New plans would see parts of iconic Lister Mills restored, and others demolished

Urban Splash is the group behind the £100 million transformation of Lister Mills in Manningham into an apartment complex, and although much of the site has been regenerated, a large swathe remains derelict.

Now the company has submitted a planning application to restore the crumbling stone facade around much of the Grade II* listed site, as well as demolishing a number of buildings in the mill’s courtyard area.

The company says the works will make the un-developed part of the complex more “safe and accessible” and while the demolition will cause some “harm” to the site they claim that harm will be outweighed by the benefits of protecting the rest of the site.

The buildings to be demolished include sheds, office buildings and a former reservoir, and the application says many of these buildings are in danger of collapse.

The facade along Lilycroft Road, Heaton Road, Beamsley Road and Patent Street will be restored, with masonry repairs and the coverings over many of the windows and openings being removed. The company says this will “reintegrate the site to the local community as it did when it was a working mill.”

The mill building and its 249 foot high chimney is one of Bradford’s most imposing and recognisable buildings.

Samuel Lister constructed the building between 1873 and 1874, following designs by architects Andrews & Pepper. In its day it was the world’s largest silk and velvet factory, supplying the Royal family and employing more than 11,000 people.

Despite increasing pressures from the far eastern market the mill was still employing more than 4,500 people by the 1970s. But recession during the 1980s, coupled with a decline in the textile trade took its toll on the mill’s fortunes and by the end of that decade fewer than 1,000 people worked there.

Urban Splash bought the mill in 2000 from the then administrators Ernst and Young and began its renovation work in 2003. Although hundreds of apartments were created in the Mill’s huge buildings, much of the site still remains derelict.

The application says: “The first two stages of the regeneration of Lister Mill (Silk Mill and Velvet Mill) Have proven to be a success. However, the danger of ongoing decline could result in the eventual building fabric being lost if not addressed.

“The repairs aim to provide another 10 years of lifespan to the structures, which are generally in a poor condition and only partially intact. The proposals are generally beneficial to significance, with the public benefit of conservation repair clearly justified. The partial demolition of some areas of the site will be harmful to significance to various degrees. This harm is outweighed by the public benefits of ensuring the site is safe from collapse into the street and further deterioration is avoided. In the last few years, several areas of collapse have occurred. The current proposals are deemed to be the most economically viable way of securing the site, prior to a sustainable future use being identified.”

A spokesperson for Urban Splash said: “We’re on site at Lister Mills putting the final touches to our penthouse pods - 30 new homes standing on the roof of Velvet Mill. We’re almost complete and will be launching the homes in the autumn.

"At the same time we are proposing to undertake a series of key repair and retention works to the extensive perimeter wall of the mill to secure the long term future of this impressive listed facade, including conservation of the ornate stonework and cast iron weaving shed structures which help hold up these walls.  The work will also involve some areas of selective demolition as set out in the Listed Building Consent application which we have sought to minimise wherever possible.

“It’s all part of our commitment to restore this beautiful site in its entirety and complete our transformation of Manningham Mills into a new community for people to live, work and play in."

A decision on the application is expected in early November.