Safety calls over historic 'danger to life' mill

An abandoned mill complex poses a threat to life, according to the new chair of the Keighley Civic Society.

Emmerson Walgrove has called for Bradford Council to secure Keighley's Dalton Mills after it was repeatedly targeted by arsonists.

The council said the responsibility fell to the site's owner, the Crown Estate, who took over the Victorian building after the previous owner went bankrupt and a restoration project collapsed.

But its lawyers said it was only handling the sale of the Grade II listed mills and would not take responsibility for security.

Mr Walgrove said: "If there is danger to life, which seems to be the case every time there is a fire, the council needs to take action.

"The number of fires it has had over the years has made the buildings very dangerous and needing more security measures."

He said the state of the complex in Dalton Lane was "disgraceful".

Mr Walgrove, who took over as chair of the body in November, said: "The society hopes that a decision will be made soon about the future of this historic, 19th Century mill, and that a buyer will be found who is appropriate."

A developer bought Dalton Mills in 2013 after it had lain empty since the 1980s.

However, the main building was never renovated and was instead hired out for TV filming, including as a location for Peaky Blinders, before a blaze in 2022 destroyed it.

The building was then taken over by the Crown Estate, a business owned by the monarch but which generates revenue for the public purse.

A spokesman for Burges Salmon, acting for the Crown Estate, said: "The legal status of property formerly in the ownership of a dissolved company, such as this, is complex.

"The Crown Estate cannot take any action which might be construed as an act of management, ownership or possession with regard to the property, as to do so would mean the Crown Estate could incur liabilities with which the property is, or may become, encumbered."

The BBC understands a preferred buyer has been selected and negotiations around a sale are under way.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: "The Dalton Mills building is currently owned by the Crown Estate, prior to that it was in private ownership, and the external security of the site is the responsibility of the owner.

"Dalton Mills is a key heritage building in the heart of Keighley and we remain supportive of efforts to preserve and restore it.

"We will continue to liaise with the mill owners regarding its long-term future."

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