AN application has been submitted to West Devon Borough Council for listed building consent to demolish redundant Grade II listed mill buildings previously proposed for housing in North Tawton.

Planning agents Sutherland PLS Ltd have applied on behalf of A Dunn for listed building consent to demolish the wool processing mill on Fore Street. The empty buildings, dating back in parts to 1845, have been empty for ten years.

In that time there have been several planning applications to redevelop it for housing, with the most recent 2915/19/FUL, proposing a total of 20 residential units, including seven townhouses and nine flats. However, the proposal to develop the site, close to the River Taw, stalled after drawing objections from the Environment Agency, which has flagged up concerns over possible flooding in the years to come.

The current application, 2687/20/LBC, seeks consent to demolish all the buildings, saying in a statement ‘the buildings are now in a severe state of disrepair and close to collapse’. It continued: ‘The buildings suffer incursions from trespassers and it is a fear of the applicant that they may well cause injury to themselves if the buildings falls down. Listed buildings require a viable future. With only one buyer found since the previous consent was submitted and a resistance from the Environment Agency and Historic Statutory Consultees it is unlikely anything will ever come forward at this site again’.