Industrial units planned for former mill site

The site has been derelict since the mill was destroyed by fire in 2011

Plans for an industrial development on the former site of a textile mill which was destroyed by fire have been lodged.

The site on Factory Street in Bradford was once home to Ackroyds Mill, but it was badly damaged by the blaze in 2011 and later demolished.

After the five-storey mill was knocked down, the plot remained empty and had often been used as an illegal dumping site for waste and become a focus for anti-social behaviour, the applicants said.

S&W Properties has applied to build 13 light industrial units there, saying the plan was similar to one approved by Bradford Council in 2021 but which did not go forward due to the Covid pandemic, with that planning consent having now lapsed.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a second application for a self-storage facility had been submitted and approved, but work had not yet begun.

'Family-owned site'

S&W Properties said it had now revisited the industrial estate plan, with proposed units being spread out over two buildings and 32 parking bays also included.

The new application said the plans were nearly identical to those approved in 2021, although this development would include more electric vehicle charging spaces "to accommodate the increase of electric vehicles on the road".

"The family has owned the site for many years, and the site once was home to a five-storey red-brick mill," it said.

"Unfortunately the mill was subject to an arson attack over a decade ago, and the owners 'lost' a perfectly decent building which was prime for conversion.

"The site has lay dormant ever since, and once made safe (through demolition) has been targeted by fly-tippers and has encouraged anti-social behaviour."

The application added that, subject to approval, work could begin before Christmas this year.

The applicants said that given the similarity to the earlier application, they expected the plans were "wholly appropriate" and would be a "positive influence to the street scene and neighbourhood".

A decision on the application is expected before the end of the year.

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