Demolition of fire-damaged mill building approved

A fire-damaged 19th century bleaching house in Matlock is set to be demolished.

The building at Tansley Wood Mills, off Lumsdale Road, had "deteriorated significantly" before it was "further compromised" by a fire in July 2025, documents submitted to Derbyshire Dales District Council showed.

Plans to demolish the site were approved by the authority on Wednesday, along with plans for "temporary building stabilisation works" to two former yarn and cloth storage warehouses in a "poor structural condition".

During its life, Tansley Wood Mill produced spun cotton thread and candlewick yarn, before expanding into bleaching and dyeing in the 20th century.

The first mill buildings at the site were built in 1783, Historic England said.

The site eventually ceased production in 1999 and it was then given Grade II listed status in 2000.

A council planning officer said: "Whilst the loss of historic fabric in this instance is regrettable, the public benefits of the works to make the situation safe as well as the surrounding heritage assets is considered to outweigh the harm of the works."

They said the house was "most likely constructed" between 1846 and 1871.

The officer added that the fire was "believed to have been the result of poor site security, trespassing and arson".

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was unable to investigate the cause of the fire at the time due to the "unsafe condition of the building".

When consulted on the demolition, Historic England did not object on heritage grounds given the "unfortunate circumstances" of the site.

But it said that "urgent and robust action" was required by the owners and the planning authority to "prevent further loss and deliver the sustainable adaptive reuse of the surviving listed buildings."

Historic England added that the site "as a whole appears to be in poor condition and very vulnerable to trespass and vandalism".

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