Leeds consulting engineers secure four more care-related contracts

Stuart Pearcey
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Leeds consulting engineers secure four more care-related contracts

Leeds-based Dudleys Consulting Engineers has secured four more contracts with Torsion Projects to provide structural and civil engineering support for new care homes in Bradford, Chesterfield, Durham, and Worksop.

The new contracts follow similar care home and retirement living projects for Torsion Care in Shipley, Bingley, Brighouse, Sleaford, Lincoln, and York for which Dudleys provided full engineering consultancy support.

In Bradford Torsion is redeveloping a brownfield site at Eccleshill to build a new 72-bedroom care home with associated ancillary services.  Dudleys is providing engineering solutions to raise the site level by approximately 3 metres to provide a level plateau.

Torsion Care is also poised to deliver a new 72-bedroom care home in Chesterfield after securing planning consent subject to conditions.  Dudleys is supporting the redevelopment of the former Walton Works, including Grade II listed mill buildings for the care home alongside new housing.

Works are also due to commence on site next month in Worksop where Torsion is building a new 70-bed care home within the expanding development at Gatefold Toll Bar in Worksop. Dudleys is delivering full civil and structural engineering support, working alongside Watson Batty Architects which is designing the scheme.

John Currie, MD at Torsion Projects, said: “It is a pleasure to appoint Dudleys on our next roll out of schemes. Their support and expertise from inception through to completion on multiply projects at the same time allow Torsion Projects to maintain its growth plan and deliver exceptional schemes on programme.”

Paul Brownlow, Director at Dudleys, said: “Our team is highly skilled in working with challenging brownfield sites that need varying levels of remediation from historic use or local environmental impact and we admire Torsions commitment to rejuvenating often difficult sites to provide much needed new community focused facilities.”

Torsion Care is a part of Torsion Group, a privately owned independent company focused on developing residential, student living, care homes and retirement living apartments. With a pipeline of more than 5,000 units in the UK, Torsion Care delivers modern care homes, assisted living, and extra care facilities for operators across the UK. Torsion Care offers a complete turn of key service from finding land, obtaining planning permission, and constructing care facilities in a partnering approach with operators and investors.

Australian company chooses West Yorkshire for digital property pilot

Stuart Pearcey
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Australian company chooses West Yorkshire for digital property pilot

Australian property company Pexa has chosen West Yorkshire as the base for a pilot working group initiative to streamline property sales.

The Future Property Transactions Group brings together stakeholders from across the market to accelerate the transformation and improvement of the UK home buying and selling process.

The Group wants to drive collaboration between key property market stakeholders in the region, including Leeds Building Society, Legal & General, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Mortgage Advice Bureau, and Arch Law, as well as the Open Property Data Association to help make the property transaction process more efficient and seamless for all.

Hosting its inaugural meeting as part of Leeds Digital Festival, the initiative seeks to draw the best from the region’s key strengths in the financial, legal and property sectors, promising to enhance efficiency, reduce cost, save time, and cut the risk of fraud.

Joe Pepper, PEXA UK CEO, said: “PEXA’s mission is to help address the current issues within the property market. Transactions are often inefficient because of the siloed nature of each stage of the journey and, with an overarching view of the process and the proven ability to develop and implement technology to help drive change, we are in a prime position to help bring all stakeholders together and enable better collaboration to ease the issues being faced across the board. The launch of the Future Property Transaction Group supports this aim and we are excited to see the results it delivers for all.”

Richard Fearon, Chief Exec of Leeds Building Society, said:“Our purpose is to put home ownership within reach of more people. We welcome the launch of this group and look forward to working closely with others to create a quicker and simpler process that our members could benefit from.”

