Staffordshire Moorlands District Council Cabinet has agreed to appoint professional consultants to consider options for the future of several unused mills in Leek.

This comes as part of the Council's Leek Mills Master Plan Appraisal, which is years in the making, dating back to a 2001 survey into the current and potential uses of the remaining mill buildings in the town.

This led to the development of a Leek Mill Strategy (2003), which recommended that the Council prioritise six mills which were considered to be either of more historic value; were most at risk; or were located in key sites or part of a wider complex.

The mills in question were: Churnet Works, London Mill (Ashbourne Road), Big Mill, Cross Street Mill/Well Street Mill, York Mill and Portland Mill.

Further details on the background of each of these sites can be found in the Council report on the issue.

The remaining 43 former mill buildings were not prioritised but were considered 'opportunity sites' where the Council would respond to owner interest and support re-development proposals as appropriate.

This has included the former British Trimmings Site, Prince Street Works (former Kerrygold site) and Compton Mill.

As part of the 2019-2023 Corporate Plan, a Leek Mill Quarter Master Plan was proposed as a means of taking forward actions to address the remaining empty mills, primarily focused on London Mill and York Mill.

The master plan proposal involved the incorporation of the police station, former probation offices and health centre. However, since the Corporate Plan was developed, the Police Service has indicated that they no-longer wish to co-locate into Moorlands house and the former probation offices have been let.

Due to these circumstantial changes, paired with the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was then decided that the Council should avoid a 'full master plan', and instead seek to understand current trends in private sector investment and potential barriers to redevelopment.

The appointment of qualified consultants would help the Council to analyse the existing housing and business accommodation provision in Leek and suitability of mill floorspace to be converted for market use, before outlining opportunities for each mill.

Speaking at a Staffordshire Moorlands meeting this week, Council Leader, Cllr Sybil Ralphs MBE, acknowledged that "many people" have long been concerned by the fate of these unused buildings.

"Long gone are the days when we were in the forefront of production in Leek," she said, adding: "The mills were once, of course, very busy. When manufacturing was affected 30 or 40 years ago, those same mills, once a hub and hive of activity, were left empty and unloved.

"They present - at the moment - an unattractive townscape, and their deterioration is impacting on the built heritage of the town.

"Over the last few years, the commercial market has delivered a number of development schemes, which are primarily one or two bedroom, small apartments.

"This apartment market is now perceived to be saturated, and this has stalled the redevelopment. There is no identified demand for larger, high quality, loft-style apartments, as we have seen being built in city locations, and that is down to the lack of transport that we have to urban areas."

The Council believe that its new plan will help to identify alternative options for the vacant mills, which might include spaces aimed at promoting local enterprise and craftsmanship.

"Particularly now, as we come out of this dreadful pandemic, there will be people with lifelong skills who have been made redundant and perhaps this is the push that they need to start their own business," said Cllr Ralphs.

"We as a Council will do everything we possibly can to support and encourage where we can."

The proposal was welcomed by Cabinet members, with Cllr Joe Porter commenting that the mill buildings could be used to nurture young entrepreneurial talent.

"Restoring and reusing old buildings is much better for the environment and promotes energy efficiency much more than demolishing and creating new buildings would," he said.

Cllr Michael Bowen added: "We've been on about this for years now and I'm so happy that we might be going forward on this at last. I welcome this wholeheartedly; let's get on with it and get it done!"

The motion was then carried unanimously.