Historic England has updated (September 2024) its guidance on the value of re-utilising historic mills, outlining their many potential new uses. These re-uses include houses, offices, shops, restaurants, art galleries and even an NHS outpatients’ department .

The revised guidance notes that the vast majority of adults (89%) believe mills are an ‘important part of England’s heritage’ and 85% don’t want to see them demolished. It includes links to several resources, including grants available for the restoration of mills.

Historic England have also ommissioned a number of pieces of research into mills including ‘Engines of Prosperity’, ‘Driving Northern Growth Through Repurposing Tetxiel Mills’, ‘Historic Textile Mills in the North West’, ‘Greater Manchetser Tetxiuel Mills’, and ‘Lancashire Tetxile Mills’.

Read more about re-using mills here and about mills research and guidance here