A NEW architect has been hired by developer Taylor Woodrow to join the Kingston Mills project in Bradford on Avon.

Residents have now been promised a new set of plans for the site by spring 2004.

Edward Nash from Bath will work on rethinking the area around Kingston House, alongside existing architect Alan McCulloch.

Mr Nash has worked on projects at Warleigh Manor, on new galleries for the American Museum in Bath and numerous other commercial, conservation and planning projects in the south west.

Fresh to the post, Mr Nash said he was still researching the history of the site and could not yet go into detail about what direction plans would take.

He said: "What is amazing about the Bradford site is that it has such a rich historic heart and architecture. I grew up in Lancashire where there were lots of mills and so I am used to being surrounded by evidence of big industries.

"I think the challenge for the architect is to capture the history of great trade at Kingston Mill and put it in a modern practical context."

Taylor Woodrow bought the site five years ago and withdrew its third set of plans for the former Avon Rubber factory in July.

Since then Bradford town councillors have asked for more feedback from Taylor Woodrow on their plans for the site saying patience among residents is wearing thin and the mill itself is looking increasingly dilapidated.

In reply to their demand for more feedback, Emma Bryant, strategic land manager for Taylor Woodrow, said: "The footprint of the scheme is not likely to change radically, but given that the housing market has changed over the past 12 months, we have had to carefully review the development to try and make the site profitable for us to build.

"We hope to then submit a new planning application in the first quarter of next year."

The latest set of plans were withdrawn after district council planning officers warned Taylor Wood-row it would be refused on a number of points including design, highways issues and the amount of affordable housing.

English Heritage raised objections to a set of plans submitted last Christmas after concern over the size of some of the buildings in the plans saying they were two big and should be built on a more domestic scale.

Bradford mayor Vicky Landell Mills welcomed the appointment of Mr Nash to the project.

She said: "We will wait to see what plans Mr Nash has for the site and if he would like to come and see us at the Town Council in the future to talk about the project we would be delighted."