Electric vehicle charging company gears up for growth with Finance Yorkshire investment

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Electric vehicle charging company gears up for growth with Finance Yorkshire investment
West Yorkshire-based We Power Your Car (WPYC) is expanding with £750,000 from Finance Yorkshire’s growth fund. The company is using the investment to scale its operations and attract more domestic and commercial customers across the UK. WPYC employs more than 50 people including 25 engineers who install the electric vehicle charging points at customers’ premises. The company also has several strategic partners, carrying out installations for their customers. WPYC has ambitions to become one of the country’s leading national home installation providers having grown sales to £2.66 million last year. Government legislation requires that 22% of all new vehicle registrations must be electric by 2024, increasing year on year until 2030. Chief executive Kai Arter said: “We saw the potential to grow the business and vital to that was having our own team of engineers rather than sub-contracting work to installers. “This enables us to be very focussed on the customer journey and we have scaled up our internal team based in Bingley to provide the highest standards of customer service and support the installers in the field.” Kai has a longstanding relationship with Finance Yorkshire having received previous investment for his successful cosmetics business Badgequo. “It was an easy decision to return to partnering with Finance Yorkshire having enjoyed a previous strong and successful working relationship,” said Kai. Finance Yorkshire chief executive Alex McWhirter said: “Kai is a seasoned businessman who has seen the potential in the electric vehicle charging market to grow WPYC. Our investment is supporting the company’s growth as it seeks to scale up its operations and sales and create new jobs in Yorkshire.”

Luceco acquires Rotheram wiring accessories manufacturer

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Luceco acquires Rotheram wiring accessories manufacturer

Luceco, the supplier of wiring accessories, EV chargers, LED lighting, and portable power products, has acquired CMD Limited, the manufacturer of wiring accessories for the workplace, through the acquisition of its ultimate parent company, Baltic Topco Limited, from Rubicon Partners and management for cash consideration of £30m.

CMD, founded in 1984, designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of wiring accessories for commercial premises. Products include under-floor and under-desk power distribution solutions, on-desk and in-desk sockets, and a range of ergonomic products including the award-winning Miro monitor support arm.

CMD has an experienced senior management team which will remain with the business, continuing to operate from its headquarters in Rotherham.

For the audited 12-month period ended 31 December 2023 CMD reported revenue of £23.1m and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of £4m.

John Hornby, Chief Executive Officer of Luceco, said: “Luceco has a well-established position as a leading supplier of wiring accessories to the residential market in the UK so CMD, with its leading position in the commercial wiring accessories market, is a very natural fit.

“The Group’s expertise in product development, manufacturing and sourcing will enable us to accelerate range innovation and improve margins for CMD. We also see an opportunity to offer Luceco’s professional lighting range to CMD’s customer base of specifiers and contractors. The acquisition is in line with our M&A strategy and follows the successful acquisition of D-Line earlier in the year.”

Jon Holding, Managing Director of CMD, said: “CMD has been successful over many years thanks to its hard-won reputation for consistently delivering excellent customer service.  The management team and I are excited for the next chapter and look forward to growing the business with Luceco behind us.”

Work gets underway on hundreds of new homes in Leeds

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Work gets underway on hundreds of new homes in Leeds

Work is underway on the latest phase of the East Leeds Extension – one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects that could see up to 5,000 new homes built.

Housebuilder Persimmon was joined by Councillor Jessica Lennox, Executive Member for Housing at Leeds City Council to formally welcome start of work on the site. Persimmon’s Wellington Mount development located next to Red Hall Lane, forms part of the 233 hectare East Leeds Extension stretching around the edge of Red Hall, Swarcliffe, Whinmoor and Crossgates. 407 new homes will be delivered on this site with a mix of both 1 and 2-bedroom apartments and 2, 3 and 4-bedroom houses. All of the new homes will be equipped with Air Source Heat Pumps and electric vehicle chargers. Councillor Jessica Lennox, Executive Member for Housing at Leeds City Council, said: “It’s good to see work beginning on these new homes after a long period of planning and consultation with the East Leeds community and us local councillors. I’m looking forward to seeing this new, green, well-connected neighbourhood develop.” Christopher Hull, Managing Director of Persimmon West Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted to be on site and selling homes at Wellington Mount. “The East Leeds Extension is a truly exciting project and we’re proud to be working with the Council to provide much needed new homes for local people, set amongst outstanding green and open spaces. “There’s a wide range of homes to choose from, so would encourage any local homebuyers to come visit our on-site sales suite to find the right property for you.”

Pressure Technologies sells PT Precision Machined Components to Indian manufacturer

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Pressure Technologies sells PT Precision Machined Components to Indian manufacturer
Pressure Technologies, the Sheffield-based specialist engineering group, has exchanged contracts and agreed the sale of PT Precision Machined Components (PMC) to Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools, a manufacturer of precision engineered components based in India. The deal is for an initial enterprise value of £6.2 million with the potential to increase to £7.7 million dependent on the future performance of the division.

