing and on-site parking for up to 15 buses.
On paper, it’s a shift that fits neatly into the push towards greener transport. The application highlights the role the site could play in supporting the electric vehicle sector, alongside the creation of around 11 jobs. The building itself wouldn’t be significantly expanded, with changes largely focused on adapting it for workshop use, including the installation of new roller shutter doors.
But it’s the way the site would operate that is likely to draw the most attention. The application proposes a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation, although developers say most activity would take place inside the building and that external movements would be limited during the night.
That distinction may prove important. While the site sits within an established industrial area, a move from storage and distribution to a more active industrial use – particularly one involving large vehicles – inevitably raises questions about how that will feel in practice. Bus movements, deliveries and servicing all bring a different type of activity compared to a typical warehouse operation, even if planners ultimately judge the overall traffic impact to be acceptable.
The application also argues that the site requires no biodiversity improvements, on the basis that it is already entirely hardstanding, meaning no natural habitat would be affected by the change.
Taken together, the proposal paints a familiar picture for Ilkeston: reuse of an existing site, some level of job creation, and alignment with wider economic and environmental goals. At the same time, it feeds into broader conversations about how industrial activity is evolving locally – and what that means for nearby roads, businesses and residents.
The plans will now be considered by Erewash Borough Council, with the usual opportunity for public comments before any decision is made.
As ever, the key question is less about what’s proposed on paper – and more about how it plays out day to day.
👉 What do you think – a positive step forward?