Pictured: Castledine House
More units are being provided by enterprise agency Erewash
Partnership on the edge of Ilkeston town centre to house start-up
and new businesses.
Work has started on a second phase at Castledine House on Heanor
Road, a £300,000 project led by the agency and grant-aided by
Derbyshire Economic Partnership, which opened in September of last
year.
Earlier this year, Derbyshire County Council's adult education
service - which had been installed in the building before the
rest was converted - vacated the ground floor of the premises and
moved to Cotmanhay.
That gave the opportunity to increase the units in the building
which dates back to the turn of the 20th century and was named
after a millinery and drapery business which continued there until
the 1970s.
The new area stretches to 2,148 sq ft and can be let as one
large unit or divided into six autonomous units with reception and
meeting areas. This will provide access from the front as well as
the existing access at the rear from a secure car park. The
premises are fully compliant with legislation for people with
disabilities.
One noticeable major change will be the outside appearance - new
windows are being installed on the Heanor Road frontage.
The Partnership is investing more than £50,000 on the
project with the support of the Co-operative Bank.
If the units are let separately this will be done on 'easy-n and
easy-out' flexible package terms, but if one tenant takes the whole
area the Partnership would be looking at a longer-term
arrangement.
The refurbishment has provided business for Partnership members.
The project has been managed by Lacey and Owen Architectural
Services, who oversaw the initial work and are based in the
building.
Electrical services have been provide by CJ Timms, gas by GW
Plumbing, carpentry by Bostocks Joinery, windows by Long Eaton
Glass, decorating by Williams Professional Decorators and carpets
by Chaddesden Furniture and Carpets.
Partnership chief executive Ian Viles said: "We are delighted
that we are now able to complete refurbishment of this building.
This will boost the street scene as well as providing much-needed
premises for start-up and new growing businesses at reasonable
terms."
Work is expected to be completed by the end of January and the
Partnership hopes that new tenants will move in from February
onwards.