Progress is made on future of historic mill in Darwen

Frank Duffin, on behalf of Darwen Estates, has lodged an application with the borough council to resolve several key issues for the land off Bolton Road.

Town councillors have welcomed signs of progress with the old mill location, which stretches back to Equity Street and takes in parts of Wraith Street, Stansfield Street and Springfield Street.

Parts of the imposing site, originally known as Potters and later Crown Wallcoverings, dated back to 1841 and their 200-foot high chimney towered over the area, alongside the original six-storey factory and offices.

Cllr Paul Browne, whose dad Nathan worked at the mill as a an engineer in the 1950s, said: “If a planning application has gone in then I hope that that the committee looks at it favourably. Anything would be better than what is there now.

“This would tidy up that site and have a big impact on somewhere which is right in the town centre.”

Demolition work cleared the site in June 2006 with £30million proposals unveiled for around 125 flats, detached homes and townhouses there beforehand. Manufacturing had ceased in 2004.

A total of 52 homes were constructed and sold but the remaining 75 properties were never started and the remainder of the scheme remained unfinished.

Later the unfinished portion of the site, which borders the old Belgrave Chapel, was placed on the property market with an asking price of £900,000. The price has now increased to £120,000.

Town councillor Eileen Entwistle, who worked there along as part of three generations of her family, said: “Let’s hope something can be done there.

“It’s a bit of an eyesore on the edge of the town centre and it’s sad that there’s been no movement there.”

Councillors have also complained in previous years that the undeveloped land has become a magnet for anti-social behaviour with local youths.

The latest approach aims to resolve issues such as access, drainage, highways issues and a proposed crossing in Bolton Road.