Green-light to demolish fire-hit historic Derbyshire mill complex
Large parts of an historic Derbyshire mill complex can now be demolished following a blaze and approval from council officials, with the site tipped for 50 new homes
Derbyshire Dales District Council officials have approved plans from Tansley Wood Mills Ltd, run by Robert, Alan and Glenys Wright, to demolish large parts of the former 200-year-old mill, bleaching and textile factory in Lumsdale, between Matlock and Tansley.
This comes in the same week that the district council released details of 28 potential new housing sites which it is putting out to public consultation, one of which is for 50 homes on the former Grade-II listed Tansley Wood Mills complex.
The complex was at the centre of a fire on July 1, 2025, with one building on the site left so unsafe that investigators could not assess it for the cause of the blaze. A report from the applicant suspected the fire was arson.
A report commissioned by the applicant says stabilisation works for the fire-hit building would not be possible without demolition, but stabilisation works for other buildings will be possible.
Council officials wrote: “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.”
Historic England told the council “the site as a whole appears to be in poor condition and very vulnerable to trespass and vandalism” and said site security should be improved to maintain the integrity of the remaining listed buildings.
With support from the council, it wrote: “If it is being argued that it is in the public interest to demolish one of the buildings on health and safety grounds, then it is clearly in the public interest to undertake other, more proactive and appropriate steps, to prevent the same situation occurring again.”
The council has said it will closely monitor the site to ensure security is maintained and will take “robust action when appropriate”.
Tansley Wood Mill is said to have been completed in 1783 while the bleaching house is believed to have been constructed between 1846 and 1871.