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Mill plan passed

Penny Coles
30/ 5/2007

CONTROVERSIAL plans for the redevelopment of Howard Town Mill have been passed.

Councillors voted in favour of the application at a planning meeting last Monday.

The meeting was initially thrown into confusion after developers made last minute changes to the plans.

Residents complained they were only informed at the eleventh hour that plans for a restaurant/cafe, which was to overlook Smithy Fold, had been removed from the scheme.

Other amendments included the reduction in height of a block of 21 flats from four to two storeys.

May Hirst from the Craft Centre, Smithy Fold, had campaigned for the removal of the cafe idea. But she said there were still problems with access for utility vehicles down into the area.

"Deliveries will become very difficult, as will jobs like servicing the telephone poles," she said.

Resident Ruth Dolan said she was not happy with the repositioning of the flats.

"We did not object to the original application, but the building will now be fully facing us, and will cause noise and light pollution," she said.

Mr Ryan for B&R Developments said: "I believe that we have completely dealt with all the residents' reservations.

"Unit 4a has been removed from the scheme. The height of unit 1a has been reduced, and the car parking is back to the proposal in our original application.

"The re-siting of unit 1a provides a more sympathetic relation to conservation and urban design terms with Howard Town Mill."

High Peak mayor Councillor Jean Wharmby voted against the proposal because she said there had not been enough consultation with residents.