The long-awaited redevelopment of the historic Hermitage Mill site in Mansfield has taken a significant step forward.

The five-storey mill, built in 1872, was a symbol of the town’s industrial heritage until it was hit by an arson attack in March 2022.

Large sections of the grade II listed Hermitage Lane building, which was originally a water-powered textile mill, had to be subsequently demolished.

After the derelict site was put up for sale, it was acquired by housebuilder Walker Homes, of Tuxford, which specialises in homes for the retired.

Mansfield's Hermitage Mill, which dates back to 1782, was a derelict eyesore before being ravaged by fire in 2022.

placeholder image — Mansfield's Hermitage Mill, which dates back to 1782, was a derelict eyesore before being ravaged by fire in 2022.

But Walker had to submit a planning application to “clear the remnants of structures to make the site safe for development”. And the site’s adjoining nature reserve, complete with mill pond, had to be closed to the public for health and safety reasons.

Now the clearance work has been completed and Walker has lodged a fresh planning application with Mansfield District Council to build 21 homes on a section of the site spanning 2.5 acres or one hectare.

The homes would comprise bungalows, as well as houses overlooking the retained pond to create an attractive lakeside setting. There would be six two-bed properties, nine three-bed and six four-bed.

A detailed 54-page planning statement has been submitted to the council by Walker Holmes’s agent, Jackson Design Associates, an architecture and design company based in Ollerton.

Fire ravages through the Hermitage Mill building in March 2022 after an arson attack.

The statement says: “The appearance of the proposed development seeks to reflect the local character of the area, while also establishing a distinctive, high-quality new residential/retirement area.

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"The scale ranges from single-storey to three-storey, plus undercroft parking for the lakeside houses."

In total, there would be 55 car parking spaces and 42 cycle spaces. A flood-risk assessment and a biodiversity survey have been carried out.

An aerial view of the Hermitage Mill site in Mansfield after the 2022 fire.

The council’s planning officers are now considering the scheme and have set a deadline date of Tuesday, June 10 to make a decision or recommendation. Interested residents can post their comments on the council’s website here.

At the time of the fire, the Hermitage Mill building had been closed for 14 years, having been latterly used by a hosiery production company and then as a builder’s warehouse.

Numerous schemes to breathe new life into it fell by the wayside, including one, months before the blaze, to convert it into a 70-bedroom care home, alongside 31 new houses.