Could Ilkeston be the UK’s most exciting new arts destination?

The focus of the proposals is an area known as Ilkeston Junction; an industrial site, bounded by the train station to the north, the railway, and the River Erewash and Erewash Canal. It is currently occupied by generic light industrial warehouses, except for Armstrong’s Mill – a grand Victorian warehouse and factory, which stands as a landmark to the town’s rich industrial heritage. Working in groups, the students were tasked with designing a masterplan for the area. Key concepts in the brief were identity, flexibility, walkability, and biodiversity, and books such as David Sim’s, Soft City, which draws on Scandinavian ideas to propose a more convivial, social approach to urban design. Each student then had the opportunity to design their own mixed-use scheme for one of the plots.

The driving force behind the project has been the belief in the potential for the creative industries to reinvigorate former industrial areas, bring people together and inspire pride in local arts – the base for the exhibition is ILKON, a contemporary art gallery that was founded to do just that. The proposals integrate new homes with space for creative business and artists, along with music and film studios, to create a distinctive arts-led quarter.

The council has also been engaged in the process: students met with planners from Erewash Borough Council to understand their vision for Ilkeston and discuss their ideas. Both the council and community representatives saw the project’s potential to stimulate debate about the future possibilities for the town. Nottingham Trent University’s course leader said: “The students really enjoyed tackling a realistic brief with input from the local planners and councillors. They have worked very hard, first with a site appraisal as a group and then individual solutions to particular sites."

ILKON’s founder Chris Williamson, who also co-founded global architecture practice Weston Williamson + Partners, believes there is great potential for the town’s creative revival: “There’s so much talent in this area, yet we tend not to shout about it as much as we should. The UK’s university towns are doing quite well, but post-industrial towns like Ilkeston are struggling. The big industries have closed, but there are still brilliant people here.

I employ artists-in-residence at Ilkon, and the current pair, Ruby Waage Townsend and Shaz Jaffer, are both off to the Royal College of Art in September. They are going to be great artists – they already are. If I was a local councillor, I would be designating Ilkeston as a creative hub. It makes financial sense. Workshops and housing here are much cheaper than other local options, plus it’s a wonderful part of the world. It’s also well connected thanks to the Nottingham to Leeds/ Sheffield train line. I’ve spent my career working on transport-oriented projects and Ilkeston has amazing creative potential.”

Williamson bought the redundant Methodist Church in 2022. Since then, he has restored and converted it to a lively community arts centre, which showcases contemporary art from the east midlands and has a popular local café. He now wants to build on this success to develop a sculpture trail from the station to the town centre. ILKON’s collaboration with Nottingham architecture students is intended to unlock some of these solutions, start conversations locally and support a community-led approach.

The exhibition runs from 22nd March to 6th April 2024 at ILKON, Heanor Road, llkeston DE7 8TB and all are welcome. Check the website for opening hours: www.ilkonarts.com