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A 19th century mill site in Bronte Country - described as “one of the last mills in the area” - could be converted to housing.
An application to demolish sections of Vale Mill, a short distance from Oakworth Station, has been submitted to Bradford Council.
Documents included in the application say a Grade II listed section of the mill will be retained and converted as part of the proposed development.
But an unused section of the mill, a warehouse and derelict garage would be demolished if the proposals are approved.
A planning application for homes is expected to be submitted in the near future.
The site is on Vale Mill Lane, on the border of Cross Roads and Oakworth, and next to the junction with Mytholmes Lane.
Vale Mills in Oakworth (Image: T&A)
The road is infamous for its blind bend, with “Hoot!” painted on a wall to encourage drivers to sound their horn before navigating the tight bend.
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway line is just yards away from the mill.
The demolition application has been submitted by Jonathan Heaton, and says the site will become vacant by the end of the year.
If approved, demolition would begin in December and be completed in March.
Built in the early 19th century for John Greenwood, the mill was given its listed status in 1986. Designed as a spinning mill, at its height Vale Mills employed over 110 people.
The application says: “The buildings to be demolished are in poor condition and have deteriorated.
“The site has been occupied, but will become vacant by the end of 2026 and therefore unable to maintain buildings insurance – it will also be at risk of vandalism.
“Many buildings contain asbestos, which will be removed before demolition, which will further deteriorate the structures to be demolished.”
In a section of the application form asking what will be done with the site following demolition, it says: “Once the site has been cleared and listed building secured, (the site is) proposed for residential redevelopment, including restoration of listed building into residential.”
Councillor Rebecca Poulsen (Cons, Worth Valley) raised some concerns over the plans, and hopes local residents are fully consulted on the future housing development.
She said: “Vale Mills is one of the last mills in the area and has a huge amount of history linked to it.
“This proposal is to demolish some derelict and unused outbuildings plus a garage but the application does say one the site is cleared it is proposed for residential development.
“This will bring a lot of questions and concerns locally as this is not an easy site to access via Vale Mill Lane.
“Any proposals for redevelopment must carefully consider the impact on existing residents.
“I would encourage any plans to be consulted on locally before a planning application is submitted so residents can be fully informed and their concerns taken on board.
“Clearly at the moment there is no formal planning application to consider but I’m sure there will be a lot of views over redeveloping this site.”