Photographs show aftermath of blaze

GHOSTLY . . . Bailey Mill in Delph is still half demolished after a fire destroyed it last year.

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PICTURES show the ghostly remains of Bailey Mill after a fire ripped through it on June 14 last year.

The blaze tore through the seven-storey mill and while the inferno reduced it to rubble, villagers only a few hundred yards away in Delph were evacuated from their homes.

Firefighters tackled the blaze for several hours. The next day, residents returned to their homes and watched as the remaining skeleton of the mill was demolished.

But out of the destruction rises the prospect of development as an application to renovate the site into housing has been submitted and is currently being considered by Oldham Council.

It will see damaged buildings removed and some historic buildings conserved with the removal of later 20th century extensions.

Damaged buildings proposed to be removed are the elevated link bridge building located alongside the warehouse and former boiler house, and the former finishing and warping sheds, which are described as being in a derelict and dilapidated state, while the offices and warehouse fronting Oldham Road and the chimney and boiler house will be repaired using materials from the demolished site.

All demolition debris will be removed with the mill floor grubbed up and crushed and building construction materials, mainly natural walling stone, retained and safeguarded.

Once clear of fire damaged structures the site will be both visually and environmentally improved if the application is approved.