Planning refusal could end dream of restoring mill site

Councillors in Wakefield are being urged to refuse proposals to restore the mill engine house at the old Coxley Woollen Mill in Middlestown, Wakefield, and turn it into an educational resource centre and gallery.

Alan Sykes has spent 40 years trying to see the engine house restored and says if his latest proposal for the site is rejected it could mark the end of the dream to see the site preserved for future generations.

A report to be considered by Wakefield Council's Planning and Highways Committee on Thursday recommends refusing the application but there have been 21 letters of support for the proposal, including one from Wakefield MP, Mary Creagh and local parish councillors.

The report to members concludes: "It is considered that the proposal would constitute inappropriate development and would have a detrimental impact upon the openness and visual character of the green belt.

"The applicant has failed to demonstrate any very special circumstances which outweigh the harm by reason of inappropriateness or any other harm. Further, the design, scale, massing, height, density and layout of the development is considered to be unsympathetic to the locality," the report adds.