A FORMER mill will be redeveloped – 13 years after it closed.

Planners yesterday gave permission for 24 new homes on the Thirstin Mills site in Honley.

The mill closed in 1998 and two years later developer NEP Honley won outline permission to build 29 detached homes on the site.

NEP began some landscaping and preparation work, including demolishing the mill and building the foundations for one home.

But the £10.5m plan was shelved in 2008 when the Grange Moor company went into receivership with lenders HBOS.

The land, which is inside Honley Conservation Area, was then sold to HSBC. Residents complained the site was an eyesore and was being used by drug addicts and fly-tippers.

Greetland-based North Park Homes then asked Kirklees for permission to build 24 homes on the land.

Residents criticised the council’s handling of the site at yesterday’s meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall.

Richard Slade of Thirstin Road told councillors: “We’re concerned that the history of incompetence and poor administration will not be repeated.

“We want a named individual from the council to liaise with us if there are any problems.”

Fellow Thirstin Road resident Charles Greaves asked councillors to impose a condition on the development.