Breathing New Life in to an Old Mill

Oxford Lofts is a historic former silk mill in Macclesfield, being converted to apartments

Inside the Existing Building

Inside the Existing Building

The Brief

Work has now started on-site for this ambitious conversion of a former mill building into 21 apartments.

Location	Cheshire
Type	Residential
Size	11,486 sq m
Status	Completed 2021

Oxford House, in Macclesfield, was built in the late 19th century as a silk manufacturing mill. In recent years, the building was used as office space, for various commercial companies. The building has large windows so is ideal for conversion into residential apartments.

We assisted our client to obtain prior approval using Class MA permitted development rights, to convert the building from office to residential use, meaning that a full planning application was avoided.

Once the approval was secured, we produced a full package of technical drawings and specifications for the conversion, which included balancing stringent acoustic requirements and fire regulations with the historic construction typology and character of the existing building.

Typical General Arrangement Floor Plan

Two Bedroom General Arrangement Plan

One Bedroom General Arrangement Plan

Design

The apartments are arranged around the existing grid plan of large windows between brick piers. A corridor will be formed running along the inside of the plan providing access from the 3 stair cores to each apartment’s front door. The ground floor has a postroom and secure bike parking room with an electric bike charging point for residents to use.

We worked with one of our trusted planning consultants who acted as the agent for the prior approval application.

The 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments have been designed in accordance with the Department for Communities and Local Government Technical Housing Standards - Nationally Described Space Standards, March 2015. The apartments have an open-plan kitchen, living-dining areas, and ensuite bathrooms where space allows.

What the client had to say

"I found Sophie and Rhys extremely professional and competent when working on my planning application. Should planning be obtained I’ll use them to compete the project and will go to them first for all future projects."

Jamie Martin