PLANS have been submitted for a major revamp for a dilapidated area of a burgeoning former mill complex turned business centre.
The application, if approved, would see the front facade of the old Twisting Gallery at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley fully renovated.
The building, which currently had boarded and bricked up entrances and tired old windows, doesn't match up to much of the rest of Sunny Bank Mills, which has been restored to its former glory and is now a bustling community of small businesses.
Under the proposals, aluminium cladding would be used between the ground and first floor, with ground floor doors and windows replaced with curtain walling and modern windows and cladding also used in some areas.
The plans state the use of "21st century materials compliments other areas of refurbishment at Sunny Bank Mills, such as the Spinning Mill Entrance, 1912 Mill and Festoon Rooms".
"Sunny Bank Mills was originally founded by local clothiers in 1829, and expanded in the late 1800s and early 1900s to commence worsted spinning and weaving," the plans state.
"The Twisting Gallery was renovated in 1935 following a fire, and is therefore not constructed of original materials.
"The proposal is an opportunity to regenerate the Twisting Gallery, with modern building fabrics securing longevity for the buildings use into the future by appealing to new potential occupiers as their new home.
"This is a positive contribution to the mill and the wider conservation area."
Over the past decade - after the mill ceased operations in cloth production in 2008 - Sunny Bank Mills has undergone a major transformation as a business hub for Farsley, home to a number of small businesses serving the local community including Amity Brewing Co, Grumpy's Pizza and an art gallery.
The plans add: "The site has undergone a site-wide regeneration project, which includes the demolition of redundant warehouse buildings adjacent to the application units.
"These works have provided an opportunity to realise our aspiration of bringing the public back into the heart of the site and provides new opportunities for small independent businesses to set up in spaces that weren’t previously possible."
The Twisting Gallery had previously been concealed by the Weaver's Yard building, which has since been demolished. While in Farsley Conservation Area, Sunny Bank Mills is not a listed site.
Public consultation on the plans is open for people to comment until Tuesday, April 26.
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