PLANS to turn a disused part of a mill in Leigh into a restaurant have been submitted. 

Butts Mill, in Butts Street is a grade two listed building formerly used for cotton spinning.

Applicants, Winner Europe Limited, are proposing to convert the former ground floor office space within the building to a restaurant that will seat 80 people. 

The proposal, if accepted, is to restore the offices, which have remained empty for years, to their former glory in keeping with the listed building status.

An initiative to bring forward restoration and new uses of buildings and land along the Bridgewater Canal waterfront has been launched by Wigan Council, the Canal and River Trust and the Bridgewater Canal company, identifying the mill for regeneration.

While the main mill building is already used by the applicant as a pet food business, the disused office space on the ground floor, will be transformed into a restaurant with kitchen and staff wash rooms.

There will also be a car park with 17 spaces and a reception and bar area will be formed close to the main entrance of the building. 

Labour Councillor Kevin Anderson, for Leigh South, said: "Overall I would see it as a move forward in the regeneration of the area subject of course to the relevant planning considerations.

"It would help regenerate part of a listed Building and offer a local amenity to the local community."

The application is pending consideration by Wigan Council.