Dulcote papermill ruins could get modern upgrade

By Laura Linham 3rd Jul 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 1 hour ago

The ruins of a former papermill near Wells could be given a new lease of life under plans submitted to Somerset Council.

The applications relate to Old Mill House at Dulcote, on Bishops Park Way to Constitution Hill, where the remains of the old paper mill still stand behind the Grade II-listed property. The plans seek permission for preservation and infill works within the existing ruins.

The scheme would create a plant and pool shower room inside the former papermill structure. A green roof and air source heat pumps are also included, bringing a very modern twist to a site with centuries of industrial history.

Two applications have been submitted for the site: 2026/1190/HSE and 2026/1191/LBC. They cover householder planning permission and listed building consent.

Both applications were received by Somerset Council on Wednesday, 24 June, and validated on Monday, 29 June. They are currently registered and have not yet been decided.

Old Mill House is recorded by Historic England as a late 18th-century mill house, now used as a home. Its listing also notes the remains of the former paper mill at the rear of the property, with the chimney still surviving.

Dulcote's links with papermaking go back much further than the current planning papers. St Cuthbert Out Parish Council's local history says the village's main industrial centre, apart from agriculture, was its paper mill up to the 1900s.

The earliest known reference to Dulcote Mill dates from 1752. A local history of the Dulcote mills says paper was made in the village during the late 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, using rags from discarded linen clothing.

The new plans would not revive papermaking, but they would keep the ruins in use as part of the wider Old Mill House site. The proposals are described as preservation and infill works, rather than demolition or redevelopment.

Somerset Council's planning portal lists the neighbour consultation expiry date as Monday, 20 July. The latest site notice expiry date is Wednesday, 22 July, and the latest advertisement expiry date is Wednesday, 29 July.

The current determination deadline is Monday, 24 August. Anyone who wants to view or comment on the plans can search Somerset Council's planning portal using references 2026/1190/HSE and 2026/1191/LBC.