Scheme by Hawkins Brown involves revamping series of Victorian mills

A scheme by Hawkins Brown to revamp a series of grade II listed Victorian mill buildings in Wakefield has been given planning.

The work at Rutland Mills, which have been derelict since the 1990s, is an arts-led regeneration and will include space for artists, designers as well as those working in the digital and tech industries.

The latest phase of a scheme to redevelop Wakefield’s waterfront, it sits next door to the West Yorkshire city’s Hepworth gallery designed by David Chipperfield and built by Laing O’Rourke. The £35m venue opened seven years ago.

The shape of the mills’ 34m high chimney, which was demolished in 1982, will be recreated by a steel lattice structure that will be lit at night to serve as a landmark for the site.

It will also include 32,000 sq ft of new buildings built in brick.

Others working on the scheme for developer City & Provincial Properties Investments include planning and heritage consultant Turley, structural and civil consultant Civic Engineers, M&E consultant Hulley and Kirkwood and Gross Max which is carrying out landscape work.

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The scheme is part of an overall masterplan to redevelop the city’s waterfront