Long Eaton Town Deal Fund

In 2020, Erewash Borough Council (EBC) consulted the local community to ask which improvements you think Long Eaton needs. The feedback we received helped us secure £24.8m in Town Deal funding by the UK Government in 2021.

We are taking positive and exciting steps to improve the town, starting with the success of receiving this funding.

The aim of the Towns Fund is to "foster economic regeneration, stimulate investment and deliver vital infrastructure". This is aimed at town centres like Long Eaton.

In total, 101 towns have received Town Deal funding. These include neighbouring Stapleford, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Mansfield and Loughborough.

There are five Town Deal projects currently being considered within Long Eaton, including the redesign of Long Eaton High Street and Tamworth Road. This website is about the Long Eaton High Street and Tamworth Road project only.

info Click on the map markers to see where the other Long Eaton Town Deal projects are located.

Map Key

	Project Area
	Long Eaton High Street and Tamworth Road project only
	Other Long Eaton Town Deal projects

Long Eaton Past and Present

Long Eaton was a relatively small and rural settlement until the early-mid 19th Century. It then grew into the populous town we know today. This growth was due to the arrival of the Midland Railway in 1839. The rapid industrialisation involving railway wagons and lace production created more growth.

Long Eaton was the birthplace of Dame Laura Knight, the internationally renowned impressionist painter, born in 1877. In 1929, she was the first female artist to be made a Dame. In 1936 she was the first woman to be elected full membership of the Royal Academy. Her blue plaque can be found on Union Street (see map).

Today, Long Eaton has a proud reputation as the UK's centre of quality upholstery manufacturing. The town has a legacy of fine historic buildings as a direct result of its industrial past. These give it a unique and interesting streetscape.

info Click on the map markers to view photographs of the town both past and present.

Long Eaton continues to benefit from its strong rail and road connections to Nottingham, Derby and Leicester and further afield. The town benefits from direct trains to London and Birmingham. Several bus routes operate through the town centre, including the Skylink, providing direct links to East Midlands Airport.

This central location makes Long Eaton an important service provider for neighbouring Breaston, Draycott, Risley, Sandiacre and Toton.

Long Eaton is lucky to have beautiful open green spaces, including West Park and being close to Trent Lock. The Erewash Canal and towpath provides a key leisure route for both walkers and cyclists across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

info Toggle the checkbox below and zoom into the map to view key bus routes through Long Eaton.

Map Key

	Project Area
	Bus stop
	Railway Station
	Railway Line
	National Cycle Network
	Local Cycle Network
	Historic and current photographs of Long Eaton

What will this project achieve?

Online retail and large out-of-town shops and supermarkets have contributed to a reduction in footfall in Long Eaton in recent decades.

By making this area a more attractive place for everyone, we want to encourage the local community and visitors back into the town centre.

We would like to rejuvenate the town centre for businesses and residents, through our carefully planned improvements to the High Street and Tamworth Road.

This project has been inspired by what you told us your hopes are for Long Eaton. In 2020, we asked the local community to give us feedback on our vision for Long Eaton, including improvements to the High Street.

This feedback told us you visit the town centre primarily for the shops, services and green spaces. It also told us improvements could be made to the shops and services the most.

You told us that you think:

• the High Street should be redesigned and upgraded to align with the high design standards of the Market Place;
• the market should move back to the traditional Market Place;
• more seating should be provided along the High Street;
• more greenery should be provided on High Street;
• and cycle stands should be provided in the town centre.

The following sections of this website explain these improvements and when you can expect them to take place. We have planned these works carefully to ensure minimum disruption to everyone.

Accessibility for All

We plan to make Long Eaton town centre a more accessible, inclusive and people-friendly space. Allowing for a greater range of mobility options will help achieve this. This will help to improve footfall on the High Street and Market Place, in turn bringing some buzz and life back into the town centre.

info Click on the map markers to read about the key improvement areas for Long Eaton town centre.

One way we are planning to achieve this is by widening the pavement along Tamworth Road and to the south-east side of Market Place. The pavements will be resurfaced. This will make pedestrian and mobility access much more pleasant throughout the town centre. This will be especially important when we move the outdoor market into Market Place.

We need to fundamentally change the way vehicles and non-motorised users interact within the High Street to transform it. Key to the vision is the creation of a pedestrian area in the middle of the High Street. This will be between Claye Street and New Street and will prevent through traffic.

