Marsden New Mills’ ambitious plan ‘not viable’ despite £5.6m boost

Transformative multi-million pound plans for Marsden are now “unviable” despite a £5.6m assurance from the Government, a new report has said.

Pre-application documents to next week’s meeting of Kirklees Council’s Strategic Planning Committee say plans to redevelop New Mills will need more money to go ahead. This is in addition to millions of pounds in Leveling Up cash and £11.7m of private sector funding.

Of the proposals that limited government funding, the document states: “The pre-application team has since recalculated the viability of that option (in light of the increased costs) and found that, even with DLUHC (Department for Levelling, Housing and Communities). ), is now unviable and would require additional funding to close the gap.”

Read more: Tragedy as 30-year-old woman dies in North Yorkshire crash and driver arrested

Now, another option is said to be “preferred”, which sees some minor changes to the original plans. However, this too is described as “not viable”, requiring additional funding. The New Mills site, or Crowther’s Mill as it is known locally, is approximately one and a half hectares in size, located in the heart of Marsden and bounded by Brougham Road, Warehouse Hill Road, Crowther Bruce Mill Road and Derby Terrace. .

There are a number of buildings on the site, most of which are said to be unoccupied and none with listed status. The pre-application documents propose the demolition of several buildings, but Kirklees Council Conservation and Design has raised some concerns.

The proposed developments would make way for offices, apartments and industrial units. There would also be pedestrian access over the River Colne, which runs along part of the northern edge of the site, and two-way vehicular access from Brougham Road, with another proposed access point from Crowther Bruce Mill Road.

An application for planning permission is expected to be submitted in the near future. As well as developing the mill, Marsden is to undergo a much bigger regeneration, with a ‘Blueprint’ being drawn up. The council says it will work with the local community to develop investment plans for the next decade and beyond.

Get all the latest and breaking Huddersfield news straight to your inbox Sign up for our daily newsletter here.