The plans are to convert the four-storey mill into 40 apartments, convert the weaving sheds into 8 duplex apartments and convert the office building into a three-bedroom house. The owners will also build 20 new houses on the land opposite White Hart Drive (behind the mill).

The planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the scheme, which is very similar in character to the plans that were submitted in 2006. Two of the councillors on the planning committee spoke to express their concern that the mill buildings are deteriorating whilst we wait for building work to begin, and they urged the planning service to continue to work with the owner to move things forwards. Neither the owner or the architect were present to speak at the meeting.

In his report, the case officer recommended that full conditional permission should be granted for the scheme, concluding that:

“This revised planning application is stated to provide a more viable development scheme to that approved in 2006. As before, it brings a locally significant Grade II listed mill back into beneficial use and re-uses adjoining previously developed mill land in a sustainable and accessible location close to the centre of Newsome village. It provides a high density housing development with a good mix of accommodation types, whilst the layout and design of the proposed new-build element is considered to be of high quality with a central area of public open space, helping to safeguard the setting of adjacent listed building and improving the character and appearance of the area generally.”

There 27 different conditions which the owners must comply with as part of the planning consent. These conditions include measures to protect the character of the buildings and to bring the landmark clock at Newsome Mills back into use. We’re very pleased that the planning service listened to our feedback about getting the clock working again, and that they have made this a condition of the planning permission.

Some of the 27 conditions listed in the planning permission are:

• The development shall be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date on which permission is granted.
• Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority, all new buildings and boundary walls shall be constructed of regular coursed natural stone with a pitched face finish of a colour and texture to match the stone in the local area.
• Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority the roofing materials shall be natural or artificial blue slates.
• All new windows, roof lights and doors shall be constructed of a traditional design and profile.
• Any new or replacement areas of stonework or roof slates for all buildings to be converted shall match the existing buildings in terms of type, colour, scale and finish.
• A method statement for the renovation of the mill clock faces and associated internal mechanisms shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before development commences. The clock faces and internal mechanisms shall be re-constructed in accordance with the approved details and thereafter maintained as such.

We think this is a good result for Newsome Mills and we’re keen to see some progress made on site soon. As ever, we’ll do whatever we can to help look after the buildings in the meantime.

I think it’s fair to say that we probably didn’t expect that. Mind you, we didn’t expect a lot of the things that have happened since planning permission was first granted for a housing scheme at Newsome Mill in October 2006.

We didn’t plan for the fires, theft, fly-tipping, vandalism, global economic downturn and the odd earthquake. But we’re still here, and so is our mill. It’s easy to be defiant (after all, we’ve had a lot of practice) but in our frustration we perhaps shouldn’t forget that the owners have been trying to cope with the unexpected too – and it hasn’t been easy for anyone.

Today, we have something to talk about. The owners of the mill, now under the name of Panorama Living Ltd (also known as Royalle Estates) have submitted a new planning application and have applied for Listed Building Consent to convert the mill into housing. The plans are similar to their previous planning application (which expired last October). They plan to convert the four-storey mill into 40 apartments, convert the weaving sheds into 8 duplex apartments, convert the old office building into a three-bedroom house, and build 20 new houses on the land behind the mill. 

For those of you who remember the details of the previous application, the main changes are:

 1. There won’t be any new-build apartments – just houses behind the mill.

2. There will be more new build houses (20 instead of 13), as these properties are more likely to sell in the current housing market.

3. The weaving sheds will be converted into duplex (split level) apartments, instead of single-storey apartments.

4. Overall, there will be 48 apartments in the mill (instead of 45).

What’s also different this time is that the owners need to apply for Listed Building Consent, which means showing things like where the cast iron columns will end up in relation to the internal walls, how the fabric of the building will be treated etc. This also means that the drawings with the planning application are more detailed this time, and there are lots of them to look at.

If you want a quick overview, try these documents:

Site plan: Site plan 1 (PDF 561Kb)

Design and access statement: Statement 1 (PDF 331Kb) 

Heritage statement: Additional 10 (PDF 400Kb) 

Front of mill: Elevations 1 (PDF 322Kb) 

Back of mill: Elevations 2 (PDF 332Kb)

Sides of mill: Elevations 3 (PDF 400Kb)

New houses: Elevations 4 (PDF 238Kb)

Or you can look at the full planning application.

I want to say that it’s fantastic to finally see these plans (which I first got a glimpse of over a year ago) make it into the open. This scheme is an opportunity to see all of these buildings brought back into use and to give our mill a future. However, if planning permission is granted, that will just be the start of it. There may be further delays depending on the economic climate, and there may be a lot more things to worry about once the building work gets underway. So this has to be the start of a dialogue too. We have to make our voices heard to make sure that our mill is restored sensitively – and we need to start speaking up now. 

