Developers have been trying to build flats at Big Mill for more than two decades. It was back in 2004 when The Sentinel reported that plans for 52 luxury flats in Big Mill, on Mill Street, in Leek, were rejected.
It comes as the Grade-II listed landmark building has remained unoccupied and has now been savaged by fire on Friday 27 March, 2026.
The 2004 planning application was rejected because Staffordshire Moorlands District Council wanted jobs creating there – rather than homes.
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A council report stated: “The policy is clear that employment sites should be retained unless a convincing case to the contrary is made out, and it is long established that buildings having listed status will rarely be allowed to be demolished without the most compelling justification. Neither of these policy principles is satisfactorily addressed in these applications and refusal is thus recommended.”
It led the applicant to withdraw their plannning application.
Architect Neil Pike said: “Rather than having the plans refused, we have temporarily withdrawn our proposals. When we have made a number of additions to the scheme we will re-submit an amended plan.”
Revised plans for 44 two-bed flats were approved later in 2004. It was reported that the site had been on the market since 1996 and received ‘no commercial interest’.
Councillor John Fisher told the planning committee: “This is a significant application and although I would have liked to have seen it put to industrial use to create employment, sadly there has been no interest, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t be turned into housing.”
Councillor Linda Malyon added: “We have got many mills in Leek and we do need to find some use for them or else they will deteriorate. I think that converting these particular buildings into apartments and flats is a good way of developing a major feature of Leek’s history.”
The plan for Big Mill also included flats at the neighbouring Shade Mill and The Print Works. It was a £5 million project.
But in 2009 developer Liverpool Development Property had plunged into insolvency and London-based chartered accountants MacIntyre Hudson took control. It led to suggestions that Big Mill could become a budget hotel.
Pam Erny, from MacIntyre Hudson, said: “In becoming insolvent the company had to release its assets to us, as agents for them, and the Leek development is the only asset they have. We are seeing whether Big Mill would be attractive to a budget hotel company and those talks are continuing. “
Ben Emery, district councillor for Leek West, said that a hotel development on the site would be great for the town.
He added: “It’s just what Leek needs – it would bring tourists in and provide somewhere for them to stay. Even if it was apartments, I just like to see these old mills being used. It is a very large mill and covers a big area of land, which needs developing. The whole area is on the up and has a very strong residents’ group and I’m sure they’d love the area to be developed.
“We need this for the rest of Leek, to utilise the mills, otherwise they decay and are ruined. We want people in them to look after and restore them for whatever purpose. The Big Mill was designed by famous Victorian architect William Sugden, who was responsible for many of Leek’s prominent buildings.”
Staffordshire Police were alerted in 2011 when up to 10 youths were reported inside Big Mill.
Neighbour Garrick Middleton said: “Over the last few weeks, young people have been going into the mill every night and even sometimes in the day. They are smashing glass and demolishing it. You can see them using torches inside the mill at night. They are in full view of us. If they open the fire escape doors, they could fall hundreds of feet from the top floors. The police are doing a good job, but they have to be called every night. “If something is not done it is only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt.”
Chief Inspector for Staffordshire Moorlands police, Steve Maskrey, said the mill issue was becoming a concern.
He said: “The company has gone into liquidation, but we have now managed to track them down. We have told the liquidators that they must secure the premises. If this is not done, we will instruct the district council to action the required work and then bill the liquidators.”
Councillor Gill Burton, who has responsibility for communities on the district council, said: “I am talking to the police and the community team to look into the situation urgently.”
Councillor Edwin Wain, who is in charge of planning on the council, added: “I have requested that building control officers visit the site. If areas are found to be dangerous, they will be fenced off. Police have visited the scene, but as soon as they leave, the youngsters are back in.”
Back in 2019 developer Atique Choudhury applied for permission to convert the vacant Big Mill on Mill Street into 55 apartments – with the internal structure of the mill also set to be removed.
But flats have never been built at Big Mill. And a year later children were back climbing on the roof of the six-storey building.
A police spokesman said: “We have had a few reports of children accessing the Big Mill including the roof area. The owner is arranging to secure the damaged boarding again. In the meantime please speak to your children of the dangers of this building. I have been in the building and there is nothing of interest in there. The floors are not safe and the risk of significant injury or worse is huge.”
With reports of Big Mill ‘collapsing’ tonight, it may be the last time anyone gets inside the historic landmark.
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