PMC manufactures highly specialised components for use in safety-critical subsea and surface flow control applications, serving global oil and gas OEM customers through its Al-Met, Roota Engineering and Martract operations in the UK.

PMC was identified as non-core by Pressure Technologies, with a shift in strategic focus to the development and growth of the Group’s principal division, Chesterfield Special Cylinders (CSC).

The sale simplifies the corporate structure of the Group and leaves CSC as its only operating business. The Board is now focused strategically on the development and growth of CSC in defence and hydrogen energy markets and in through-life Integrity Management services.

Chris Walters, Chief Executive of Pressure Technologies plc, said: “We are delighted to announce the sale of PMC to Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools and look forward to seeing the continued progress of the business under its new ownership, where plans for strategic development and growth present exciting opportunities for the combined businesses, their global customers and their employees.

“The completion of this strategic divestment will allow us to focus our resources on the development and growth of Chesterfield Special Cylinders in defence and hydrogen energy markets and in the provision of through-life inspection, testing and recertification services over the medium and longer term.”

Vamsi Vikas Ganesula, Managing Director of Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools, said: “We are delighted with the strategic acquisition of the PMC business from Pressure Technologies.  The respected brands of Al-Met, Roota Engineering and Martract will complement our existing engineering businesses and deliver strong operational and commercial synergies as we continue to expand our international footprint.

“We are very excited by the opportunities presented in the global oil and gas market with the blue chip customer base of PMC and will now work closely with our new colleagues in the UK to develop the long-term manufacturing capability and reach of our combined businesses.”

Merger sees TC Group strengthen Lincolnshire presence

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Merger sees TC Group strengthen Lincolnshire presence
TC Group, the firm of accountants and tax advisers, has completed a merger with Lincolnshire-based accountancy practice, Brooks & Partners, to form ‘TC Brooks & Partners’. This deal continues TC Group’s M&A Strategy and enhances the firm’s more than 30 locations across the UK. Brooks & Partners provide a full range of accountancy services. Their team in Stamford possess extensive expertise across various tax domains and business sectors, enabling them to provide comprehensive services to a diverse clientele, ranging from individuals and small enterprises to large corporate organisations. Fay Brooks and Kate Howitt, Partners at Brooks & Partners, said: “We are thrilled to join TC Group, marking an exciting chapter in our journey. This partnership will help us work more closely with our clients, offering even better services and support. Our team is eager to meet and collaborate with the new team, building strong relationships and continuing to grow for the benefit of our clients.” TC Group Partner, Keir Warwick said: “We are delighted to merge with Brooks & Partners, Stamford has always been an area in our sights and Brooks has a great reputation. As a result of this merger we now have a really strong presence in the town and I cannot wait to get started and grow it further with Kate and Fay.”

Hydrogen power unit builder secures £22m for expansion plans

Stuart Pearcey
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Hydrogen power unit builder secures £22m for expansion plans
Hydrogen power unit producer GeoPura, with hubs in Sheffield, Matlock, Nottingham and Newcastle, has raised £22 million to accelerate its expansion plans.
This announcement builds on momentum from a £56m investment round in February 2024 and a £36m Series A funding round in February 2023, welcoming investment from Siemens Energy, General Motors Ventures, Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, Swen Capital Partners, and the UK Infrastructure Bank. This brings total capital raised to £114m over the last two years.
Derek Bulmer, CFO of GeoPura, said: “Securing this debt funding is a pivotal milestone in our journey to build a global fleet of over 3,600 HPUs, which will require over £2.5 billion in capital over the next decade.
“This funding will not only accelerate our expansion but also drive significant reductions in carbon emissions and improve local air quality while contributing directly to the UK’s net zero targets. Partnering with world-class debt funders like BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, Close Brothers, HSBC UK and Siemens Financial Services is critical to delivering this vision and achieving these goals.
“This milestone supports our commitment to a cleaner, healthier future and underpins the vital role of sustainable finance in advancing global environmental goals.”

