Housing developer unveils vision for historic mills site

A property developer has revealed details of its latest housing scheme, which will be built on the site of a historic Derbyshire mills complex.

The development, called Milford Mills, would be built at the 4.7-acre heritage landmark, on the A6, between, Duffield and Belper – and would feature 69 properties, comprising a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.

The project will be delivered by Wavensmere Homes in partnership with Chevin Homes, which will be restoring two buildings at the site – The Dye House and The Pattern House – to create retail, office and leisure space.

The Milford Mills site is located seven miles north of Derby city centre in the heart of the Derwent Valley.

Positioned along the River Derwent, the development is set within the countryside landscapes of Milford village centre.

The Milford Mills site is part of Derbyshire’s industrial heritage and dates back to 1780 when the former mills were some of the world’s first mechanised industrial spinning factories.

The project will include the restoration of key historic features, including the mill building, a 40-meter chimney and a lade for a hydro-electric mill that will be opened up and exposed.

The development sits on Milford Bridge, which was built in 1793 by Jedediah Strutt, who was a hosier and cotton spinner from Belper.

Jedediah Strutt is the man who connected and built all the sites in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site – including the Belper and Milford Mills.

Wavensmere Homes and Chevin Homes will now look to transform the site, which will feature cottage-style homes designed by architects Gould Singleton. Work on the project is expected to begin this spring.

James Dickens, managing director at Wavensmere Homes, which is currently building the 900-home Nightingale Quarter scheme, in Derby, said: “Milford Mills will offer peaceful, countryside living yet is also conveniently located within just a few miles of Derby centre.

“Derby is currently seeing huge economic regeneration and investment at the moment, and we look forward to continuing to build communities in this region.

“We look forward to working closely with Chevin Homes to produce a beautifully designed site that will be perfect for families, first-time buyers and investors.”

John Fearnehough, director at Chevin Homes, said: “The development of this high-profile and historic site is a labour of love for Chevin and now that we have cleared the site in readiness for development, we’re delighted be working with regeneration specialists Wavensmere on this special project.”