2001 Dilapidated Blantyre Mills
In 2001, planning permission was granted to construct 16 new flats at the site of the old Blantyre Mill works. Objectors failed in their bid to stop the development near to the edge of the River Clyde.
In 2001, there were three dilapidated buildings on the one and a half acre greenbelt site, close to the historic David Livingstone Centre. The mill and adjoining buildings once formed part of a thriving industrial community which had been set up to manufacture dye for the cotton industry.
The majority of the mills had closed at the end of the 19th Century but around 1910 part of the building was reconstructed and used as a factory in production until the late 1950s.
In the years that followed after the turn of the 2000 millennium, Aurora Homes demolished the mill buildings, two of them on the lower parts next to the river and one at an elevated position next to the access road. A two and a half storey with car parking space for 2 cars per flat was subsequently built, transforming the area into functional and spacious modern flats, sympathetic to the aesthetics of nearby properties.
The six objectors complained that the scheme would generate additional traffic leading to the development and that the area was at the time quiet and a suitably nice place to live. The design was also criticised, for whilst it was agreed by all, it looked ok on paper, the height of the building was a concern to objectors, on the basis they felt it would shadow surroundings. Other objectors said it would distract from the historic character of the area, pose a threat to pedestrians and visitors to the nearby centre and also
2014 Mill flats by PV
increase traffic on busy Station Road. The council threw out the objections on the basis that the mill buildings in their sorry state were attracting vandals and arsonists. The council also argued roads into the area would be improved to accommodate the traffic.
Another of the mill buildings demolished had been used by a landscape business, but not for some time when plans got underway for demolition. An alternative proposal had been made to retain one of the mill buildings, perhaps turning it into flats within the old structure itself, but had been rejected due to parking constraints. Having such a proposal so near an historic site attracted a list of 30 conditions that had to be met, many more than usual planning developments.
In November 2014, whilst out walking, I stopped to take this photo, remembering this article. I hope it shows visitors to this page that the building design was carefully considered to be fitting in all respects, complimenting the nearby historic buildings.