Burnaston House was originally the home of the Every family, including Ashton Nicholas Every Mosley, who was the High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1835.

The house was eventually demolished in March 1990 to make way for the car factory, which opened nearly three years later.

[3] The village is known for Toyota TMUK, one of several British car plants built by Japanese carmakers as part of measures to avoid expenses such as import duties and shipping costs.

After the war it was again used by airlines, including Derby Aviation (later Derby Airways then British Midland Airways), until 1965, when the newly reconstructed East Midlands Airport opened across the county border in Leicestershire.

Private flying from Burnaston continued until December 1989, when the site was taken over by Toyota for the development of the car factory over the next three years.