Paying tribute to local heritage in new housing development in Coalville
Palitoy heritage is to be celebrated at our new £18m housing development off Jackson Street in Coalville, Leicestershire.
3rd Dec 2020 - Developments
The development will bring in much needed affordable housing to the town and celebrate the iconic status of the many toys that were produced in the town.
New roads on the development in Coalville have been named after two iconic toys and two former employees. The housing association worked closely with North West Leicestershire District Council and the Coalville Heritage Society to select the names which are Action Man Road, Pippa Place, Manning Avenue and Trowell Street.
The Jackson Street development is next to the original Palitoy factory which designed, made, assembled and distributed toys such as Action Man, Tiny Tears, Pippa dolls and Star Wars figures between 1937 and 1985. It was also one of the largest employers in the district and today has a worldwide collector’s market for the toys.
When building new homes, it’s always interesting for us to look back at the history and what was an important part of the community. The Palitoy brand was once synonymous to Coalville so we were pleased to be able to pay homage to the toy factory which was located just around the corner from this site.
Chris Miller, Director of Development at Midland Heart
Stuart Warburton, Secretary for the Coalville Heritage Society and Project Manager for The Many Faces of Palitoy, said: “It is wonderful that Midland Heart are to name the streets in celebration of the Palitoy heritage. The Society is currently working on a major project, The Many Faces of Palitoy, with assistance from the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant commemorating the history of Cascelloid/Palitoy 100 years after Alfred Pallett founded the parent company.
“We are sure that, like the Society, the local people will be proud that a developer has taken the decision to remember the important heritage of Palitoy and the people who worked there, which means so much to the community of Coalville.”
Glyn Mabey, Managing Director, Partnerships East Midlands, Countryside, commented: “We’re delighted to be involved in this project, not only helping to bring forward much needed affordable homes for the community but also creating job opportunities and having a positive local economic impact, which are especially important during these challenging times.
“It is also an honour to be able to pay homage to such an iconic former manufacturer and local employer and by creating this lasting memento to the site’s heritage, residents will remember its legacy in years to come.”
The development, in partnership with the UK’s leading mixed-tenure developer Countryside, will bring 130 much needed, affordable homes to the area, and is set to be completed in Spring 2022.
