Guy Taylor, Architect and MD of Candelisa, had previously been involved in refurbished 3 mills before starting work on regenerating Horace textile mills at Cononley to create high quality apartments and housing.
The mill had been derelict for a number of years and the scheme involved building a new parallel block with a cantilever structure to support the original mill together with the creation of a new annex. The mill restoration was cross-subsidised by new housing built on the former warehouse sit behind the mill.
Guy’s interest in development stems from visiting sites as a youngster with his civil engineer father. Being both an architect and developer has given him the opportunity for greater control across the whole design and build process and the chance to undertake innovative and higher risk mill schemes which other developers would not consider.
According to Guy, mill building restorations can cost anywhere between 20-35% more than new build. To enable future developments there needs to be greater flexibility regarding public gap funding for buildings in rural locations and more flexibility regarding prohibitive section 106 payments to local authorities, as a condition of planning approval, which often render schemes unviable.
Guy Taylor
