Highly Attractive Freehold Residential Development Opportunity

WESTWOOD MILL, LOW WESTWOOD LANE, LINTHWAITE, WEST YORKSHIRE

 

  • Highly Attractive 10 acre (4.05 ha) Freehold Residential Development Opportunity
  • Rarely available waterside position in a highly convenient location
  • Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for a total of 127 units
  • Beneficial Sec. 106 Agreement with no affordable housing provision

 

Site Overview

This unique residential development opportunity extends to approximately 10 acres (4.05 ha), consisting of the former Westwood Mill complex (that is largely collapsed) and mill pond and vacant scrubland. Westwood Mill is bound by the Huddersfield Narrow Canal to its north, the Rover Colne to its south and west and Low Westwood Lane to its east, where access is to be taken. Beyond Low Westwood Lane sits the awards winning ‘Titanic Mills’ development and ‘Titanic Spa’. The boundaries to the site offer an opportunity to create a scheme within its own environment, benefitting from a rarely found ‘standalone’ waterside position.

Located approximately 5km south west from the centre of Huddersfield, the location offers convenient access to the wide range of local services in both Linthwaite and Slaithwaite and access to the motorway network (Junction 23 of the M62 lies 4km north of the site). Furthermore, Slaithwaite train station (1.5km west of the site, accessible along the canal tow path) offers regular rail links to Leeds and Manchester on the extensive Northern Rail service. Leeds City Centre is located approximately 30km north east, Sheffield 35km south east, and Manchester 35km west.

TOWN PLANNING

In terms of planning, the site is located in the Green Belt and the Linthwaite Conservation Area. The Westwood Mill site benefits from full Planning Permission for a total of 127 units (TP ref: 2020/90710) incorporating 64 new build houses and 63 apartments (38 of which will be converted from the former Westwood Mill, and the other 25 new build apartments in an adjacent block) and Listed Building consent (ref: 2020/65/90711/W). The new build element of the scheme has been granted on the basis of ‘Enabling Development’ for the restoration of the mill, a Grade 2* Listed property.

A Sec. 106 Agreement accompanies the planning permission providing the following financial contributions:

£17,000 – off-site highway improvements
£73,000 – Education Contribution.

Please note there is no Affordable Housing provision required as part of the existing planning permission.

The Sec. 106 Agreement also includes obligations around the future maintenance and management of communal and public spaces in the development (including mill pond), maintenance and management of the drainage and infrastructure and phasing of the development. The Sec. 106 allows for the delivery of a first phase, including some new build housing and the apartments (both new build and refurbished units) immediately. The Phase 2 new build housing cannot be constructed over slab level until the refurbishment of the mill has achieved first fix and been signed off by the Local Authority.

Copies of all the approved plans, Planning Decision Notice, Sec. 106 Agreement and Committee Reports are available in the ‘Documents and Downloads’ section.

In addition to the Sec. 106 contributions, there are other design characteristics associated with the approved scheme that require careful consideration. Three of the new build housing blocks (i1,i2 and i3) are impacted by Flood Risk, with no habitable use allowed on the ground floor (they are designed as garage/ parking provision at this level in the approved scheme).

Whilst the site benefits from planning consent an alternative scheme for 119 units (72 new build houses, 9 new build apartments and 38 conversion apartments) has been the subject of a pre-app with Kirklees and received a favourable response, offering scope for a more housing driven scheme if preferred.

Further Information

A full suite of technical information is available for the ‘Documents and Downloads’ section, together with all planning information and drawings associated with the consented scheme.

VAT

The Property is elected for VAT

Tender Process

The opportunity is offered For Sale via Private Treaty. Preference is for offers on an unconditional basis in light of the planning consent in place. Our clients, Michael Wilson Restorations are happy to retain responsibility for the delivery of the mill refurbishment, and are happy to discuss this in more detail with interested parties, Michael Wilson Restorations have an enviable track record in delivering award winning refurbished projects. More details can be found at www.mwrestorations.co.uk

VIEWINGS

The site can be viewed from Low Westwood Lane and the tow path that follows the Huddersfield Narrow Canal along the northern boundary. To walk the site, please contact the selling agents to arrange a suitable time for an accompanied viewing.

Contact

For further information, please contact:

Matthew Bagley
Tel: 07912 952 502
matthew@titchmarshandbagley.com