A former textile mill in Mansfield that was destroyed by fire will now be replaced with 31 residential dwellings. Hermitage Mill, located off Hermitage Lane adjacent to Kings Mill Reservoir, caught fire in March 2022 and the remaining structure was subsequently demolished. Prior to the blaze, the mill had already been subject to proposals for conversion into apartments and a care facility. Those plans never came to fruition, and the property was sold in August 2023, with developer Walker Homes subsequently acquiring it. The company submitted a planning application to Mansfield District Council in March 2025 for a collection of distinctive homes by the water on the site. The proposal came before the council’s planning committee on Monday, March 13. Initial plans outlined 21 homes, though this was expanded to 31 properties the previous October. The development will comprise a combination of one, two, three, and four-bedroom residences, with eighty percent consisting of two and three-bedroom units. The majority will span two stories, while some will reach two-and-a-half stories, and certain apartments will extend across three stories, reaching heights of 11 to 12 metres at their tallest points. Only one objection was raised by a member of the public concerning traffic safety at the proposed access point onto Hermitage Lane. A minimum buffer of 10 metres will be maintained between the new residences and the adjoining mill pond to reduce flood risk, prevent contamination of the pond, and protect the nearby River Maun. The original Hermitage Mill stood five stories tall and is thought to have originated in the late 1700s, constructed by the fourth Duke of Portland. It operated initially as a water-powered textile mill before being taken over by a hosiery manufacturer. Extensions were added in the 1870s, including a large southern brick addition and a flat-roof extension on the northern side, followed by an engine house and boiler room by 1878. From the 1950s until 2008, the building served as a builder’s merchants before standing empty. The extensive fire in March 2022 was attended by approximately 20 fire crews, and the majority of the upper floors were initially demolished for safety purposes. The councillors approved the plans unanimously.