
Leeds Civic Trust has raised concerns about the upcoming auction of Thwaite Mills at Stourton.
The Grade II Listed Thwaite Mills is being auctioned off next Tuesday (23 June 2026) with a guide price £600,000. As we reported in March, the site has only recently been purchased by a developer from the Canals and Rivers Trust.
Thwaite Mills was formerly a museum run by Leeds City Council, but the buildings were disposed of last year by the Canals and Rivers Trust when Leeds City Council’s lease expired.
Director of Leeds Civic Trust Martin Hamilton said:
“This former mill is of significant heritage value, and we are concerned that a sale by auction to the highest bidder might not be the best way to secure its future.”
“Anyone purchasing the building needs to do so with their eyes open to the challenges a building such as this presents as well as the opportunities for its future reuse.”
Photo: © Leeds Museums & Galleries
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