September 14, 2016 12.35 pm This story is over 90 months old

Grimsby mill makes 2016 list of top 10 endangered buildings in country

A Grimsby mill has featured in the Victorian Society’s 2016 list of the top 10 endangered buildings in England and Wales. Victoria Mill, which is a former flourmill, warehouse and office complex, was built in phases between 1889 and 1906 to designs of Sir William Gelder of Hull and partially converted to flats in the…
Grimsby Victoria Mill

A Grimsby mill has featured in the Victorian Society’s 2016 list of the top 10 endangered buildings in England and Wales.

Victoria Mill, which is a former flourmill, warehouse and office complex, was built in phases between 1889 and 1906 to designs of Sir William Gelder of Hull and partially converted to flats in the 1990s.

Now the tower of this Grade II listed Grimsby landmark, which was not converted to housing, has suffered from structural difficulties.

As a result, some people living in the flats were made homeless for weeks due to their homes being declared unsafe.

After the owner failed to take action, the council carried out work to allow residents to return home and prevent a collapse onto a main road.

While the council battles to recoup the costs of this work the long term future of the tower remains uncertain.

Victorian Society director, Christopher Costelloe, said: “I hope inclusion in the top 10 will spur North East Lincolnshire Council and the owners to urgently find a way to bring the silo tower at Victoria Mills back into use.

“Retaining historic buildings like those in the top 10 is vital to maintaining local identity and creating places in which people want to invest, live and work.”

For the first time there are no buildings in London and the South East on the list – where the society had comparatively few nominations.

The society considers that the greater number of buildings nominated from elsewhere may reflect the more difficult development situation in areas like Lincolnshire.