The Battle for Bradley Lane Mills

A cautionary tale of unnecessary heritage loss

In a devastating blow to the local community in Newton Abbot, work to raze Bradley Lane Mills to the ground began on 6th January, 2025. To add insult to injury, the demolition of this historic site was funded by public money. 

The stunning Victorian and early 20th-century buildings have stood as a testament to the town's rich industrial heritage since 1883, with the site used for milling and tanning as far back as the 13th century. The mills were operational right up until 1972, after which the buildings were rented for mixed commercial uses, including by music studios, a gym and a homeless charity. 

Teignbridge District Council bought the site in 2010, and residents began receiving eviction notices. Then in 2022, the council approved plans from housebuilder Lovell Partnerships to bulldoze the mills and its medieval Leat waterway to make way for a cookie-cutter housing development.  

Over the next three years, SAVE campaigned fiercely with Newton Abbot & District Civic Society (NADCS) to protect the mills. Together we:

• Raised the alarm about the council’s demolition plans, publishing a public letter to Teignbridge council urging a re-think of demolition with other heritage organisations, including the Victorian Society and World Monuments Fund Britain.
• Commissioned architect Jonathan Dransfield to come up with an alternative vision for the mills that would see the site converted into a vibrant mixed-use complex while retaining the buildings. This proposal included more affordable housing than the council’s proposed scheme and would have avoided the environmental impact of unnecessary demolition.
• Co-hosted a public meeting with NADCS where we showcased the new vision for the site and provided guidance on how to oppose the demolition. A community survey found that 93% of local residents wanted the buildings restored.
• Submitted a formal complaint to Teignbridge District Council raising concerns that councillors were rushed into making a decision about the future of the mills without being provided with key information that was likely to influence their vote. 

Despite huge local and national resistance, the mills are now tragically being reduced to rubble – not because they couldn’t be saved, but because a deadline to use £1.5m of government money was about to expire. The council rushed through the demolition despite having no guaranteed developer on the table. Yet ministers surely never intended the Future High Streets Fund to be used for such destructive ends. 

It’s been a tragic start to the year for the Newton Abbot community, and there’s a strong cautionary lesson here that cannot be ignored. The government must take care that public money is not spent on destroying what makes a place distinctive.