19th-century former mill owner's house in Yorkshire village to be turned into flats

The building at Green Lane, West Vale, has most recently been used as a residential care and respite home belonging to Calderdale Council. Plans put in by the council’s building and estate management team have now been approved by planners to make the changes.

Three people had written objection to the proposals, concerned about loss of privacy, increased amounts of traffic the development might create, parking and pressure on local infrastructure such as schools.

The building is considered to be a non-designated heritage asset, as a well-preserved example of a 19th century mill owners house with most modern alteration restricted to the interior of the property.

All existing windows and doors are being utilised for the conversion of the building into the 13 apartments, with a 1980s extension being demolished as part of the conversion. It is in the setting of the Grade II-listed Railway Viaduct over Stainland Road.

But overall there are minimal external alterations proposed so the impact on this would be very limited, if any, and would not result in any harm to the setting of the listed viaduct, say planners.

Given the above, the proposal is considered to comply with with national and local guidelines, including those in the council’s recently approved Local Plan, said the officers.

The building is a large stand alone building within its own grounds and therefore is sufficient distance away from third party dwellings not to cause any overlooking, they said.