Rochdale completes £3.3m Warwick Mill purchase
The council has taken control of the derelict grade two-listed Middleton asset from Macau investor Kam Lei Fong and plans to refurbish it into hundreds of homes, a move the authority hopes will set the tone for the regeneration of the town.
The former cotton mill, constructed in 1907, has been bought by Rochdale Council for £3.3m. The deal includes the 1960s London House next door, which will be demolished in the new year under Rochdale’s vision for the site.
Capital&Centric is working up plans for Warwick Mill on behalf of the council but a developer is yet to be appointed to refurbish the mill, one of Middleton’s best-loved assets.
The deal, first revealed by Place North West in September, is the first major intervention since the creation of the Middleton Co-operative Mayoral Development Corporation. The MDC is led by actor and comedian Steve Coogan and chair of Co-operatives UK Rose Marley. It will oversee the town’s regeneration and is set to be formally established early next year.
Cllr Neil Emmott, Leader of Rochdale Council, said: “Warwick Mill is a key historic asset in the heart of Middleton, and I know that local residents have long been frustrated that it’s fallen into such a state of disrepair and I share that frustration. We’ve wanted to see it brought back into use for a number of years, but we’ve seen no real progress under successive owners.
“By buying it ourselves, we’re bringing it into public control and are now in a position to steer its future. Now it’s in our hands, we’re wasting no time in making immediate changes, with a local company leading this work for us.”
He added: “As such a key part of this area’s history and a major building in the heart of Middleton, this is a huge regeneration opportunity, with new homes something we’re particularly keen to explore for this site. With the rapidly emerging Middleton MDC, the Warwick Mill project is just the first of a series of regeneration schemes which will change the face of this whole area.”
Local firm Winterburns has been appointed to take over the security of the site and will also clear the site of debris, the council said.
