Two derelict Colne Valley mills could be transformed into hundreds of homes creating thousands of jobs.

The exciting plans are being mooted for Bank Bottom Mill plus New Mills, known locally as Crowther’s Mill, in Marsden.

A document to be considered by West Yorkshire councillors on Friday refers to the historic mills as being suitable for wider plans to bring mill sites back into use.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) papers say that Bank Bottom Mill could provide 1,492 jobs or 275 homes, while New Mills could be suitable for 1,672 jobs or 309 homes.

Few details are given, but the document says initial feasibility work is set to begin sometime in 2018.

It gives an indicative figure of £100,000 for the initial investment.

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In more general terms the WYCA say: “It is estimated that there are over 1,350 redundant mill buildings across the region with the capacity to deliver up to 27,000 homes and 150,000 jobs.

“Problems of condition, ownership and gap funding exist, but there are huge opportunities for growth including local fiscal and tax benefits.”

Funding for initial feasibility has already been agreed to assess the opportunities and to potentially create a mills programme countywide.

Bank Bottom Mills, Marsden.

The body is working with Historic England and a further report is due out later this year.

On Friday councillors and officers of the WYCA Land and Assets Panel will be asked to agree to create a West Yorkshire Mills Redevelopment Working Group and ring fence funding for an investment programme.

It is thought the mills are still owned by descendants of the renowned mill-owning Crowther family.

Both have stood empty since New Mills closed in 2002 and Bank Bottom the following year.

New Mills on Braugham Road, Marsden.

Regeneration plans have been mooted but no work has taken place to bring the mills back into use.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is an organisation of councillors and officers from councils from across the county.

Clr Peter McBride, Kirklees Cabinet member for Economy, Strategic Planning, Regeneration and Transport, and Jacqui Gedman, Kirklees Chief Executive, are listed as Kirklees’ representatives on the 13-strong panel.