CAMPAIGNERS have pledged to do everything within the law to prevent development at a famous silk-weaving site in Holford following its sale.

The 18th to 19th Century remains of the Holford Silk Factory stand on the Silk Mills site in the centre of the village and featured in Bryan Adams’ music video for his hit song (Everything I Do) I Do It For You.

Surveys conducted over the years have suggested there may be historical foundations of interest under the current buildings, while the variety of flora and fauna has also increased since its continued deterioration.

It was sold by owner the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) through estate agents Seddons to a private buyer for a figure in the region of the guide price of £60,000.

Peter Grandfield, member of the Silk Mills Action Group and chairman of Holford History Society, is disappointed with the organisation’s decision.

He said: “We are appalled by LACS’ decision to sell the land off for possible redevelopment involving new buildings. We asked the League to allow the village to take it over as a parish amenity but their preference was to put it up for sale on the open market.

“We don’t wish to see any development on this site and that is where we stand very firmly. This represents the views of the majority of the village.

“It’s a place of great beauty and where people can go and enjoy peace and quiet. Visitors come from all over to look at it and villagers have a great emotional attachment to it.

“The site is of enormous historical, scientific, cultural and archaeological interest and we wanted to put it on the community asset register to give it some degree of protection.

“We shall resist within the law any attempt to develop the site for anything – residential or industrial. I am not anti-development in general and this is not NIMBYism, it’s just an inappropriate place to build.

“We would like to see it stabilised and maybe even improved, which is something the action group would look into finding funding for.”