A DERELICT mill building in Chapeltown will be given a new lease of life after plans to transform it into apartments and offices were approved by councillors.

A previous application to turn Victoria Mill, in Station Road, into apartments and a business centre was opposed by parish councillors who claimed the development would have been too big.

But a year later a new application by Medlock Construction has been passed for 14 apartments and office space. An outbuilding will also be converted into offices.

The scheme was approved subject to the developers paying towards a play area or open space nearby and towards road works to make the access safer.

It is hoped the development will turn the area around after it fell into disrepair and became a site for vandalism and the dumping of waste.