Industrial Estate

 

Industrial Units south side Button End 2015

(Griffin)

 

Industrial Units north side Button End possibly 1990s

(Deacon)

 

Industrial Units north side Button End 2015

(Griffin)

 

Entrance to Button End Industrial estate looking to west with disused gravel pits behind 2015

(Roadley)

 

Businesses in Button End Industrial Estate July 2019

(Roadley)

A slow start

The Button End Industrial Estate stands where the Wisbey family worked their gravel pits but they were refused planning permission in 1972 for light industrial and warehousing units, probably because they were in the Greenbelt although it was a brownfield site. However, in March 1974 permission was finally given for two warehouse units (storage only- no retail or wholesale) and offices along Button End between Violet Cottage to north & Rose Cottage to the south. The site boundaries next to the residential properties and the frontage of site to Button End had to be screened by landscaping. Car parking also had to be provided.

Phase 1 begins

From this point onwards, the industrial estate began to develop:

Mar 1974 permission was granted for an industrial building for the manufacture of electronic physiotheraputic instruments which had been refused previously. In December 1974 building for manufacture of instruments by Digitimer Ltd was approved.

Aug 1974 3 acres of land for warehousing with ancillary offices for Hitchin Industrial Estates/Hunting Gate Construction Ltd, Hitchin, was approved.

More demand leads to phase 2

By 1980, it was clear that there was demand for more units and in June 1980 approval was given for phase 2 of light industrial warehouse units by  J Field & Hert’s China & Glass Industries (but not to include power driven machinery). Other planning permissions included:

Dec 1980 –Feb 1981 Unit A3 permission for 400 gallon oil tank for Woodhead Faulkener – oil etc tanks to be in impervious bunded area plus screening

Feb-Mar 2004 Unit B5 installation of windows and doors approved for Cannon Technology Charles Roberts Mechanical Services

Oct-Dec 2006 Unit C4 extension for storage approved for Genesis engineering

Aug-Sep 2011 Unit B3 Change of Use from Light Industrial (Class B1) to Microbrewery (Class B2) and Installation of Solar Panels and Flues

Aug 2014-Feb 2015 Unit A4 Change of Use from storage to Children’s Play Centre given permission.Mrs Mariah chapman- business name Clownaround.

Apr-Jun 2014 Unit B1 Change of use from B1 (Business) to D2 (Gymnasium) approved for Mr Scott Cooke.

The board at the entrance to the estate gives the current occupants of the units (for 2019 in the photo) .