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Architect's plan for homes will transform landmark and revitalise town centre

Architect's plan for homes will transform landmark and revitalise town centre

A Long Eaton architect has devised a scheme that will transform a building almost 100 years old and breathe new life into the town centre.

Alan McGowan Architects is the driving force behind the project to change a prominent building at 1-3 Tamworth Road close to the Market Place and main shopping area.

Alan drew up the scheme to provide 10 high-quality apartments, secured planning permission from Erewash Borough Council, and will project manage it for the new owners of the building.

It was bought last year by Meadowbank Estates, a property company based near London's Heathrow Airport, from a property management company. This is its first project in the East Midlands and the firm is likely to look for more.

Under the scheme there will be five apartments on each of the first and second floors, some with one bedroom, some with two. Then main entrance will be from Tamworth Road and a number of apartments will have views over Tamworth Road and the Market Place. There is a public car park at the rear.

The property was built in the 1920s and known as the Co-op Arcade because of the number of different shops there.

Latterly, a women-only gym occupied the first floor until it closed last year. The second floor has been empty since 2003 when it was used as a training centre for a national supermarket chain before it opened its store in the town.

“This scheme will bring new life into a prominent building in the town centre, part of which has been unused for more than decade,” said Alan.

“It is a good example of what can be achieved with the many empty upper floors of buildings in our town centres. It will provide good, spacious homes right in the town centre where people can use the various amenities. It will add vibrancy to Long Eaton town centre and hopefully provide extra trade for new businesses.

“Being a  local practice it's exciting to help revitalise the town centre and build on our previous work that restored a number of premises there to their former glory under the townscape heritage scheme.”

It is anticipated that conversion work will start in late spring and be completed by late summer or early autumn.

This will also include removing dated cladding from the 1960s and replacing it with a contemporary facade. Windows will be replaced with double glazing to provide protection from street noise.

The ground floor of the building is currently occupied by a  building society and shop which will remain unaffected.

The scheme is one of the latest undertaken by Alan McGowan Architects following the practice move to new premises at Bridge House, Derby Road.


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