Hidden in the depths of these many documents (in the Heritage statement) there is a sentence saying that “it may not be possible to restore the clock to working order”. 

Have a think about that for a minute. 

Have a think about whether you think it’s right / fair / acceptable / sensitive to the mill and its history.

The mill was listed because of its special relationship to the Newsome area. Perhaps the issue of whether the clock works or not is a triviality to the owners and architects, but it means everything to the people who live here. Sometime, if we’re going to work our way out of this stalemate and if we want to avoid a great deal more distress for all concerned, a little empathy is required. A little bit of stopping to think about it.

I will also be thinking about what I make of some of the other new details:

1. The water tank on top of the clock tower will be painted black, not blue.

2. The North lights on the weaving sheds will be partly replaced with black panels.

3. The original wooden partitions will be removed completely, not re-used on site.

4. The original floor boards may be removed.

I’ll be thinking about how much of the old we’re expected to give up for the new. It’s a balancing act. For example, keeping the partitions would mean that the owners could fit six fewer apartments inside the mill, with big consequences for their finances. You can see the dilemma. 

We need to move forwards. But the hands on the clock need to move forwards too – that’s what we are all waiting for. And if there’s a problem with fixing the clock, or with anything else, then we need to talk about it. This is a resourceful community. We’ve already recovered the stolen war memorial and are getting it restored. I know we’ll find a way to get other things done too, if it comes to it. 

Now is the time for talking… because none of us can afford to fall back into silence.

Proposal to convert the four-storey mill into 40 apartments and 8 duplex apartments. Also to convert the office building into a single dwelling and to build 20 new town houses.

Applicant: Panorama Living Ltd 

Status: no decision yet (application made 19th April 2010).


Full details for planning application 2009/62/93669/W2 

Listed Building Consent application 2009/65/93672/W2

My Grandmother (Eveline Sayles) worked at the Newsome Mill, but lived in Almondbury.

As my parents lived in St John’s Avenue, not far from Ruth Street, my sister and I used to go to the Mill after school and peer through the window at my Nanna. It always looked a hive of activity.

I remember my Nanna once allowing us to come inside and say hello to the other ladies. I remember seeing ‘heel’ marks on the wooden boards next to the looms, from the ladies high heel shoes.

Sadly we left Newsome in 1973, but I still remain very keen on learning more about the history and the workers of the mill.

But we haven’t lost hope.

When the mill clock was stopped during Easter 2007, we were promised that it would be working again within two months. But that silence has now endured for two and a half years. I’ve spent most of that time trying to break that silence, trying to give these buildings a voice.

There have been some disheartening moments – seeing the empty space on the wall where the war memorial is supposed to be, standing in the darkness and rain waiting next to the fire engines to hear news of the damage, watching rain drip through the floorboards, and seeing the last remaining intact clock face suddenly develop a gaping hole. If this building had been protected adequately, none of these things would have happened. 

But there have been other moments too – seeing our mill celebrated on the Look North regional news, hearing words of encouragement on the end of a phone line whilst waiting for a reporter when I’d almost lost my nerve, watching the bats over the mill pond at dusk on a summer’s evening, and seeing these buildings still standing every day, in spite of it all.

The future of the Newsome Mills site is still uncertain. So I’m starting this blog to make sure that the voices of the people who live and work here continue to be heard. This mill is a big part of Newsome – past, present and future. It belongs here. Just like us.

Protecting these buildings isn’t easy, but I’ll continue to do it. You can be certain of that.

Proposal to build 28 new dwellings on the land between Hart Street, Newsome Road and Naomi Road – the site of Newsome Mill Ponds and the former allotments.

Applicant: J S Bloor (Measham) Ltd 

Status: Planning permission refused 25th September 2008. Appeal lodged 20th March 2009. Appeal dismissed 19th August 2009.

Full details for 2008/62/92072/W3 

Proposal to build 24 houses and 8 apartments on the land between Hart Street, Newsome Road and Naomi Road – the site of Newsome Mill Ponds and the former allotments.

Applicant: J S Bloor (Measham) Ltd

Status: Planning permission refused 7th June 2007.

Full details for 2007/62/91056/W3 

Proposal to convert the four-storey mill into 45 apartments and the office building to a single dwelling. Also to build 13 new town houses and 11 apartments.

Applicant: Royalle Estates

Status: Conditional full planning permission granted 17th October 2006. (Planning permission expires 17th October 2009).

Full details for 2006/62/91452/W1 

sleeping giant

Newsome Mills

“Sleeping giant of Yorkshire’s industrial past”

2008 information sheet from the Newsome Mills campaign.

This document covers the listed building status, crime on the site, the 2008 Urgent Works notice, the theft and recovery of the war memorial, the battle to save the mill ponds and the Victorian Society’s top ten endangered buildings list.

Newsome Mills, sleeping giant (pdf, 2Mb)