Extension and refurb plans for former Lancaster cotton mill turned into student flats

Mill Hall in Moor Lane is currently empty and falling into a state of disrepair, having previously housed students from Lancaster University for many years.

Applicants Afar Properties, based in King Street, Lancaster, now want to revitalise the building, and have applied to the council to make some changes.

They want to reconfigure the main building to downsize it from 96 rooms into 62 one-bed self-contained student accommodation units.

They also want to build a four storey front extension with a roof terrace above linking the five-storey mill and three-storey annexe.

Architect and agent Thomas Zub said in a report to the council that the property is in a poor state and in an urgent need of refurbishment.

The current individual units are small, severely outdated, and therefore unable to compete with more contemporary quality accommodation around Lancaster – as a result this prime location property has only been partially occupied for most of the last decade.

The overall number of units would be reduced from 96 to 62 spacious rooms, with individual cooking and dining areas within each unit.

The proposal includes a front yard and three-storey extension, which would house ancillary accommodation, such as the reception and communal areas.

The extension has been designed in a contemporary style, complementing the existing building, while ensuring its own identity.

A heritage report found that the proposed development would harmonise with the listed building and conservation area and would not harm the heritage values and significances of the heritage assets or their setting.