Historic England has launched a campaign to save the country’s historic textile mills after finding that nearly half of Greater Manchester’s once-bustling factories had been demolished.
About 45% of the region’s 971 mills have been destroyed since the 1980s, a study by the University of Salford found, while hundreds more stand empty and neglected.
Historic England condemned the destruction of the buildings and called for the surviving mills to be restored and turned into housing, offices or public amenities.
The heritage body said it had identified space for 25,000 new homes among the more than 500 former mills still standing in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Catherine Dewar, Historic England’s planning director in the north-west, said: “With their ability to accommodate wonderful homes, workplaces and cultural spaces, our historic mill buildings deserve a future and should not be destroyed.
“They helped make us who we are in the north of England and have a profound impact on the physical and cultural landscape.”
While Greater Manchester’s skyline has changed beyond recognition in the past century, the destruction of mills has had the biggest impact on Salford, where 66% of its 47 factories have been torn down.
In Rochdale, once one of the world’s most productive cotton spinning towns, 96 textile mills have been demolished in the past 30 years, according to the University of Salford study. In the town’s 102 surviving mills, experts identified nearly 205,000 square metres of vacant or underused space that was ripe for redevelopment.
Historic England said there was overwhelming public support for saving the country’s once-booming powerhouses instead of leaving them to fall into ruin.
A YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults found that 85% were against their demolition, with 70% saying they should be seen as a potential solution to Britain’s housing crisis.
The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “It’s a real shame that half of Greater Manchester’s historic mills have been lost. These buildings are an important part of our industrial legacy – the original northern powerhouse.
“But equally they are an important part of our future, whether that’s creating new jobs for local people by investing in the industries of the future, providing much-needed affordable housing, or transforming these unique spaces into cultural destinations. I fully support Historic England’s plea to ensure our remaining mills have a key place in the developing fabric of our region.”
The heritage agency said it wanted to galvanise mill owners and developers to fulfil the potential of the historic buildings, citing successful conversions such as the Cotton Works in Bolton – a former cotton spinning mill dating back to 1926 that is now home to 276 apartments.
In a bid to kickstart the renovation of the north’s mills, Historic England has announced a £252,000 grant to carry out vital repairs on the Grade II-listed Leigh Spinners mill in Leigh, Lancashire. The building is considered one of the last great textile mills to be built in the UK and is one of the largest and most complete mills remaining in Greater Manchester.
Dewar said: “Mills have so much to offer in terms of space, character and identity. By shining a light on successful regeneration projects, we hope to inspire others to recognise the potential of our former industrial buildings and start a conversation about their future.”
