History
Hauxton's agrochemical plant has been operational since the late 1940s. During this time the factory made all sorts of chemicals from Herbicides to Pesticides. In 1953 Fisons had taken over from Pest Control Ltd. They then bough a large piece of land beside the A10 and build a large office block on it. During the factory's life, ownership passed through a number of hands: FBC, Schering Agrochemicals, AgrEvo, Aventis CropScience.
Photo Left: capturingcambridge.org Photo Right: indymedia uk
In 1972 on the main site saw the construction and installation of pump and treatment systems to reduce the migration of contamination from the main site and the groundwater. The system entailed pumping the groundwater from a serious of sumps located at the main site. A treatment plant near by built to dealt with all the Sites Effluent also treated this groundwater. The treated water was then pumped into the sewer system, which in itself discharges into the River Cam. The treatment system was in operation until confirmation that the ground water contamination of the main site was no longer a presented risk. The plant was then kept running at reduced capacity then it was fully shut down circa 2014.
Aerial image of Hauxton circa 1990s, Hauxton's agrochemical plant (Right) The treatment plant (Left)
On google maps you can still see the cover clearly (It's still there today, just very overgrown) where the pipes travel under the A10 that connected to the rest of the site. I think the tunnel under the A10 is still there. During a visit once late last year, I lifted the cover and that revealed a deep concrete tunnel. No idea how deep it went or far but, it was badly flooded.
Google maps street view, Oct 2008
The Explore
After the demotion of the Control room, Workshop and the Lab. All the major interesting features had gone so it just wasn't as worth it anymore. My last Visit was in July 2023 to wonder round with a mate. It wasn't until recently while going past on the A10 I saw there was some major activity. Wanting to see the site for the last time, I got my camera and had a little look.
This is the housing estate where the former Agrochemical factory used to stand. I'd love to know if anyone magned to get in for the short time it was Abandoned. Allways been fasnated by that factory.
Well that was where the squash courts where. I feared I may of been too late.
What it used to look like. Taken in 2016. Moving on.
Ah. The entire site had now been flattened, I was too late. Shame. This is where the Chemviron carbon storage and Teritary Towers used to stand.
I was suprested when I found out that I had taken this photo. I don't remeber much from my previous visits. This photo was taken 2018.
In the distance you can see the start of the new housing. Photo above was taken 2017. Same for the one below.
Crappy still from a video I took. I was at this point in which I decided to leave. Towards this part of the site It stank of something, bloody reeked. So I quickly moved away from this area.
I assumed they pumped out all that 'rainwater' from those 4 huge tanks that used to sit here before demolishing them. Each tank could hold 100,000g appart from the last tank that had a capcity of 200,000g.
Leaving the site was rather bittersweet to be fair. This had allways been my local spot and now it's gone.
And that was it. All gone now. It had only been a few days since I spotted activity so they got on with it.
Thanks for looking!
