Successful Regeneration; Reviving Calderdale’s Industrial Legacy Through Development

Mills drove forward the industrial revolution within the UK – but now thousands lay derelict and underutilised across the UK. Ahead of our Mills Development Conference we caught up with Richard Seaman, Corporate Lead for Planning at Calderdale Council, who spoke about their involvement in bringing life back to these historic buildings…

Mills drove forward the industrial revolution within the UK – but now thousands of mills lay derelict and underutilised. This event will delve into the incredible opportunities they present to help drive economic growth and tackle the housing crisis. Mill owners, regional authorities, regeneration experts and major developers will all come together to discuss their future projects and how those in the audience can get involved. [emaillocker id=”71749″]

In physical and economic senses Calderdale is a product of its location and its history. Victorian industrialists like the Crossleys, built their mills to exploit the plentiful supply of soft fresh water and coal. These industrialists built on a scale and with an ambition that was unprecedented, leaving a legacy that extends beyond mills to model social housing and civic architecture. The corollary of this is that industry and its physical infrastructure are central to the identity of Calderdale.

The advances in construction and the wealth that was created during the Victorian era have meant that a substantial proportion of this legacy has survived. There are sharp contrasts between the mills that have been repurposed as homes and economic powerhouses for the 21^st Century and those that lie abandoned and unloved, or at least under-exploited and declining.

I believe that successful regeneration must be predicated on an understanding and articulation of a place’s identity. In Calderdale this means celebrating our industrial legacy. Many buildings and complexes have been regenerated – some in a gradual, organic way – others in a more transformational way. The best examples, such as Dean Clough, the former home of Crossley’s Carpets in Halifax, build-on and articulate our industrial legacy. In their own words “Dean Clough offers a vibrant space where businesses come to work, people come to shop and have drinks, food and see events and exhibitions.”

Many opportunities remain in Calderdale. Some of these appear very challenging; however, we need to bear in mind the scale of challenge that was taken on with Dean Clough many years ago, when there wasn’t any precedent or template.

The current challenges associated with regenerating mills are varied and often complex to resolve. Mills can pass from one potential developer to another each with their own set of unrealistic expectations – and sometimes no understanding of the constraints or challenges. In other cases buildings just need to be passed on to someone with the right vision and the wherewithal to make something happen.

The most challenging opportunities in Calderdale are in locations with low land values, and expensive constraints to resolve. These constraints relate to the sites themselves and also the surrounding uses and environments. In these cases the only way forward that I can see is the long-game.

The notion of a longer game chimes with the concept of there being six capitals: financial capital; manufacturing capital; human capital; social and relationship capital; intellectual capital and, natural capital.  Natural capital is described as providing “providing the environment in which the other capitals sit”.

Property development tends to privilege outcomes that can be quantified – preferably in monetary terms; focus on the shorter term; and, overlook the impact that value creation and depletion of some of the capitals can have on long term business success.  This is easier said than done; however, if one were looking for a precedent for how we might approach this in practice, Dean Clough provides us with numerous lessons – not least the importance of providing the environment in which the other capitals sit, including social and intellectual capital, exemplified through their massive contribution to the cultural and artistic life of Calderdale.

Although I cannot offer solutions, it is hoped that my thoughts can at least help to trigger a positive debate at the Mills Development Conference about how we can confront the challenges of bringing mill buildings back to life in the 21^st Century.

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