ANOTHER textile mill in Huddersfield could be transformed into an apartment block.

Plans have been submitted to Kirklees Council to convert Fearnleys Mill, at Lower Quarry Road in Bradley, into 37 one and two bedroom apartments.

The mill has been used for textile manufacturing since the 1930s.

It is owned by Huddersfield textile firm E Bottomley and Sons.

The firm was letting the five-storey building to another textile company until Christmas.

Since then it has been standing empty.

Robert Halstead, agent for E Bottomley and Sons, said: "There are no longer any textile firms wanting big buildings like this, so they thought `what can we do with it?" It is by the river in a pleasant area and they thought `let's see if we can use it as housing'. It is too nice a building to pull down."

None of the buildings on the mill site will be demolished to make way for the conversion, including a towering chimney which dominates the skyline.

The mill is located next to the River Colne and is near existing housing and some business sites.

Mr Halstead said E Bottomley and Sons plan to retain ownership of the mill and sell off the apartments individually.

He said the project could cost around £4m, but the exact cost had not been finalised.

He said: "We are at the stage where we need to establish whether in principle the council will say this idea is possible.

"There is no point doing a lot of hard work if it will not go ahead."

A council planning committee is expected to decide on the application after June 16.