Spencer Group opens the way for development of new North Yorkshire commercial park

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Spencer Group opens the way for development of new North Yorkshire commercial park
Construction and engineering specialist Spencer Group has delivered the access road and supporting infrastructure to open up major new mixed-use industrial, commercial and retail park in North Yorkshire. Spencer Building and Civil Engineering has created the route onto Harrogate 47 at the intersection of the A59, which runs alongside the A1(M) at Junction 47. The low carbon development by Opus North and Bridges Fund Management at the 45-acre site will include offices, industrial and warehouse units, high-tech hybrid units and roadside retail and amenities. Harrogate 47 is expected to support up to 2,000 jobs when it’s finished. The first phase of the development involved the creation of the access road and supporting infrastructure for the site so that offices and units can be built. This, in turn, will open up the site to further development as the scheme progresses. Darren Kilvington, MD at Spencer Building and Civil Engineering, said: “We’ve had challenges to overcome, but we’ve managed those really well and the project has been delivered as planned. “Spencer Group were certainly the right people for the job, and we’ve had some great input from our highly experienced Civils team to overcome some of the challenges posed by the ground conditions on the site. “Our Build and Civils teams have been able to work together, delivering the whole project in-house.”

Beetroot growers given access to American market

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Beetroot growers given access to American market
Britain’s beetroot growers are to have access to the US market after extensive talks between the two Governments and trade representatives. The move will open new opportunities for British farmers by increasing export opportunities and raising the profile of British beetroot in international markets – and is a springboard to grow the economy and expand UK trade relationships post-Brexit. For the US, this will allow their processors to satisfy demand for high-quality beetroot outside the US growing season, giving American consumers to access beetroot all year round from world-leading producers in the UK. Industry estimates this new access will be worth approximately £150,000 per year in increased exports, with groups such as the NFU recently voicing their desire for the barrier to be resolved to allow British producers to benefit from the enormous potential of the US market, building on the recent successes of UK lamb in the US. NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “It is great news that after many years of campaigning, British beetroot growers will have access to the market in the United States for the first time. Being able to access the US market, supplementing local production, will help to meet rising consumer demand for this healthy, nutritional crop, creating genuine growth opportunities for farmers and growers in the UK. “I am especially delighted that this announcement comes days after we returned from the US where we were able to make the case for UK beetroot directly to government officials. Industry collaboration with government and especially with the UK’s agri-food attaché based in Washington has been key to resolving this issue. “It shows the type of wins we’re able to achieve with the UK’s expanded network of agriculture attachés following a number of years of campaigning by the NFU for the creation of these positions. Long may the collaboration continue so British farmers and growers can expand into further markets and increase sales of great British food overseas.”

Moorfield finishes Lincoln student accommodation development

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Moorfield finishes Lincoln student accommodation development
Real estate fund manager Moorfield Group has finished building ts 293-bed, £45m BGU Student Village in Lincoln.
Bishop Grosseteste University Student Village is being delivered as part of a development agreement with Melberry Developments , with Bowmer and Kirkland as contractors. The development, which took 15 months to build, is ready to welcome students from BGU.
Moorfield has undertaken the investment on behalf of Moorfield Real Estate Fund V,  the latest fund in its flagship value-add series. In July, Moorfield announced that it had successfully raised an initial £330m for MFREFV and its associated co-investment initiatives.
Charles Ferguson-Davie, Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Moorfield Group, said:  “Student housing is a sector of strategic focus for us, with the investment case supported by structural and demographic demand drivers, as well as the undersupply of fit-for-purpose accommodation.
“BGU Student Village will help to plug this gap, with the sector offering those with proven and long-standing expertise the opportunity to fund development and to refurbish existing purpose-built schemes as well as student houses of multiple occupation (HMOs).”
David Sarson, MD at Melberry Development Management, added:
“After our successful work together on Enso, the completion of BGU represents yet another vindication of the quality of product produced by Moorfield and Melberry’s development partnership.
“With a conscientiously thought-out amenity offering and best-in-class sustainability credentials, the scheme is all set to provide this generation of Lincoln’s students with high-quality accommodation they can be proud to call home throughout their educational journey.”

