‘Blight’ Bacup mill derelict for 20 years could be bought by council and transformed

A mill in Bacup which has been derelict for over 20 years could be bought out by the council.

The Grade II-listed Waterside Mill in Bacup has stood in a state of disrepair for 23 years, becoming a ‘blight’ for the local community. The Burnley Road building, which was constructed in 1839, suffered a major fire in 2003 and has since been targeted by vandals and fly tipping.

It was said to be ‘dangerous’ in 2020, with planning heads adding the ‘whole building was in a compromised state’. But now there could be big changes on the horizon, with Rossendale Borough Council set to buy it out before a refurbishment takes place.

A report prepared for the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, October 21, reads the council is seeking a compulsory purchase order (CPO).

CPOs are where public bodies such as councils can buy buildings and land without the permission of their owners.

In this case, Rossendale BC said it has made ‘numerous attempts’ to establish contact with the mill’s owners but they have moved overseas and are ‘untraceable’, with their limited company having been dissolved in 2013.

The report reads: “Clear and accountable ownership is required if the site is to have a realistic prospect of long term reuse.”

The council said it has been working with Rossendale-based Valley Heritage on the future of Waterside Mill, which the building would be transferred to following the CPO.

Valley Heritage is a charity which acquires, restores and repurposes at risk historic buildings in the area, bringing them back into use.

The report’s author said the charity has applied for National Lottery Heritage Funding to fund the project.

But the report reads if the funding is not secured, the council would not automatically proceed with the CPO and transfer, and would then re-evaluate.

Steve Anderson, chair of trustees at Valley Heritage, spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about their plans for the building.

He said: “There is quite a substantial local business we are hoping will take the space, enabling them to grow and expand employment in Bacup.

“Assuming we get the funding, that is the plan. It would be in use as a mill, with light industrial and storage.”

But Steve said Waterside Mill is ‘not the only heritage asset’ in the area which has fallen out of use.

He added: “It is a challenge, not just for Rossendale but elsewhere in the country.

“It is obviously sad to see these buildings decline like this, but we try to find a use for them.”

Steve said Valley Heritage is seeking a £4.5 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with the whole project expected to cost around £6 million.