THE former Nestlé factory in Hayes, once owned by the strong man featured in a series of Charlie Chaplin films, is to be restored by Barratt London as Hayes Village.

The development will be part of a regeneration project which aims to create 1,386 new homes, with more than 500 jobs.

Legend has it that, after retiring from Hollywood, Eugene Sandow, the father of modern body-building, invested his earnings into Sandow’s Cocoa Works, which opened in Hayes in 1913.

In 1929, the factory in Nestles Avenue changed hands to become the first factory outside of Switzerland to manufacture the Nestlé Milky Bar.

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The Art Deco entrance will be retained, alongside the original staircase and south façade of the main factory building.

Historic factory machinery and artefacts will be integrated into the design of the buildings.

Green spaces will be opened up across the site, including a 1.3km trail, previously inaccessible canal frontage, communal gardens and a children’s play area.

The former canteen building will be refurbished and gifted to Hillingdon Council for community use.

Prices at Hayes Village are expected to begin at £325,000. www.barrattlondon.com