'Significant interest' in Corby's iconic former Weetabix factory as site goes under offer

The factory was owned by British Sealed Beams for nearly two decades

A threatened factory site looks set to be snapped-up by a commercial developer.

The former Weetabix site in Earlstrees Road, Corby, looked set to be flattened after owner MPB applied for permission to demolish it earlier this year.

After the plan was revealed by the Northants Telegraph our reporters called for a rethink to save a piece of Corby's industrial heritage and our campaign attracted interest across the media.

The factory has retained many of its iconic features

MPB, which had purchased the site for £3m, then once again put it up for sale.

Now, we have learned that there has been a large amount of interest in the huge 1960s factory which is in a key location near to good transport links.

An insider told the Northants Telegraph that there has been 'significant' interest in the factory and it that it is now under offer with a national commercial developer.

It is hoped that at least part of the building may be preserved.

The land on which the factroy was built was originally sold by the Brudenells of Deene Park to Lloyds Ironstone Company 90 years ago, in June 1931 and then to the Corby Development Corporation in 1957 when it became part of the new town.

The British Sealed Beams factory was built about three years later where car headlamps and bathroom lights were manufactured. It was open for just 17 years before demand for its products waned. More than 530 people lost their jobs when it shut.

Later, Weetabix moved in to begin food manufacturing on the site but consolidated their operations to their second factory nearby in 2019.