First prize in the Derby Civic Society Awards for Long Mill, Darley Abbey Mills Site

First prize in the Restoration category in the 2020 Derby Civic Society George Larkin Brighter City Award has been awarded to ctd architects for their work on the restoration of the Grade I listed Long Mill at Darley Abbey Mills World Heritage Site, Derby.

In giving this award the judges recognised how much careful planning and patience the owners had put into the restoration of the Mill.
They said: “The owners and their design team have been careful to ensure that any interventions that had been made during the change of use to offices were not inappropriate in the Listed building. The work, has been carried out gradually over a period of years, once funding had been released when new tenants were found, culminating in a successfully restored building of national importance which deserved our highest award.”

David Ling, secretary of the Derby Civic Society, said: “They are all important listed buildings at the mills complex. In previous years, we have given awards to the Mill Manager’s House and the West Mill wedding venue, also by ctd architects.

“The restoration of these mill buildings has been the achievement of one family who have put their heart and soul into this mammoth project.”

The awards were presented at the Society’s coffee morning in the Council House, Derby by the Mayor of the City of Derby
Chris Hesketh, architect director at ctd architects, which is based in Clerk Bank, Leek, said: “We were delighted to receive this prestigious award for Long Mill to complement the previous George Larkin award for West Mill in 2017. The award is acknowledgement of our ongoing involvement in the restoration and reuse of these 18th century Grade-I Listed, UNESCO World Heritage Site complex of historic buildings on the River Derwent. And we must congratulate the client for their foresight and perseverance to deliver their vision of an exciting and sustainable new use for these formally redundant cotton mills.”