The owners of Black Dyke Mills have vowed to continue to seek permission to build 150 homes at its site to help support the business after its latest application was rejected.

Councillors refused to grant permission to build the houses on grassland in Broomfield, Black Dyke Mills, off Brighouse Road, Queensbury, at a meeting of the Bradford Planning Panel yesterday.

A report to the panel recommended refusal as insufficient information had been submitted to allow a full assessment with regard to its impact on viability and setting of the listed Black Dyke Mills as well as the impact on the conservation area.

During the meeting Philip Ashton, agent for PJ and JE Wade, owners of the world famous mill, said the application to build homes was an attempt to make the mill viable.

He said: “This development needs some urgency. The owner has struggled for many years in trying to make Black Dyke Mills viable. And the ability to sell on some of the land, the funds of which are necessary to support the mill, has been explained to Council officers on previous occasions.”

After the meeting Mr Ashton said the owners would be looking at putting together another application.