Development and Early History
Originally constructed in the late 1930s by Cow & Gate, a prominent manufacturer of baby formula, the factory's design incorporated elements of the pre-existing mid-19th century atmospheric railway pumping station that previously stood on the site. This adaptive reuse not only provided a cost-effective solution for development, reusing many of the components of the pumping station, but also facilitated the strategic placement of the factory alongside the Totnes Railway Station, allowing for the distribution of dairy products produced in the factory to the nation.
Early photograph of the train station with the factory in the background, demonstrating the strategic location of the site
Economic Significance and Dairy Production
Over its operational lifespan, the factory played a vital economic role in Totnes, becoming a major source of local employment and providing economic stability. It was a prominent contributor to the regional dairy industry, notably achieving a substantial output of a reported one ton of Devon clotted cream per day in 1966. The factory experienced multiple changes in corporate ownership, transitioning to Unigate following their merger with Cow & Gate in 1959, and subsequently to Dairy Crest in 2000, the final owners before the eventual decommissioning of the factory.
Transfer of milk by truck to the factory
Photograph from a festival held in Totnes, demonstrating the impact the dairy industry had on the town
Closure and Tragedy
Sadly, the factory's production lines fell silent in September 2007, a devastating blow to Totnes, costing the community over 150 jobs and inflicting a heavy economic toll on the town. In the years since, the site has tragically decayed, now a rotting husk riddled with asbestos, mold, and bacteria. Adding to the already tragic state of the site, in 2020 the factory became the scene of a fatal accident. A young urban explorer, drawn to the abandoned site, fell fifteen feet through a fragile roof onto unforgiving concrete. Trapped for an agonizing twenty-four hours before he was finally discovered and rushed to hospital, he tragically succumbed to his injuries two days later.
The Site’s Uncertain Future
The future of the Totnes Dairy Crest factory remains unresolved. Following its decommissioning, the property was acquired by the Totnes Community Development Society (TCDS) for the sum of £1. TCDS proposed a community-led redevelopment initiative, known as the Atmos project, with aspirations for affordable housing, commercial spaces, and community amenities. However, this initiative did not progress, and the site was instead sold to a private developer, Fastglobe, in 2021. Fastglobe subsequently submitted a planning application for the site, proposing a reduced number of residential units along with holiday lodges. This application was refused by planning authorities due to concerns regarding insufficient dwelling provision, the inclusion of holiday accommodation, and inadequate information pertaining to ecological impact and drainage infrastructure. This refusal has left the future of the site in question. The community continues to hold aspirations for a redevelopment plan that addresses the needs of Totnes residents and finally puts the tragic factory to rest.
A 3D render of the plan Atmos put forward
The Explore
Being in the area with a few mates for a camping trip, we went to explore the local town and came across this behemoth of a site. Armed with only two torches between six of us, we ventured into the site, facing relatively little resistance. Despite the site being in a pretty sorry condition, there was still quite a bit to see, with remnants of the original equipment scattered across the site, as well as the building itself, which proved pretty photogenic with the sunset. We remained on site for 4 hours before calling it a day as it was starting to get dark, managing to see the vast majority of the factory (although we did unfortunately miss the control room), making for a memorable afternoon.
Onto pictures of the explore...
The chimney standing proud over the factory
One of the warehouses now plastered in graffiti
Image of what I assume to be an office of sorts
Large pipes that would have held the dairy, now reclaimed by nature
Inside one of the warehouses, ruined by vandals
Not a single pane left intact, reflecting the state of the site
One of the industrial machines that would have been used in the manufacturing process, although I'm unsure of its exact purpose
The inner workings of said machine
A closer look at the impressive chimney
One of the few original posters we found on the site that remained undamaged (we did not comply)
A final look back at the factory as we left
Thanks for reading
View attachment 1114296
Originally constructed in the late 1930s by Cow & Gate, a prominent manufacturer of baby formula, the factory's design incorporated elements of the pre-existing mid-19th century atmospheric railway pumping station that previously stood on the site. This adaptive reuse not only provided a cost-effective solution for development, reusing many of the components of the pumping station, but also facilitated the strategic placement of the factory alongside the Totnes Railway Station, allowing for the distribution of dairy products produced in the factory to the nation.
Early photograph of the train station with the factory in the background, demonstrating the strategic location of the site
Economic Significance and Dairy Production
Over its operational lifespan, the factory played a vital economic role in Totnes, becoming a major source of local employment and providing economic stability. It was a prominent contributor to the regional dairy industry, notably achieving a substantial output of a reported one ton of Devon clotted cream per day in 1966. The factory experienced multiple changes in corporate ownership, transitioning to Unigate following their merger with Cow & Gate in 1959, and subsequently to Dairy Crest in 2000, the final owners before the eventual decommissioning of the factory.
Transfer of milk by truck to the factory
Photograph from a festival held in Totnes, demonstrating the impact the dairy industry had on the town
Closure and Tragedy
Sadly, the factory's production lines fell silent in September 2007, a devastating blow to Totnes, costing the community over 150 jobs and inflicting a heavy economic toll on the town. In the years since, the site has tragically decayed, now a rotting husk riddled with asbestos, mold, and bacteria. Adding to the already tragic state of the site, in 2020 the factory became the scene of a fatal accident. A young urban explorer, drawn to the abandoned site, fell fifteen feet through a fragile roof onto unforgiving concrete. Trapped for an agonizing twenty-four hours before he was finally discovered and rushed to hospital, he tragically succumbed to his injuries two days later.
The Site’s Uncertain Future
The future of the Totnes Dairy Crest factory remains unresolved. Following its decommissioning, the property was acquired by the Totnes Community Development Society (TCDS) for the sum of £1. TCDS proposed a community-led redevelopment initiative, known as the Atmos project, with aspirations for affordable housing, commercial spaces, and community amenities. However, this initiative did not progress, and the site was instead sold to a private developer, Fastglobe, in 2021. Fastglobe subsequently submitted a planning application for the site, proposing a reduced number of residential units along with holiday lodges. This application was refused by planning authorities due to concerns regarding insufficient dwelling provision, the inclusion of holiday accommodation, and inadequate information pertaining to ecological impact and drainage infrastructure. This refusal has left the future of the site in question. The community continues to hold aspirations for a redevelopment plan that addresses the needs of Totnes residents and finally puts the tragic factory to rest.
A 3D render of the plan Atmos put forward
The Explore
Being in the area with a few mates for a camping trip, we went to explore the local town and came across this behemoth of a site. Armed with only two torches between six of us, we ventured into the site, facing relatively little resistance. Despite the site being in a pretty sorry condition, there was still quite a bit to see, with remnants of the original equipment scattered across the site, as well as the building itself, which proved pretty photogenic with the sunset. We remained on site for 4 hours before calling it a day as it was starting to get dark, managing to see the vast majority of the factory (although we did unfortunately miss the control room), making for a memorable afternoon.
Onto pictures of the explore...
The chimney standing proud over the factory
One of the warehouses now plastered in graffiti
Image of what I assume to be an office of sorts
Large pipes that would have held the dairy, now reclaimed by nature
Inside one of the warehouses, ruined by vandals
Not a single pane left intact, reflecting the state of the site
One of the industrial machines that would have been used in the manufacturing process, although I'm unsure of its exact purpose
The inner workings of said machine
A closer look at the impressive chimney
One of the few original posters we found on the site that remained undamaged (we did not comply)
A final look back at the factory as we left
Thanks for reading
View attachment 1114296
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