A grade II listed mill which is thought to be one of the last of its kind in Saddleworth will be torn down for housing after a fire severely damaged the structure.
The former Bailey Mills site in Delph, which dates as far back as 1863, is considered to be one of the last wollen mills to be built in Saddleworth in the heyday of the textile industry.
However, for the past 25 years it has stood vacant and despite being listed as a protected building in 2015 due to its architectural and historical significance, a fire the following year completely destroyed the main mill.
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It is believed the mill was targeted in an arson attack and some of the structure had to be partially demolished for safety reasons.
In December 2022, Nicol Thomas Architects submitted plans on behalf of Gledhill Limited to convert the site into a housing development of 60 homes, comprised of a mix of one, two, three and four-bed properties.
The documents reveal the chimney would be retained while the weaving shed, concrete link structure, a warehouse on Oldham Road, boiler house and remnants of the main mill would all be demolished.
A further two buildings, the west warehouse and office building, would be converted into houses and apartments and provision for a large car park is also included.
It is proposed that a four-storey block will be designed to "reflect the character of the original mill structure", with a mix of seven four-bedroom houses and nine two-bedroom apartments.
Block two will see the former warehouse converted into two and three-storeys, with a mix of five two-bedroom and four one-bedroom apartments.
Block three will be a new four-storey structure, containing four two-bedroom and nine one-bedroom apartments and replace the current Oldham Road warehouse.
A fourth block will convert the former mill office building, containing three houses with three beds.
The rest of the development is comprised of individual or small groups of houses, such as a four-bed home with an attached driveway and garage, a pair of three-bedroom houses, a 'mews block' of two three-bedroom and a pair of two-bedroom houses, and a mix of detached and semi-detached properties.
The applicant said a conversion to homes was the only "realistic and viable option" for the mill after the fire.
A report compiled by Townscape, a town planner and heritage consultant, also said the buildings were in a "perilous" state of disrepair and "structurally unsound".
Townscape was first involved in working on a housing development for the mill site in 2014, which initially sought to demolish the older mill building, warehouse and finishing sheds.
While the application was approved in late 2015, the mill was recognised for its historic merit and received its grade II listing - until a fire from an alleged "young person's trespassing" destroyed the mill structure.
Historically, Bailey Mill was positioned in a "strategic location" as the nearby water power provided by Hull Brooke and the Tame marked Delph as a prime spot for the woollen industry.
The Wakefield to Austerlands Turnpike toll road in 1758, followed by the New Delph Railway Station in 1851, fuelled the growth of Delph's textile industry.
In the late 17th and early 18th century, 'weaver's cottages' and larger textile mills were in full swing - and artisan production became the most common kind in west Yorkshire and southeast Lancashire, around Rochdale, Littleborough and Oldham.
World War One had a serious impact on the woolen manufacturing industry and signalled the "start of the end" of the textile industry in Saddleworth.
It is believed John Lees, a leading textile merchant from Oldham, established Bailey Mill until transferring ownership to DH Mallilieu Ltd.
The family firm then sold it to a wool-spinning company, R Gledhill Limited, in 1996.
The Oldham to Delph Railway, known as the 'Delph Donkey', also used to run through the site up until 1963 and the old line is now used as a pedestrian link between Uppermill and Delph.
Oldham Council's planning committee met to discuss the plans in December last year.
There were 13 letters of objection from neighbours, which cited issues from a lack of privacy, a loss of light, additional traffic and the impact of new residents on local amenities such as schools and doctors.
Others claimed the design was too "modern-looking" and the demolition of the historic building would affect the "historical outlook" of the area.
However, some residents supported more housing in Saddleworth and were pleased to see Delph Donkey maintained - as well as a dangerous site being redeveloped and removing any danger of children playing there.
Oldham Council approved the plans at the meeting in December and on February 5 it was confirmed that the Secretary of State for Housing, Michael Gove, would not call in and review the decision under listed building and conservation area legislation.
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