A planning application has been submitted to demolish warehouses at a historic mill.

The proposals put forward by Peter Ashton of Strathmore Ltd include the demolition of warehouses at Rhyddings Mill, which falls within the Rhyddings Conservation Area.

In the planning application it states that the buildings on Rhyddings Street are beyond economic repair.

In the Rhyddings Conservation area appraisal, it states that Robert Watson was one of the Watson brothers that founded and built the Rhyddings Mill in 1856.

The mill was a successful business with 340 operatives in employment.

In 1869, the business became Watson & Sons Limited and remained so until 1892, when it went into liquidation.

The mill was gutted in a blaze, believed to be arson in September 2010.

According to a heritage statement submitted with the application, the warehouses are not listed buildings.

However they are within the Rhyddings Conservation area.

Rhyddings Mill itself is Grade II listed.

Over the last 15 years the top 12 of the chimney has been removed.