Langley Maltings in Sandwell, West Midlands was built in 1870 and is Grade II-listed.
Grade II-listed, 1898, Arthur Kinder
Langley Maltings was commissioned in 1898 to supply malt to Crosswells Brewery, after another malthouse was destroyed by fire the previous year. A rectangular site was selected for the building, between Titford Canal and the Birmingham to Worcester line, and the complex was designed to incorporate two canal arms and a railway sidings, both of which would facilitate the efficient movement of malt and grain. The building remained in use for more than one hundred years, and when production ceased on the site in 2006, it was one of the last in the world to employ the traditional floor malting process. It has, unfortunately, declined since then, with an arson attack in 2009 triggering calls for demolition, and whilst English Heritage successfully challenged these proposals, it remains in a parlous state at risk of further deterioration. The attractive design and prime location make the maltings an ideal candidate for redevelopment, but before work can start on the site, significant repairs are needed, meaning a change of approach, or ownership, is required.
Status Update / March 2026
Since appearing on our list in 2018, the building and yard has been used as a store by neighbour, Industrial Pallet Solutions. The council intervened in 2020, arguing that no planning permission had been sought for this use, but granted retrospective permission in 2021 following a year-long row with the owner. A permanent car dealership, car wash, and repair centre was approved for the opposite side of the yard in 2023.