Incommunities launches £60,000 fund for community organisations

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Incommunities launches £60,000 fund for community organisations
Housing provider Incommunities has launched its 2024 ‘Funding In-communities’ programme, which awards community groups a much-needed injection of funds to support their good work. The £60,000 fund is for any voluntary community group that directly benefits Incommunities customers. Applications are now open for the first round of funding, to support groups across Keighley and Bradford South. A second round of funding for other Bradford areas will open in the new year. Projects could include food banks, children’s playgroups, social clubs, art classes – anything that is well-used by people who live in homes provided by Incommunities. Grants of up to £2,500, £5,000 or £7,500 are available for events or activities. Incommunities’ customers are encouraged to ensure their local community group submits an application. Interested groups can apply by visiting www.incommunities.co.uk/community-fund-application. The closing date for application is 4pm on Sunday, 13th October 2024. This year’s recipients will be chosen by an independent panel made up of Incommunities customers, colleagues, and board members. The Keighley winners will be announced at a celebratory evening at Keighley Civic Hall on 23rd October. This will be followed by a celebratory event for Bradford South applicants on 27th October. Susan Godbold, Head of Customer Voice at Incommunities, said: “Our community fund continues to strengthen the amazing work that voluntary groups deliver for our residents. “We launched the fund for the first time last year and had some great feedback from the groups we supported. “By providing financial support, we hope that the projects or activities we support will bring people together, and we urge groups to apply.” Previous beneficiaries of the fund include Cottingley Community Centre’s Memory Lane Afternoon Teas. The centre supports people dealing with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Helen Eteson, Cottingley Community Centre’s Manager, said: “The funding helped us make these events much more wonderful. “It covered the cost of the food we provided, but the biggest help was enabling us to pay for entertainers to come to the group and for the equipment we used to bring a ‘beach’ indoors. “Bringing the ‘beach’ into our community centre was such a fun experience for everyone to enjoy.” Another recipient was a women’s wellness retreat at the Rockwell Centre in Ravenscliffe. The retreat provided a space to switch off from the stress and worry of everyday life and take part in arts and crafts, yoga, and meditation. One of the participants said: “Everything was wonderful. The activities were great, and meeting new people and chatting with like-minded ladies was really empowering. I would be very happy to come again!” For support completing the application form or any queries, please email getinvolved@incommunities.co.uk.

Xeinadin acquires trio of Haines Watts offices in Yorkshire

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Xeinadin acquires trio of Haines Watts offices in Yorkshire
Professional services firm Xeinadin has acquired three Haines Watts offices in Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Hessle, enhancing its presence in the region. This series of acquisitions, following the addition of Clay Shaw Thomas in July and Jones Harris Limited in August, brings the total to 27 in the past two years. Derry Crowley, CEO of Xeinadin, said: “I am delighted to welcome the team and clients of three former Haines Watts offices to Xeinadin in what is a key milestone in our growth strategy. “The team, led by Partner Jennifer Toulson, are consummate professionals with a track-record of delivering exceptional services for local businesses. They fit in with the ethos of our company and I look forward to seeing them thrive as part of Xeinadin.” Jennifer Toulson, Xeinadin Humber Partner, said: “This move marks a new and exciting time in our journey as we join Derry and our new colleagues at Xeinadin. We’ll continue to deliver personalised services to our clients in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Hessle and across Yorkshire, tapping into the resources and expertise of the business advisory firm built for small business.” The acquisition will bring 23 colleagues from Haines Watts into Xeinadin’s professional services business under the continued leadership of its existing management team, adding to the firm’s already significant presence in Yorkshire and Humber.  The business will be known as the Xeinadin Humber offices.

World leaders in advanced rubber roller grinding & grooving machines gets funding boost

