Scaffolding has gone up this month around 78–82 Bath Street, raising questions about whether long-awaited work on the prominent town centre building could finally be getting under way.
The property, which has stood vacant for several years, was granted planning permission by Erewash Borough Council back in June 2023 for a major redevelopment scheme. The approved plans allow the building to be subdivided into four ground-floor retail units, a first-floor office, and two residential flats across the upper floors. The scheme also includes new shopfronts, replacement windows and doors, and repairs to the external render to improve the building’s appearance within the town centre conservation area.
The building was later sold at auction in 2024 for £325,000.
While the planning permission itself is not new, the appearance of scaffolding suggests physical work on site may now be imminent.
At the time the plans were approved, council officers noted the building was in a poor state of repair and said that breaking it into smaller units could make it more attractive to potential occupiers, helping to bring activity back to this stretch of Bath Street.
The development was approved with a standard condition requiring work to begin within three years, meaning the permission remains valid until summer 2026.
No formal announcement has been made confirming the start of construction, but with scaffolding now in place, it appears the long-dormant scheme could finally be moving closer to reality.
Ilkeston News will continue to monitor the situation and report on any confirmed updates as work progresses.