THE owners of Gayle Mill in Wensleydale have broken their silence over its future following the closure of the historic site in March.

In a statement, North of England Civic Trust director Graham Bell says the mill is still on course to reopen at Easter next year following extensive repairs.

He vigorously denies “local rumours” that the mill would be sold for housing and says that would be “inconceivable”.

“It would run totally counter to everything NECT stood for, and what the public funding was provided for," he said. "The Heritage Lottery Fund has a charge on the property as security for the grant they provided which means we cannot sell or take out a mortgage without their consent, so they certainly are not going to approve a sale for housing. NECT’s aim is that the mill will reopen around Easter next year doing those things for which the mill received funding and support."

He met representatives of the Friends of Gayle Mill last week, prior to their annual meeting, inviting their continuing support during Phase 4 of the restoration.

He explained that for legal reasons the NECT had been advised to make no comment on the situation until vacant possession of the mill had been achieved.

“I know that is difficult to appreciate, but that was the position, which anyone who has been subject to a legal process will recognise. Neither the legal process nor the ‘radio silence’ are what I would have wished, and we all know it was not helpful locally, but my hands were tied,” he said.

He asked Friends to continue their support for the mill during the period of works on site through specially arranged site visits and opportunities for volunteering.

The Newcastle-based NECT and the Gayle Mill Trust have been locked in a bitter dispute since a notice to quit was served on the GMT in January, three months after an extended licence to occupy the site had expired.

Amid claims of bullying and intimidation the NECT was referred to the Charity Commission – who refused to intervene – by Hawes and High Abbotside parish council in February.

The referral followed a statement by William Lambert, chair of the Gayle Mill Trust, that when the £1.2 million restoration of the 18th century mill was completed in 2007, GMT were expected to sign a full repairing and renewing lease. However, there were so many outstanding problems at that time because the work had been “botched” they refused to do so. Eventually, in March 2011, they signed a five-year “licence to occupy.”

This was extended to the end of September, 2017, at the GMT’s request.

Mr Bell claims that “not knowing if GMT would comply with the legal process” meant NECT could not make progress with funding bids or planning works on site.

“The process of preparing for and implementing Phase 4 was therefore delayed by almost five months from when the licence to occupy ended and when GMT actually vacated the mill.

“This could only commence properly from April, and so fundraising is now in hand. The delay could have other implications on when works can be undertaken; some works in watercourses can only be done in seasons and at times that limit ecological risks, especially to habitats of protected species.”