Other traffic changes are needed to fulfil this transformation. The 10am and 4pm pedestrianised zone will be reinforced by changing the approaches for vehicles accessing the High Street. The northern section will be accessed via New Street, and the southern section via Claye Street, with changes to the one-way system. These are shown by the blue lines on the map (from New Street to Market Place, and from Claye Street to Cross Street / Main Street). The other side roads will be closed to vehicles but will remain accessible by non-motorised users.

Blue Badge parking will be relocated from the High Street to adjacent car parks. Nine Blue Badge parking bays will be located in the Back Market area. An additional bay will be located at the bottom of the High Street, just off Main Street/Cross Street. New cycle stands will be alongside this bay. This will enable close access to local shops and facilities, whilst allowing a mix of travel methods.

Lawrence Street Car Park and Beaconsfield Car Park will remain open as usual. They will be improved to make access easier to the High Street and Market Place.

Loading bays for use outside of the pedestrianised hours will be created where they are most needed.

The taxi rank currently located on Tamworth Road will return to its previous use as a bus stop. We are revitalising the existing taxi rank in the Back Market area, for use during the day. Outside of pedestrian hours we are proposing to use the area outside the Corner Pin as a new taxi rank.

Pedestrian safety measures will be incorporated along the High Street. This is to create a safer and pedestrian friendly environment for all users.

These changes will reduce traffic in the High Street and slow down those vehicles that do access the High Street, while still enabling the High Street to function as a commercial area. The changes will make it more difficult for drivers to speed along the High Street and make it harder for drivers to use their vehicle as a weapon. Street furniture and vehicle impact resistant bollards will help protect pedestrians.

This has benefits for everyone. These include improving air quality and reducing the likelihood of road traffic accidents. By making these changes, we hope to encourage more people to access the town centre by foot, cycle, wheelchair and public transport.

Changes to the Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) are needed to fulfil these ambitions. A parallel informal consultation led by Derbyshire County Council is underway to gather initial feedback on these proposed changes. A public consultation will be held in February and March 2025.

Map Key

	Project Area
	Click for more information
	Access Route
	Cycle Parking
	Daytime Taxi rank
	Disabled parking
	Existing bus stop
	Existing parking to be retained
	No vehicle access
	Relocated bus stop
	Taxi rank (Outside of pedestrian hours)

Streetscape and Landscape

Long Eaton is spoilt for choice for local green space and outdoor leisure locations. The town centre itself contains many historically interesting and beautiful buildings.

However, the High Street and Market Place today can feel tired and untidy. The area feels disjointed and somewhat dated. A mix of brick and stone paving, with benches, bins and bollards scattered about in an unplanned fashion.

We would like to make the town centre an attractive and enjoyable place to spend time in. We want to create a vibrant destination. We will unify the whole area using high quality street furniture and paving.

Along the High Street we will tell two stories which celebrate Long Eaton's reputation.

Firstly, as the global centre of the upholstery industry. Inspired by the traditional form of the Long Eaton Sofa, the High Street will celebrate the furniture manufacturing prowess with functional upholstery inspired concrete sofas. Cast bronze sculptures will enhance and enliven this story.

Secondly, the High Street will recognise and celebrate some of Dame Laura Knight's most famous pieces of work, in the form of natural stone posters. We intend to create a trail in and around the High Street, attracting people from further afield into the town.

Raised planters, trees, and greening will mark the new seating areas and brighten the High Street.

Additional space will be made to allow cafes and restaurants to have outdoor seating.

A Central Square will create the heart of the High Street creating a place for people to sit and enjoy around a steel pergola centrepiece.

We will bring the outdoor market back up to Market Place, from its previous location on Back Market.

The existing seating is now old and worn. Although we would like to refurbish these benches where we can, we feel they are now beyond repair. We will replace them with new furniture. We are, however, looking at options for safely repurposing these materials in other places around town.

Map Key

	Project Area
	Click for more information
	Existing and proposed illustrative images
	Seating and planting area

Your thoughts?

Thank you for taking the time to read more about our plans for Long Eaton High Street and Tamworth Road. We would now like to hear any thoughts you may have about our plans.

Click on the button below to answer the survey, or click the icon on the map.

The survey will close on Sunday 16th February 2025.

Next steps...
Construction will start in October 2025, beginning with the High Street. The work will be phased over a period of 12 months.

We hope to have the work complete by October 2026.

The project team are hosting public events during the engagement period at Long Eaton Town Hall, Derby Road, Long Eaton NG10 1HU on Thursday 16th January 2025, 2PM-8PM and Monday 20th January 2025, 2PM-8PM.

These events are free to attend and there is no need to book a place in advance.

Map Key

	Project Area
	Click to answer our survey

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