Residents have come out in favour of bringing an ‘eyesore’ derelict mill back into use.
Waterside Mill, in Bacup, has sat as a burnt-out and dangerous husk since it was engulfed in flames 23 years ago.
The Grade II-listed mill is one of many historic buildings across Rossendale which has fallen into disrepair, with parts of it having collapsed in the years since the fire.
The possibility of demolition has also been raised, with the building having become a magnet for vandalism and fly-tippers.
But at its cabinet meeting last month, Rossendale Council took a big step towards saving Waterside Mill from such a fate.
The council agreed the mill could be transferred to Valley Heritage as part of a compulsory purchase, with its owners said to be untraceable.
Valley Heritage was the charity responsible for bringing the Grade II-listed Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank in Bacup back up to scratch and has worked on other such projects in the area.
Steve Anderson, chair of trustees, previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he hoped, subject to securing National Lottery Heritage Fund support, the mill would be brought back into use for storage and light industrial purposes.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service went to speak to nearby residents to see what they thought of the plans.
When Catherine Barrocliffe opened her door, the topic of the mill prompted a sigh.
She said: “It’s a nice building, but it’s in a bad state, it’s a shame. It doesn’t look as if there is anything wrong with the brickwork.
“The kids play in it, it’s dangerous in there, it’s like a big climbing frame inside. The council do come occasionally and put things on, like securing the doors.”
Catherine raised concerns about the traffic a new industrial use for the building could bring, with limited parking space.
But she added: “As long as there isn’t a lot of coming and going.”
Maria Holt, who has lived nearby for over a decade, said she ‘doesn’t like looking at it’, adding: “It’s such a shame, as the thing about it is it could be a beautiful building, but it is dangerous as it is.”
Asked about plans to bring it back into use, she added: “It would be good, it wouldn’t bother me.
“But it definitely needs sorting out.”
Toni Wells said it is ‘not pleasant’ coming out of her door and seeing the derelict building every day.
She added: “Something does need doing with it, it is derelict. They should build a Primark, it would save me going to Burnley!
“We get issues with kids there every day, I’ve had to get my bin replaced as they took it and set it on fire there.”
Jessica James, meanwhile, called the mill a ‘bit of an eyesore’.
She added: “I’d like to see it used in a nice way, I don’t want to see one of those HMOs.”
Jessica added that bringing the building back into use would be better.
‘The Tong Boggart’
While down at the mill, the Local Democracy Reporting Service bumped into local artist Amy Callaghan and Valley Heritage’s Pat Smith, who were painting a mural at the back of it on Alder Street.
Pat said: “We wanted to engage the public and talk to people in the community, and the art helps attract their attention, hence the mural on the front.
“It’s based on the Tong Boggart, which is a mythical creature known among the locals, and what better place for a boggart to live than an old mill?
“So if anyone hears any strange noises like screeching and banging from the mill, maybe it’s the boggart!”
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Amy, who has a studio called ‘Pigs in Mud’ on Bacup Road in Waterfoot, said: “Waterside Mill has always been that weird abandoned building, since I was little, but now we’re turning it into something magic.
“When you see projects like this, that little bit of art can help in engaging people, and then before you know it it’s back being used as a mill again.”
She said she met Pat while working on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank, adding it was ‘really nice’ to see such buildings given a new lease of life.
Amy said: “I hope the same thing happens with this one.”
Pat added: “If it doesn’t, at least we tried.”
To find out more about Amy’s art, visit: https://www.pigsinmudartstudios.com/
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