The Transformation of the Horlicks Factory in Slough
At Horlicks Quarter in Slough, we’ve transformed the Horlicks Factory, built in 1908 for the production of the globally famous malted milk drink, into a warm and welcoming residential community in tranquil gardens.
Located just minutes from Slough station and the Elizabeth Line, Horlicks Quarter is one of Berkshire's most significant regeneration projects, creating a new residential neighbourhood within a restored heritage landmark.
The development provides quality contemporary living options enhanced by gorgeous green spaces and improved biodiversity which will help to revitalise the surrounding areas. It offers a range of homes from studios, to brand new apartments, stunning penthouses in the refurbished Horlicks Factory to houses for the family.
A host of amenities also enhance quality of life for those looking for an inspiring metropolitan place to live that's a little closer to nature.
Restoring a Slough Landmark
With Slough being one of the UK's leading business hubs and its immediate proximity to London just twenty miles away, the choice of homes provided by this new development helps to strengthen Slough's position as an ideal place to live for young professionals and families.
Berkeley's development of The Horlicks factory included spending over £5 million towards local infrastructure improvement projects, including bolstering transport and education services and boosting local biodiversity.
A new civic square was created around the existing William Reid Dick memorial, providing a place for reflection while celebrating the site's history.
Elkie Russell, Managing Director Berkeley Homes (Oxford and Chiltern) said:
“We've got an amazing memorial square, at the centre of which stands a William Reid Dick monument called Grief, a Grade II listed monument that we've lovingly restored. She was erected by the Horlick family after the Great War.”
As part of the development the original chimney has been revitalised, with ‘Horlicks’ lettering and lighting to help the landmark stand out at night.
This landmark site in Slough also features a café, retail and fitness developments. There are also luscious open spaces available for everyone to enjoy whether you're a Horlicks resident or otherwise.
Shaped by the Community
The plans for Horlicks Quarter were shaped through extensive engagement with the local community, helping to ensure that the site's history and significance informed its future. Stories shared by former employees and local residents helped influence the approach to preserving the factory's most recognisable features.
Sustainability at the Heart of the Regeneration
This regeneration of a section of Slough town centre aims to embrace elements of healthier living and sustainability, fusing them with high-quality housing to create universal appeal.
The refurbished Horlicks Factory building incorporates a new rooftop garden to give residents a safe outdoor space which the whole family can relax in and enjoy.
We prioritised creating quality green spaces which everyone can enjoy all year round, with cultivated gardens and an on-site bee hotel to help promote biodiversity both within our outdoor spaces and the local area.
Cycle and pedestrian routes provide everyone passing through a quicker route from the centre of Slough and over toward the train station.
"With significant investment continuing across Slough, the town is increasingly attracting homebuyers and investors seeking strong connectivity and long-term regeneration benefits."
“When we first walked around, this fantastic building was still home to the manufacture of Horlicks. This has been a landmark in Slough’s landscape for a number of years. We knew that keeping this building was going to be hugely important to local people who had worked here or know someone that had worked here,” says Elkie Russell.
Preserving Heritage for Future Generations
Berkeley has invested more than £40 million in transforming the Horlicks Factory into a thriving new neighbourhood while carefully preserving the building's distinctive character. Historic features including the iconic chimney, clocktower and rooftop Horlicks lettering have been restored, ensuring familiar landmarks remain part of Slough's skyline for future generations.
Inside the factory, an impressive central atrium has been created by opening up the heart of the building and introducing a landscaped garden. This dramatic space brings natural light into the centre of the former industrial building while celebrating elements of its original structure.
“We’ve been able to not only preserve Slough’s industrial heritage, but also create a sustainable, thriving environment for residents. The emphasis on community-focused amenities such as the nursery, café and outdoor event spaces, alongside affordable housing, strong local partnerships, truly reflect the project’s positive impact on both residents and the wider Slough community,” says Dave Taylor, Horlick Quarter’s Design Director.
Life at Horlicks Quarter
Alongside the restoration of the historic factory, Horlicks Quarter has been designed to support modern lifestyles. Today, residents enjoy a lifestyle that blends heritage, wellbeing and convenience. Amenities include a fully equipped gym, Pilates studio, cinema room, nursery, café and co-working space within the restored clock tower, all surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and public green spaces."
The restored factory building also features rooftop gardens with views across Slough, creating places for residents to relax, work and socialise while remaining connected to the heritage of the site.
Transformation Timeline
Timeline of construction to date:
October 2020: Ground Broken on the Horlicks Factory Regeneration
Work officially began on the transformation of the former Horlicks Factory, marking the start of a major regeneration project that would create new homes, public spaces and community facilities.