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World leaders in advanced rubber roller grinding & grooving machines gets funding boost
Halifax Numerical Controls (HNC), a world leader in rubber roller grinding and grooving machines, has received a funding boost having secured a six-figure loan from Finance For Enterprise (FFE) based in Doncaster. The company was formed in 1998 and continues to serve clients throughout the UK and worldwide from its own UK workshop premises in Halifax. HNC engineers have a long history of experience in all aspects of Advanced Machine Tool design, build, and support. The team has a particularly high level of expertise in CNC and PLC Automation Systems. HNC Ltd’s core skills combine all aspects of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering and software programming, and research & development in the field of rubber and composite roll manufacture. The funding is designed to aid working capital and future growth for the company which makes manufacturing machines to order all around the world. Company Managing Director, Mike Diskin is a renowned industry expert and is a regular guest speaker at manufacturing conferences worldwide. The demand for HNC to solve manufacturers challenges and build machine solutions to order in established markets like Germany, USA, Indonesia and occasionally Australia is very high. Current large project orders in progress include two for Mid-West Innovators in the USA and two for Hilzinger in Germany, and a third machine that is currently being built in Taiwan which will be shipped and commissioned in the USA. In addition to the above, HNC has seen high demand from the renewable energy sector. HNC’s machines are used for the grinding of the high voltage electrical connectors, used to connect solar and wind farms to the grid. The machines are highly suited for grinding the complex profiles required on these components. HNC sees this as a growth sector and hopes to increase sales in this area. Managing Director Mike Diskin said: “This investment will help us to continue innovating and transforming the roll production industry. Expanding the use of fully automatic machining of rolls means we can help manufacturers deliver a higher level of quality and consistency that is not dependent on operator skill. “HNC’s range of automatic roll Builders, Grinders, Groovers, and Duplexer designs are the most advanced machines of their type in the world, and we are looking forward to future growth and the employment opportunities this will create locally.” Jeremy Meadowcroft, Business Lending Manager from FFE, said: “HNC is a well-established, profitable business with an excellent reputation across the world. This additional working capital will fund organic growth and enable the company to fulfil the many contract orders in progress whilst also securing new projects and consultancy assignments.” HNC has also been approached by the Yorkshire Innovation team to work with Huddersfield Universities 3M Buckley Innovation Suite specialists to develop a Roll Measuring Machine that can be used to accurately add an innovative dimension to UK Manufacturers and has been awarded a £450K grant to develop the machine. Once in use the machine has the potential to benefit UK Manufacturing Outputs and grow National GDP and Engineering specialism. HNC will then be allowed to use the machine exclusively to deliver a world’s first to clients all over the world. This development is expected to increase turnover from £1m to £5m over the next three years.

Streets Chartered Accountants considers potential tax and pension changes in the Autumn Budget and more in new news roundup

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Streets Chartered Accountants considers potential tax and pension changes in the Autumn Budget and more in new news roundup
Streets Chartered Accountants considers potential tax and pension changes in the Autumn Budget and more in its latest monthly news roundup. Five key areas of possible changes to Pensions in the Autumn Budget Little has been said by Labour on what the budget will contain. We are led to believe there will be change and upheaval, barring a significant leak we won’t know though until 30th October. There are plenty of rumours around pensions and in the King’s speech, a commitment to a “pensions review”. What this means in the longer term, time will tell although there are five key areas which may be looked at within this review and as part of the budget in October. Read More. Changes to Tips & Service Charge Rules As of 1st October 2024, new legislation will change the way businesses manage tips. Here’s what you need to know to ensure compliance and avoid penalties. The new law mandates that all qualifying tips – whether received via cash or card – must be fairly distributed to staff. You can no longer withhold tips and the allocation must follow clear, objective criteria. The government has issued a statutory code of practice to guide this process. Read More. Pre-Budget Personal Tax Update – the times they are a changing  The October budget is right around the corner. It could bring major changes to a whole range of estate planning taxes, especially Inheritance Tax (IHT) and Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Set down are some thoughts, identifying possible changes that might be on the way and how they might impact on your personal wealth and the financial well-being of your family. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, it’s time to brace yourself. Read More. Income Tax Reform  Over the coming years there are some significant changes happening to income tax. Whilst these may not appear in the headlines, as they are not direct changes to tax rates, thresholds or reliefs, they are nevertheless significant and need to be understood and planned for. In advance of the MTD introduction, another change is already underway. Read More. Podcast: How might a new government affect your personal financial planning? In this episode of The Streets Sessions, Streets talk to Sam Tindale, Financial Adviser and Managing Director with Tower House Wealth Management, about how the new Labour government might impact personal financial planning including pensions, investments, IHT planning, paying school fees and more. Listen Now. Grants spotlight: new grant opportunities – September 2024! Continuing the success of Streets’ dedicated Innovation Grants Consultancy, headed by Chris Parkhurst, they are excited to share with you some new grant opportunities that are now available. These include Contracts for Innovation, Biomedical Catalyst 2024 and Sustainable Medicines manufacturing innovation. There are also still live opportunities in the Defence sector and more general sectors with Smart grants and Innovation loans. Read More. Taxes Made Easy  This guide is designed to provide you with an overview of the key tax rules from seven perspectives – that of the family; the employee; the person running their own business; the taxation of investments; disposals and CGT; property matters; and, finally, the potential liability on your estate at death. Please use the guide to help you identify planning opportunities, pitfalls to avoid and areas where you may need to take action and then contact Streets for further advice. Download Now. Family Company Estate Planning Reviews Planning for succession is a major concern for many families, particularly in the context of thriving family businesses and farming interests. Identifying the right approach is becoming increasingly essential. Is it time to consider succession and intergenerational planning for your family business? Could you benefit from a conversation? Download Now.

