A DERELICT spinning mill that looms over the Bradford skyline could be transformed into a major housing scheme.

At the height of its operation, six storey Barkerend Mills, just outside of Bradford city centre, employed over 400 people.

The Grade II listed mill buildings have been empty for a number of years, and areas of the site have been damaged by fire.

Now a planning application to transform the mill buildings, behind the Lidl on Barkereend Road, into apartments has been submitted to Bradford Council.

Submitted by Barkerend Mill LTD, the plans will see 117 flats created in the two main mill buildings on the site - Barkerend Mill and North Mill.

A smaller building, Tahiti Mill, would be demolished to “make more effective use” of the site.

The application - submitted to Bradford Council this week, also includes a 61 space car park on the area created by Tahiti Mill’s demolition and “high quality outdoor amenity space” between the two buildings.

Industrial estate planned for former site of mill that was wrecked by fire

It says residential use is likely to only way to secure the buildings’ future.

The Chair of Bradford’s Civic Society has welcomed the plans to regenerate the site, describing the existing derelict mill as an “eyesore.”

If approved, the new residential development would include 62 two-bed flats, three three-bed flats, 46 one-bed flats and six studio flats.

Worsted mills were first built on this site in 1815, although they were later extended and replaced. Barkerend Mill, the largest building on the site, was built in the 1870s. It is thought that the building was designed by Bradford based Architects Milnes and France.

Mill work stopped in the 1990s, and the buildings have since been used for storage and the manufacture of aquariums.

There have been two major fires in the site. One, in 1987, damaged much of the North Mill building. In 2007 another fire in that building left it without a roof.

Referring to the site’s recent history, the planning application says: “The original textile use ceased decades ago, and the buildings have since been underused or vacant, with commercial uses failing to provide the income necessary to provide for their repair and conservation, putting the buildings ‘at risk’.

“Bringing Barkerend Mill and North Mill back into new uses that are consistent with their long-term conservation will be a huge achievement, given anticipated construction costs and modest end values.”

The application acknowledges that the conversion will require some changes to the building’s appearance, but says the need to restore the mill buildings “cannot be addressed by a purist preservation approach and are best addressed by some modern yet sensitive interventions, which aim to provide the building with a contemporary edge and achieve a successful juxtaposition between old and new.

“The upmost care and effort will be taken to conserve key original features in the main mill building such as the engine room and “Rope Race” to the northern elevation which originally housed the belt drives for the spinning machines.”

It adds: “It is believed that these changes alongside the repair and cleaning of the buildings will provide a substantial enhancement in visual amenity.”

The North Mill building is currently without a roof - a result of a major fire in the building in 2007. Over 50 firefighters were called out to the fire at its height.

The site will include outdoor spaces between the two mill buildings, including lawn areas, tree planting and street furniture, which the application says will “refer to the industrial heritage of the site through choice of materials, pattern or form.”

Si Cunningham, Chair of Bradford Civic Society, said: “ think this looks to be quite an impressive development at a very visible gateway to the city centre.

“There’s a chronic need for housing in this area, and the site has been a bit of an eyesore for some years now, so it seems like a more than appropriate proposal.

“It’s pleasing to see the retainment of the historic fabric of the old mill, as well as a good deal of consideration for the public space around the site.”

A decision on the application is expected in early 2021.