THE fight over the future of a controversial Pendle mill looks set to rage on.

The agent acting for the owner of Higherford Mill says his client will press ahead with a scheme to demolish the building and build new homes.

That is despite a recent decision by English Heritage to make the mill a listed building.

Local councillors criticised the move, which was announced the day before they were due to debate the mill's future.

Barrie Whitworth, agent for mill owner Norman Reeves, said: "We will just plough on. It's simply a procedural matter.

"It just means changing two words on the application, from conservation area consent to be removed to listed building consent to be removed. "We will be putting in another application to remove consent. We will also be applying again for planning permission to build on the site, although there could be a few quite major changes in the plan which reflect a lot of the things that have been of concern to various people."

Mr Reeves' latest application was to demolish the mill and replace it with 23 homes. Supporters say the mill is an eyesore and should go.

But opponents of the scheme want the mill preserved because of its historical significance to the area.

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