A RARE?reminder of North Tawton's industrial past could be in line for a major redevelopment, providing homes and a community centre.

The town council has received a planning application for 59 residential units to be developed on the former woollen mill site, which would involve interior and exterior alterations to the Grade II listed structure.

A public consultation exhibition on the scheme is to take place next week.

The proposal is for the erection of 40 new residential units, the conversion of the mill and an adjacent building to an additional 19 residential units, and the redevelopment of another building for community use, possibly as a nursery or gallery.

The West Devon Local Plan identifies the former mill as a potential site for residential use, though it imposes strict conditions on any development to protect the historic nature of the site. Conditions involving access and flood prevention works are also imposed.

North Tawton town clerk David Bettoney said: 'The town council is aware of the need for a balance between the developers and the wishes of members of the public who may be affected by the development.

'There is a considerable amount of paperwork and detail supporting this application, and we felt the best way to display the information is to hold a public consultation exhibition in the town hall on Saturday January 29 between 10.30am and 12.30pm, to which all are welcome.

'The matter will then be formally considered at the meeting of the town council the following Tuesday.'

The mill building was built in 1845, and is described in the listing as a 'rare and substantially intact reminder of the former importance of the woollen industry in Devon'. For much of the 19th century the woollen industry was one of North Tawton's biggest employers.

The site was first established as the North Tawton mill in around 1750. Following closure of the mill in 1930, the site was taken over by the British Wool Marketing Board in 1964 and used as a wool grading centre until its closure in 1992. In 1994, the premises were bought by a local land owner and have remained empty ever since.

The buildings on the site are now derelict, and an independent consultation concluded that owing to the costs involved with restoring the buildings and providing a suitable flood defence system, it would not be financially viable to designate any of the proposed flats as affordable housing.

A statement from the development agent said: 'CMS Bath Architects have spent the last 18 months developing proposals for the former Wool Grading Centre in North Tawton with the assistance of West Devon Borough Council Development Control, Cllr Morgan, the Environment Agency and a host of specialist consultants, culminating in the submission of an application for full planning permission.

'The proposal, which consists of a new site access, significant flood defence works to protect the site and wider community, restoration of the mill and other historically important buildings together with the mill leat, will provide a total of 59 residential properties, ranging from two-bedroomed to four-bedroomed properties.

'Possibly the most attractive of the retained historic buildings is to be restored and put to use as a community asset. This is envisaged to operate as a day nursery, gallery or similar.'

West Devon Borough Council member for North Tawton Cllr Nick Morgan said: 'This is a site that has stood empty for around 20 years now. There have been several different developments put forward where planning permission has been given and then nothing has ever happened.

'This time we have a full proposal from the developer, and I am hopeful that this development will go ahead.'

Previous applications to develop the site have been refused, including four applications for residential units in 1992.

At the time, West Devon Borough Council's planning committee argued the 'suburban-type development' was not suitable for North Tawton.

More details on the planning proposals can be viewed on the West Devon Borough Council planning website under reference 01163/2011.