A historic flour mill is set to become 53 flats eight years after it was last occupied.

The derelict H.S Pledge and Sons flour mill, at the bottom of East Hill in Ashford town centre has stood since 1901.

Having been bought last year by Oliver Davis Homes the mill will be converted into one and two-bed flats and also become the company’s headquarters.

The ground floors will include a residents’ lounge and working space, cafeteria and large gym.

While the building isn’t listed, Ashford councillors recognised the imposing tower’s history and wanted to preserve the main structure.

At an Ashford Borough Council planning meeting on Wednesday, designer of the scheme, Guy Hollaway, said he wanted to remove the architectural mistakes of the past, such as an attempt to rebuild a part of the building that was destroyed by fire in 1974.

Councillors were impressed by the scheme, with Cllr Nathan Iliffe (Con) praising the refurbishment of a derelict building.

He said: “This building has remained dormant for a number of years and it isn’t listed.

“Would we like to rip it down? I don’t think anyone here would like to and I don’t think any resident of Ashford would like to see it lost. It is a landmark of the town.

“I know there are going to be some voices in the community and also here in this council about more flatted development coming to the town centre.

“But what we’ve got here is high class, sympathetic development that is going to complement the existing building and actually it’s going to this landmark.

“It happens all across the country with industrial buildings like this, we don’t produce flour in Ashford any more.

“Someone’s tried to run a nightclub there and it’s not worked.

“Turning it into residential is, unfortunately for those who aren’t keen on flats, one of the only ways to preserve iconic buildings like this.”

The building has a long and interesting history as it ran as a flour mill until H.S. Pledge pulled out of the East Hill site in 1972, only for the building to be gutted by fire in 1974.

After renovation the mill became the town’s first nightclub in 1981 and ran under several names including Dusty’s, the Jolly Miller, Liquid and Envy.

However, when these became unsustainable the building was taken over in 2011 by its neighbour, the Ashford School, with the aim of converting it into a performing arts centre.

The scheme never came to fruition and the school subsequently sold the mill to Oliver Davis last year.

The plans were approved unanimously with 13 councillors in favour.