The Old Vinyl Factory, Hayes
Bought in 2011 by Cathedral Group and Development Securities (now U+I), with Robert Barton leading the bid for the site.
The Old Vinyl Factory is the regeneration of the former EMI works in Hayes, west London, where records were pressed for decades. The masterplan mixes new homes with offices, leisure and restored factory buildings.
The Gramophone Company, EMI's forerunner, broke ground at Hayes in 1907. At its peak in the 1960s the works covered 150 acres and employed 14,000 people. By 2011 many of the remaining buildings on Blyth Road stood boarded up, waiting for a new use.
In April 2011 a joint venture of Cathedral Group and Development Securities bought the site for £16m. Hillingdon Council approved the masterplan on 30 November 2012.
- In the consented masterplan
- 642 homes
- Mixed-use masterplan
- 1.5m sq ft
- Site bought / masterplan consent
- 2011 / 2012
- Location
- Hayes, UB3
Robert Barton's role
Rob's portfolio puts it this way: "Led the bid to purchase 18 acre site in 2011, and secured master plan consent for 1.5m/ft² mixed use project". The consented masterplan included 642 homes.
He also negotiated the sale of the first residential plot, 134 apartments, to a build-to-rent developer and operator.
Selling a first plot early does two jobs on a large regeneration site. It brings money in before the main build, and it puts homes and residents on site, which makes the next phases easier to sell and let.
What this means for an industrial or commercial site
On old industrial land, the planning position decides what the site is worth. Rob now leads Craftex's development partnerships. We test a site's options with a feasibility study and site appraisal, look at redevelopment and repurposing of buildings worth keeping, and can act as development partner or through land acquisition, options and promotion.
We work on schemes from £3M to £150M GDV. Depending on the stage, Craftex can co-invest, take 100% of the risk, or work for a fee or a percentage.
Send us the address and what you know about the site. Our development team will tell you what it could support, and how we would take it forward. The appraisal is free.
Scheme photos
Photo credits
Independent photographs, published under open licences. They are not Craftex photographs and do not imply endorsement by the photographers.
The Old Vinyl Factory hoarding on Blyth Road, Hayes, 2011. Photo: Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph.
Gate 3 on Blyth Road, part of the former EMI works, 2011. Photo: Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph.
Former EMI buildings on Blyth Road, Hayes, 2025. Photo: Sludge G, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Powerhouse, one of the original factory buildings, 2016. Photo: Richard Rogerson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph.
The underpass from Hayes station to The Old Vinyl Factory, 2016. Photo: Richard Rogerson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph.
Frequently asked questions
What is The Old Vinyl Factory in Hayes?
The Old Vinyl Factory is the regeneration of the former EMI factory site on Blyth Road, Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its masterplan, approved in November 2012, combines new homes with offices, leisure uses and restored factory buildings.
Who bought the Old Vinyl Factory site?
A joint venture of Cathedral Group and Development Securities bought the site in April 2011 for £16m. Development Securities later became U+I.
What was Robert Barton's role at The Old Vinyl Factory?
He led the 2011 bid to buy the 18-acre site and secured masterplan consent for the 1.5 million sq ft mixed-use scheme, including 642 homes. He also negotiated the sale of the 134-apartment first phase to a build-to-rent developer and operator. This was before he joined Craftex.
Can Craftex help with a former industrial site?
Yes. We appraise what the site can support, take it through planning and deliver it as partner or development manager, on schemes from £3M to £150M GDV. Send us the site for a free appraisal.
Our team
- in
Sviatoslav is a self-made entrepreneur with a degree in mechanical engineering and over 10 years of hands-on experience in the UK construction industry. Starting as a demolition labourer and carpenter on London job sites, he personally worked through every stage of the building process — from groundwork and fit-out to project planning, estimating, procurement, and full-scale management.
This unique, bottom-up experience allows him to run projects with maximum efficiency, clear communication, and minimal friction — both on site and with clients.
Under his leadership, Craftex has delivered high-end residential and commercial projects across London, known for their snag-free finishes, smooth execution, and strong pre-construction planning.
Today, Sviatoslav oversees the company's operations and delivery teams while spearheading its expansion into design & build and high-value commercial sectors, including office fit-outs, data centres, and property development ventures.
Clients value his deep technical insight, clear leadership, and relentless focus on delivering clean results — on time, on budget, and to the highest standard.
-
Rob leads Craftex's development partnerships with landowners, investors and family offices.
Over 20 years he has held Managing Director and Land Director roles at plc housebuilders, including Berkeley Homes, Countryside and St Modwen, and has been directly responsible for delivering more than 3,000 private homes, 1,000 affordable homes and 750 build-to-rent homes. His schemes include Acton Gardens (2,340 homes), St Andrew's Park, Uxbridge (1,340 homes) and the Old Vinyl Factory, Hayes.
Rob has served as a non-executive director of three housing associations and two private housebuilders. He holds a first-class engineering degree, a postgraduate diploma in financial strategy from Oxford, an MBA from London Business School and a Master of Studies from Cambridge, where his research focused on AI in construction.
-
Joe has 37 years of experience working on both the commercial and operational side of construction. His previous works cover multiple sectors, including high-end residential refurbishments, new build construction, and commercial property renovations. Examples include the fit-out of Dior’s flagship store on Bond Street and residential developments in Belgravia. Budgets have also varied, with projects ranging from £100K to £135M. This experience and the transferrable skills gained enable Joe to successfully manage any project, regardless of type, style, or value.
At Craftex, Joe is responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of all designs and builds. With a collaborative approach and strategic thinking, he ensures our high standards and happy customers are maintained. He is heavily involved in developing and implementing innovative procurement solutions, as well as envisaging any potential problems along the way for proactive and preventative project management. Joe also takes on the role of influencing the design process and supporting development in others, passing on his wealth of skills and knowledge to the team.
-
Martin has over 50 years of experience in construction having started in the industry as a labourer at the age of 16. Since then, he progressed to site manager before running his own company from 1987 to 1996. Turning to contracts management shortly after, Martin now has 18 years of experience in the role. During this time, he has led multiple high-quality building projects, with a particular passion for sustainable methods and technological advancements in construction.
At Craftex, Martin is responsible for preconstruction and project management, offering innovative solutions and ensuring all aspects of the projects run smoothly. He is also pivotal in the implementation of digital solutions and SAAS tools, enabling more efficient project management and process analysis, besides pushing us closer to our 100% paper-free pledge.
-
With a unique set of skills honed over the past 16 years in the retail and commercial sector both in the UK and overseas, Konstantin Jegorovs brings a wealth of experience, insights and knowledge to his role as Craftex’s Projects Director.
A graduate of construction management from Oxford Brookes university, Konstantin has led flagship projects of up to £5 million in value for commercial banks, complex fit outs of occupied commercial office premises, innovative and challenging aparthotels and high-end residential projects for the UAE Royal Family.
Overseeing every single element of each project from the initial consultation to delivery phase, Konstantin is intrinsic to Craftex’s customer service and collaboration offering, thanks to a proactive and forward-thinking approach. He deploys his experience in the development and improvement of policies, processes and strict adherence to ISO business management systems to ensure the flawless delivery of Craftex projects across the globe, with an unwavering commitment to quality that ensures each clients get the maximum return for their investment.
Fluent in both Russian and English and with a plethora of industry-relevant qualifications, Konstantin is a valuable asset to the Craftex team and committed to helping our clients see their visions become reality.
Own land or a site with potential?
Tell us about it and get a free site appraisal from our development team.
