Vacant Derbyshire town centre pub could be turned into flats

The New Inn pub in Bath Street, Ilkeston, on the corner of Providence Place, could be turned into five flats in plans from GPX Property & Investment submitted to Erewash Borough Council. Four of the flats would be one-bed and one would be a two-bed flat, with no vehicle parking provided.

The vacant three-storey pub sits opposite another empty building in Bath Street, the well-known three-storey bright-blue former nightclub last used by Chambers Pet Supplies, which is set to become two flats, a fitness studio and four shops, with plans submitted in March.

Bath Street has a long-standing issue with vacant shop units, with the council having submitted a failed multimillion-pound bid to central Government last year to compulsorily purchase a number of long-term empty properties – vacant for years and some for decades – and give them new leases of life.

A document submitted with The New Inn application details: “The property is located on a main high street that provides services to the local community.

“After Covid the pub industry struggled and numerous public houses up and down the country suffered and closed. Unfortunately, The New Inn has suffered the same fate.

“Our company has seen an opportunity to refurbish this substantial building and provide it with a new lease of life. GPX is committed to providing a development of the highest quality. This can only have a positive effect on the area and hopefully can act as a catalyst for other developers/owners to inject money into the area, whilst providing local employment opportunities.”

The application details that the ground floor of the former pub would become an office and a two-bed flat, with two one-bed flats on both the first floor and second floor respectively.

This would include a roof extension and a second extension to the rear of the pub, along with a new staircase. The plans aim to “make the new blend into the old, whilst maintaining the character of the building”.

They detail that due to the town centre location of the proposed flats, with access to public transport links and nearby public car parks, the need for off-street parking is “removed”.