AN old mill in Wincham which is steeped in heritage will remain untouched after plans to demolish it were rejected.

An application submitted by Colin Bowen for Tudor Griffiths Group to Cheshire West and Chester Council, proposed to demolish and rebuild locally listed building Wincham Mill, in Manchester Road.

Northwich Town Council objected to the application, stating that the building forms part of the industrial heritage of Northwich and sits in the Trent and Mersey Conservation area.

They insisted that the current mill should be restored, as opposed to demolished and rebuilt.

Cllr Paul Dolan, for Bridge ward, said: “I completely agree with the line of our argument that we should look into restoring the building and the history that comes with it. Once a building is demolished then that’s it, years of history are just wiped away with it.

“We have a rich historical value in the buildings that helped define Northwich as a town and to plan on demolishing them is just not a route we can consider.”

Reports were conducted in 2017, including a survey into the site being a highly suitable location for bat roosting and the significance of the mill as a heritage site.

The initial application, made in July of that year, requested council consent for the demolition and subsequent rebuilding of part of the original building with the same mass, scale and footprint by using salvaged materials like renewed timber, tiling and brickwork.

Planning officers said in the report that demolition of the existing building, which makes a significant contribution to the conservation area, would result in ‘its total loss of significance’.

It continues by saying that the local planning authority looks to work with the applicant ‘in a positive and proactive way to secure a development that will improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area, in line with the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework).’

The NPPF states that purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development and there are policies in place to protect the historic environment as well as a section about conserving and enhancing the historic environment.