Read: Ground Broken on Horlicks Factory Regeneration
December 2021: Iconic Factory Chimney Completed and Lights Turned On
The historic chimney was carefully restored and illuminated, ensuring one of Slough's best-known landmarks would remain a prominent feature of the skyline for generations to come.
Read: Horlicks Factory Restoration Reaches New Milestone
May 2022: The Elizabeth Line Arrives in Slough
The opening of the Elizabeth Line improved connections between Slough, central London and Heathrow, making Horlicks Quarter even better connected for residents and commuters.
Read: The Elizabeth Line Is Here
July 2022: Aquifer Gardens Officially Opens
New public gardens were unveiled at Horlicks Quarter, creating an attractive green space that celebrates local biodiversity and forms part of the development's wider landscape strategy.
Read: New Public Gardens Officially Opened at Horlicks Quarter
April 2024: The iconic Horlicks letters are illuminated once again
The restored red rooftop lettering was switched on, marking a major milestone in the regeneration of the former factory and welcoming residents into the completed building.
Read: Berkeley Lights Up Iconic Horlicks Factory Letters
July 2024: Memorial Square Officially Opens
Berkeley celebrated the opening of Memorial Square and a range of new residents' facilities, including the restoration of the Grade II listed war memorial.
Read: Opening of Memorial Square and Residents' Facilities
July 2024: First Residents Move In
The first homeowners moved into the restored Horlicks Factory building, bringing new life to this historic landmark and beginning the next chapter in its story.
Read: Buying a Home Was Much Easier Than We Expected
May 2026: The Maltings Show Apartment Opens
The launch of the new show apartment offered visitors a first look inside The Maltings, the latest phase of homes inspired by the heritage of the original factory.
Read: Inside The Maltings Show Apartment
Coming Next:
October 2026: The Heritage House Collection Will Launch
13 new townhouses will launch soon.
Celebrating the Site's Heritage
More than a century after it first opened, the Horlicks Factory continues to be part of Slough's story. Through careful restoration and considered placemaking, Horlicks Quarter has transformed an iconic industrial landmark into a thriving community where heritage and modern living come together.
Heritage Revival Horlicks Quarter Video
Watch our video, filmed on location at Horlicks Quarter in Slough, to see how we are transforming this industrial site into new homes.
Video Transcript:
Narrator
Each of our heritage schemes carefully restores and preserves important historical assets for future generations.
Conserving precious fragments of British heritage that could otherwise be forgotten is a critically important task. One we don't take lightly at Berkeley.
With our partners and specialist craftspeople, we're bringing iconic buildings and structures back to use, giving them a new lease of life.
Elkie Russell – Managing Director Berkeley Homes (Oxford and Chiltern)
We acquired the Horlicks factory in 2018. This fantastic building was still home to the manufacture of Horlicks. This has been a landmark in Slough's landscape for a number of years. The manufacturer of Horlicks ceased here and the building was locally listed. We saw this landmark chimney that's so visible in the skyline. We took it upon ourselves to scaffold the chimney, clean it down. We've put Horlicks lettering and we've put lighting up to it. It now stands as a proud beacon in the Slough skyline.
At night, the Horlicks chimney lights up along with the red iconic letters and they form the backdrop to our lovely new resident’s garden on the top of the factory building.
Within the building, we've incorporated a children's nursery, a gym, a cinema, co-working space and a new cafe. These sit alongside the new public open spaces.
Feedback we've had from residents is that they love being a part of our community and the wider Slough residents enjoy the spaces that we've created.
Dave Taylor – Design Director, Berkeley Group
Working with the community is incredibly important across all our developments.
That's where we started here at Horlicks and it's from that work within the community that we found stories about the history of the site that enabled us to bring a picture together as to how the scheme could be developed to create a place that everybody could be proud of.
The atrium was a huge expanse of space used for storage and production. In here were warehousing facilities as well as some of the machinery that created the malt that went into the Horlicks drink. We realised that there was a structure that was worth celebrating. Our answer was to open out the centre of the building to allow natural light through into a beautifully landscaped garden right in the heart of the building.
We've invested over 40 million pounds in transforming the Horlicks factory into the wonderful place that it is today. Alongside that, we carefully designed new homes to complement the architecture of the factory itself.
Recently, we were privileged to invite former factory workers back to the Horlicks Quarter. They were amazed by the transformation while still retaining a lot of those heritage features.
Elkie Russell – Managing Director Berkeley Homes (Oxford and Chiltern)
We've got an amazing memorial square, at the centre of which stands a William Reid Dick monument called Grief, a Grade II listed monument that we've lovingly restored. She was erected by the Horlick family after the Great War.
Dave Taylor – Design Director, Berkeley Group
I'm proud that the Horlicks Quarter is still a historic landmark that's been transformed into a vibrant modern community.
To find out more, search for your dream home at Horlicks Quarter.