Mears plans student to private residential refurb of former Dundee mill

Gloucestershire‑based Mears Group has lodged a listed building consent application with Dundee City Council for the redevelopment of the four‑ and five‑storey Brown Street landmark. If approved, a full planning application will follow.

A cultural heritage impact assessment submitted with the application states that the project aims to preserve and showcase the building’s original character.

Key objectives include the retention and exposure of cast‑iron columns, vaulted ceilings, Gothic roof trusses and stone façades, alongside the restoration of damaged architectural elements and the removal of unsympathetic later additions.

The report also confirms plans to reinstate original window designs and replace the roof. Several 1980s ceilings will be removed to reveal historic ironwork, which will be treated with flame‑retardant paint “sensitively,” according to the assessment.

At the rear of the building, former doorways that were blocked or converted into windows using modern materials will be rebuilt using materials that match the original fabric.

The building’s grand fourth‑floor central space is earmarked for a suite of communal amenities, including a gym, yoga studio, lounge and workspaces.

Mears Group, one of the UK Government’s largest providers of military housing, asylum accommodation and temporary housing for prison leavers, told The Courier that the Tay Works redevelopment is intended solely for private residential use.

The proposals are expected to come before council planners for determination in the coming months.