Another mill to go

USING the reason that turning Abbey Mill in Leicester into flats would be too expensive, the developers now want to demolish it and build appartments instead.

But heritage campaigners are concerned that yet another piece of the city's industrial history would disappear for ever, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Beside canal

Abbey Mill is beside the Grand Union Canal in the city, and though the developer LHA-ASRA maintain its original plans to use the building and turn it into just under 100 flats is no longer affordable, many others all over the country have been able to do so with similar buildings.

The company have submitted new plans with Leicester City Council to demolish the mill and build an eight storey block with apartments, together with town houses next to the waterway.

Worse condition

A spokesman for the developer maintains the conversion would be too expensive, and that the building is in a worse condition than previously thought.

Chairman of the Leicester Victorian Society, Jon Goodall, bemoaned:

"It is sad we could lose yet another old industrial building. We would prefer to keep them but all too often the first instinct seems to be to demolish them because it is the easiest, and cheapest option."

It is expected that planning permission will be given for it to be demolished.