Site of world’s largest footwear machinery manufacturer BUSM in Leicester being eyed up for 360 homes

In the 1960s and '70s BUSM was one of Leicester's biggest employers

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Developers are eyeing up land which was once home to the world's largest footwear machinery manufacturer, British United Shoe Machinery, known as BUSM. Trafalgar Global has approached Leicester City Council about building 360 more homes on the already partially developed site off Ross Walk, near Abbey Park.

During the 20th century, BUSM became the world's largest manufacturer of footwear machinery and materials and exported equipment and goods to more than 50 countries. In the 1960s and '70s it was one of Leicester's biggest employers, employing more than 4,500 people at its city works. However, the company collapsed in 2000.

In 2007, a planning application for 1,210 houses was submitted for the site, in Belgrave, by Trafalgar Global Ltd. Building started in 2010 and the former BUSM headquarters were demolished. Now, Trafalgar Global is looking to develop more of the land it owns at the site. The details emerged after the company put in an application to Leicester City Council to see if an environmental impact assessment (EIA) needs to be submitted when it puts in an application for permission to build the homes.

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An EIA sets out whether a proposed project is likely to have significant effects on the environment, and if it does, what can be done to mitigate them. While the plan is in its very early stages and not much has been revealed about the potential development at this stage, Trafalgar Global has indicated that 360 new homes could be built.

These would be made up of 317 flats across seven blocks, and 43 houses. There would also be public open space included in the scheme if it was approved by Leicester City Council, the application indicates.

In the mid 1890s, a company named Pearson and Bennion was formed from the amalgamation of smaller shoe machinery manufacturing businesses. The company moved into its new head office at the Union Works factory in Ross Walk in 1898. A year later, the company joined United Shoe Machinery Ltd, becoming British United Shoe Machinery (BUSM) Ltd.

But increased competition from the German, US and Italian shoe industries, followed by those in Korea and Taiwan, which had the economic advantage of a cheap labour force, sounded the death knell for the company, which collapsed in 2000. The firm went into administrative receivership and was then the subject of a management buyout but this new company did not survive and went into administration itself in 2006.

The collapse of the company put staff pensions at risk, resulting in intervention from the Government. Local MP at the time and health secretary Patricia Hewitt called for an inquiry. The 2007 Budget included the news that the workers would receive most of their pensions through an improved Financial Assistant Scheme.

The Union Works factory remained the head office of BUSM until it went into administration in 2000.

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