WORK TO BEGIN AT THE FLAX MILL MALTINGS

- European funding enables Stage I of project to begin -

Contractors will be on site at Shrewsbury Flax Mill Maltings from September 

to begin Stage one of the project to regenerate the site.

Stage one will comprise of:

 The conversion of the office and stables for use by the Friends of the 

Flax Mills Maltings as a visitor and reception centre

 The demolition of the 1950’s silo providing further external space for 

cultural, interpretation and public use

Work on the demolition of the silo will start within the next month and is due 

to be completed by the end of January 2015. Conversion of the office and 

stables are due for completion by autumn 2015. 

A funding package of £2.6m has been awarded to Stage one of the 

Shrewsbury Flax Mill Maltings project to kick start regeneration. The 

Department for Communities and Local Government have awarded funding 

through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the maximum 

amount of funding requested by English Heritage - £1,169,226. English 

Heritage will provide the balance of the funds.

English Heritage announced they were taking the lead in the regeneration 

of Shrewsbury’s Flax Mill Maltings in March 2014. They appointed one of 

their senior managers, Tim Johnston, Planning and Conservation Director for 

the West Midlands, to run the project for the first 12 months. He is devoting 

his time to progressing the first stage of the project and creating a long-term 

future for the Flax Mill Maltings. 

The Flax Mill is the world’s first cast-iron framed building and is the forerunner 

of the modern skyscraper. 

Norman Price, Deputy Chair of the West Midlands ERDF Local 

Management Committee said: “The redevelopment and restoration of the 

flax mill will bring twin benefits to Shrewsbury. For local businesses, new 

office space will be on offer and the local area will also see a cultural boost 

from the development of the heritage asset. In the longer term there are 

plans to create a visitor centre telling the story of the mill. History and future 

economic growth can coexist !

This is a beneficial and imaginative development in the local area that has 

been a long time in the planning. I am delighted that we are able to provide 

ERDF funding and to finally see this become a reality.” 

Tim Johnston, Project Director, Shrewsbury Flax Mill Maltings, English 

Heritage said: “We are delighted the European Regional Development Fund 

has committed £1,169,226 to this project. Shrewsbury’s Flax Mill Maltings is 

the most important industrial building on English Heritage’s Heritage at Risk 

Register and one of English Heritage’s top priorities. We are committed to 

working closely with our partners, the Friends of the Flax Mill Maltings and 

Shropshire Council to bring this internationally important complex of buildings 

back to life and stimulating the wider regeneration of the area.”

Alan Mosley, Chairman of the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings, said:

“This is the tremendous news we have been looking forward to for some time 

now. We are delighted that we will have a visitor and community centre for 

interpretation, exhibitions, learning, research and reception with new areas 

of multi-use open space. There is great energy and activity in the project and 

we are confident that this stage will kick-start the next vital regeneration stage 

and we know that all partners are working hard towards that objective.“

Cllr. Mal Price, Shropshire Council's Cabinet member for Housing 

and Planning, said: “Shropshire Council recognises the importance of this 

first stage of works on the Flax Mill Maltings site and are delighted that the 

European Regional Development funds have been secured. The regeneration 

of this internationally important site is a priority for Shropshire and we have 

continued to provide officer time and support to help make this possible. This 

first stage will certainly help unlock future stages of the site’s development.”

Shropshire Star article

Shrewsbury Today