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Brownfield
The former cotton mill site is located in Middleton, 4.5 miles north-east of Manchester City Centre.
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GALLERY
FORMER COTTON MILL
Middleton (middle town) derives its name from its location between four other towns: Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Manchester. It owes much of its history to the Industrial Revolution, when it was a significant mill town, with links to the silk industry stretching back to the 19th century (Doreen's Genealogy, 2015). The cotton mill, Rex Mill, opened in 1899 and occupied a site by the railway. Since its closure and demolition, the site has remained derelict.
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HISTORICAL INFORMATION
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LOCATION
Image 1: The former cotton mill
(Manchester Postcards, 2015)
Image 2 and 3: The fire in August 2000
(Manchester History, 2001)
Image 4: The now derelict site, production continues at the neighbouring Vitafoam factory
Image 5: The brownfield site (West facing)
Image 6: The brownfield site (East facing)
Contour Map (Ordnance Survey, 2015d)
1890 1900 1920 1950 2010
Geology: The bedrock is the The Pennine Lower Coal Measures Formation, which is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone. The superficial geology is alluvium - clay, silt, sand and gravel, surrounding the River Irk. As these are coarse textured, the porosity of the site is relatively low. (British Geological Survey, 2015b).
Topography: The height of land is 95m and is relatively flat. The majority of surface water will drain to the River Irk (see image).
Soil: Heaton Park is located on freely draining and slightly acid sandy soils. They have a low fertility and carbon content, and drainage is directed to the groundwater. Habitats associated with this soil include: acid dry pastures, acid deciduous and coniferous woodland and the potential for lowland heath (Cranfield University, 2015).
Climate: Average temperatures range from 1°C in winter to 20°C in summer, there is less sunlight than the UK average. Average monthly rainfall varies from 60mm in summer to 120mm in winter, slightly higher than the UK average (Met Office, 2015).
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
The cotton mill, Rex Mill, was built in 1899 in a prominent mill town. It was located on the north bank of the River Irk, by the Soudan and Rex Cotton Mills and the Manchester-Leeds railway.
Production at Rex mill continued until the mid/late 20th century. The cotton mill was eventually destroyed by a fire in August 2000.
Since then, the site has remained derelict. It is currently being advertised as potential land for redevelopment.
(Ordnance Survey, 2015c)
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