AN estate in Halstead is still thriving in industry more than 50 years on.

Plans to build Bluebridge Industrial Estate first arose in 1965, and they were met with scepticism.

An article published in the Halstead Gazette in August 1967 said: "So far the estate has not made a great impression on the town itself.

"The kind of firm that has moved into the area is not looking for a huge labour force and, in most cases technical as well as executive staff have been imported."

Five firms started off on the site, and the 1967 article talks of the positive and negative experiences the businesses had moving in.

A total of 25 more warehouses were built in August 1974, costing an ambitious £1million.

An article in the Halstead Gazette from that year said a spokesman for the architects, John Gill Associates, had called it a 'speculative development'.

The spokesman had said: "The developers obviously feel this is an important site and the growing demand for industrial warehouses in the area has prompted the development."

In September 1986 there were talks of another major extension to the site, as a 13-acre plot had been submitted to Braintree Council for industrial development.

The town mayor at the time, Tony de Frates, had said in an article from that month: "I would welcome any plan which will result in new jobs being created.

"However, my enthusiasm is tempered with some caution because such a large development must go hand in hand with improvements to road and transport links."

By 1987 the further expansion started getting a mixed response, with some residents saying development would affect access.

However John Cook, who was chairman of the Halstead Chamber of Trade at the time, was pleased the extension had been given the go-ahead and said it would benefit business.

Firms on the site continued to thrive and in 2001 the Gazette reported how the estate was booming.

By that year the site was full to capacity with Halstead Boilers being the latest business to join.

Managing director at the time, Brian Day, had said: "We've gone from £2million to £14million turnover in a year.

"When we came here we employed 17 people. Now we employ 90.

"At first we occupied two units, since then we've taken another three and are in the process of buying another unit on the estate- the business is constantly expanding."

Since then the site has seen a number of large businesses come and go.

A further extension is now planned for the estate, which would see 11 hectares worth of land put forward for employment in the districts' latest Local Plan.

Jackie Pell, Halstead Town Councillor, said the estate has always been welcomed by residents and the latest expansion would be beneficial.

She said: "I think expansion is good as it will provide work for local people.

"They fill up quite quickly on the site as well.

"People have always seen it as a good thing, it needed to move out of the town centre to let it thrive."