Shrewsbury Flax Mill fails in £12m lottery cash bid
Tuesday 10th May 2011, 10:22AM BST.
hrewsbury’s historic Flax Mill has missed out on more than £12 million of vital cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund officials have announced today.
The project has not been shortlisted for cash in the latest batch of applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Shropshire Council still needs to find about £17m to ensure its vision to transform the grade I listed site in Ditherington into shops, homes and offices becomes a reality.
Officials from the council today reaffirmed their commitment to the project and said they would now be exploring other avenues of funding.
The HLF said it had assessed a £12.7m application from the council for the conservation and redevelopment of the Flax Mill.
Carole Souter, chief executive of HLF, said: “This meeting was very over-subscribed and one of the most competitive that the Heritage Lottery Fund has ever faced.
“The quality of bids was also exceptionally high.
“The Ditherington Flax Mill Maltings project was excellent but we simply did not have enough money to support it on the day. We will be meeting with representatives from Shropshire Council shortly to discuss the best way forward.”
Councillor Malcolm Price, Shropshire Council cabinet member for planning, said it was “disappointing” news.
He said: “Shropshire Council, together with all of the partners involved, remain committed to the regeneration of the Ditherington Flax Mill and the wider Northern Corridor area of Shrewsbury.”
Councillor Alan Mosley, chairman of the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings group, said: “We are extremely disappointed by the announcement following the tremendous competition.”
How the Flax Mill in Shrewsbury could look
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Not surprised it was turned down with such an awful artists impression. note for the Council: Sack the designer and don’t get bullied into a council officers vision for this place, it really doesnt need to look like every other conversion in the country ie. White plaster board Walls, cheap fitted kitchen and nasty laminated easy to install diy wooden floors.
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Offer it to Sainsbury’s on the basis that they renevote the mill building.
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You’ll get a few bob for the Wakeman/golf course/crematorium/guildhall etc….
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Is everyone is Shrewsbury such a cynic? Did any of Iron Flag, Get it Done or spencer go to the excellent open days last weekend? The plans have been developed by top architects Feilden Clegg Bradley, who also designed the Compstall Mill scheme, in association with the local community. It is a crying shame that the Heritage Lottery couldn’t plough some of Shrewsbury’s lottery stakes back into the community to support this excellent scheme.
Iron Flag please note – the words on the side of the main mill building show that it’s not being converted to housing – the housing on the site and in the wider regeneration scheme is new build. And if you want to complain about which artist’s impression the Star picked, take that up with them, don’t diss the work the local community have put into this project.
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So it needs words on the side of the building to tell people it’s not housing?!? Says it all really. Hope we don’t require 6 foot lettering on the castle to inform people it’s not a house or a big sign hanging of St Chads to let the same residents know it’s not a cash and carry. Just my humble opinion but I maintain the design looks awful and cheap.
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