Planning & Design Practice Director Jon Millhouse gave a presentation on Friday 9 October as part of the RTPI East Midlands webinar ‘The Re-use of Historic Buildings’.
This webinar forms part of the RTPI Online series, and was an opportunity to look at best practice in the redevelopment and re-use of important historical assets. Jon joined a panel of speakers including experts from Savills, Locus Consulting and City of Lincoln Council who reviewed current legislation, policy and guidance. The event also featured in-depth case studies, one from from Lincoln looking at the Lincoln Cathedral Visitor centre and Cornhill Quarter, and the second on the redevelopment of a Derbyshire mill complex for commercial and residential uses, the John Smedley Mills project, that Planning Design were lucky enough to work on.
Jon commented “it was great to share my experiences of a rewarding and interesting project, and reflect on the practicalities of redeveloping an historic site and using planning obligations in a creative way to secure Investments into worthwhile projects such as an apprenticeship training programme, the establishment of an archive for historic garments and the restoration of dilapidated listed buildings”.
At the 2019 RTPI East Midlands Awards for Planning Excellence, our work for John Smedley Mills was awarded the Highly Commended Certificate for Excellence in Planning for Heritage & Culture.
The Highly Commended Certificate recognised our work on the redevelopment of the ‘East Site’ at John Smedley Mills, Lea Bridge. Planning Design were instructed as planning consultants, alongside Evans Vettori Architects to deliver a complex set of proposals for redevelopment, conversion and part demolition on the site, which is the last working textile mill in the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site and the “oldest manufacturing factory in the world”.
The ‘East Site’ was no longer needed for garment manufacture and development was needed to secure a beneficial future use for the land and buildings and to support the company’s development and expansion. The scheme included the renovation of three late 18th century Grade II Listed cottages which were in a very poor state of repair and on the “heritage at risk” register.
The full ‘The Re-use of Historic Buildings’ webinar is available to view on the RTPI East Midlands YouTube channel.
Planning Design recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas. We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Director Jon Millhouse specialises in heritage planning and design team leader Lindsay Cruddas is a registered Specialist Conservation Architect.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free 30 minute consultation to discuss a particular building or project.
