Refurb plans for former Lancaster cotton mill turned into student flats are rejected by city council

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, wanted to revitalise the building, and applied to the council to make some changes.

These included reconfiguring the main building to downsize it from 96 rooms into 62 one-bed self-contained student accommodation units, with individual cooking and dining areas within each unit.

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

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.

However, members of Lancaster City Council's planning committee refused the proposals when they met on Monday.