£16m Hoddlesden Mill regeneration scheme recommended for approval

Proposals to regenerate a derelict mill in Hoddlesden, Darwen, to provide 79 new homes have been recommended for approval by planning officers.

Liverpool-based BXB Land Solutions is behind plans to transform the derelict Carus Mill site in the pretty commuter village and submitted its proposals to Blackburn with Darwen Council after extensive local consultation.

The scheme’s construction value is estimated at £16m.

BXB director, Gary Goodman, said: “We received overwhelming support and some very helpful suggestions during a lengthy consultation period.

“The site offers a number of challenges given its poor condition and the need to culvert part of the length of a brook that runs through the middle.”

He added: “We’ve been able to demonstrate how we can manage these satisfactorily, as well as highlight numerous opportunities for ecological improvements.”

The proposals go before the council’s planning committee on September 16, and the applicant is seeking full planning permission for the demolition of several derelict buildings, together with remediation works to the site to enable the completion of a development platform.

BXB is also asking for outline permission for 79 new homes split between two-, three- and four-bed properties accessed via Johnson New Road.

Carus Mill was formerly a textile mill making medical fabrics such as swabs and bandages for export around the world.

It closed in 2003 and was burned down in 2008. Ground investigations have subsequently shown that the site has been polluted over many years.

Mr Goodman said: “The ground conditions are not ideal and the site will need cleaning up before it meets current standards. We have the technical skills in-house to do this but it’s not a cheap process.”

Supporting consultants on the project included Curtins (transport), Brock Carmichael (architects), Nexus (planning) and Erap (ecology).

BXB is currently involved in the transformation of a number of sites in St Helens, Preston, Thornton-Cleveleys and Co Durham.