Hanley Controls signs warehouse deal at Brighouse industrial estate

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Hanley Controls signs warehouse deal at Brighouse industrial estate
CBRE’s Industrial team in Leeds has completed a deal on a 10,713 sq ft warehouse on Birds Royd Industrial Estate in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. Hanley Controls has agreed a letting on Unit 2 on the estate as part of the company’s growth strategy. CBRE advised the outgoing tenant, Robit Group, on disposing of their lease to Hanley Controls. Hanley Solutions Ltd, a sister company of privately owned Irish business, Hanley Controls, will take the space and specialises in pipes, valves, fittings, controls and instrumentation, as well as bespoke off-site manufacturing. It serves a wide range of markets including data centres, chemical, pharma, food and beverage, power, water and waste-water, manufacturing, R&D, laboratories and utilities. The modern warehouse comprises 9,606 sq ft of warehouse space with two-storey office accommodation of 1,107 sq ft, with eaves height of 5.7m, ample parking and a secure shared gated yard. The estate is set back off Birds Royd Lane with access from the A641 Huddersfield Road, close to Brighouse town centre with accessibility to both Brighouse railway station and the M62 J25 motorway network. Ben Pinder, Managing Director, Hanley Solutions, said: “This warehouse is ideally situated to support our continued growth plans. Hanley Solutions Limited is a sister company of Hanley Controls Ireland and as part of the Hanley family inherits more than 40 years of industry experience servicing micro-electronics, data centres, pharmaceuticals, gas, water and HVAC markets. “Hanley Solutions will differentiate by offering off-site manufacturing to its client base, helping them to navigate the evolving construction industry. Starting with 7 employees and a combined 200 years of experience, Hanley Solutions aims to provide excellence in customer care and service backed up with extensive stock and knowledge.” Danielle Raunjak, Associate Director, CBRE, said: “This deal provides the occupier with excellent transport connection to the M62 corridor, as well as access to the talent pool thanks to the densely populated local area coupled with the easy train commute. This location is ideal to support the company’s strategy to expand within the UK market.”

Yorkshire business confidence sees slight September drop

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Yorkshire business confidence sees slight September drop
Business confidence in Yorkshire and the Humber fell one point during September to 40%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in Yorkshire and the Humber reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down four points at 35%. This was somewhat offset by increased optimism in the economy generally, which climbed three points to 45% – but this still gives a decreased headline confidence reading of 40% (vs. 41% in August). Just a net balance of 30% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year, down nine points on last month. Looking ahead to the next six months, Yorkshire and the Humber businesses identified their top target areas for growth as introducing new technology (43%), evolving their offering by introducing new products or services (39%) and investing in their team, for example, by investing in training and development (35%). The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. Overall UK business confidence in September dipped slightly, to 47%, down from August’s 50%. Though there was a marginal increase in their own trading prospects (up two points month-on-month to 54%), firms’ confidence in the overall economy dropped nine points to 38%. The joint-most confident regions in the UK were the West Midlands and London, both reporting overall confidence of 59%. Only Northern Ireland, Wales, London, the South West and North West reported an increase in overall confidence. Sector insights Projections for output were mixed across the sectors, with some showing significant changes from previous results. In construction, the sharp increase last month was largely counteracted by a drop in expectations in September, falling by 12 points to 46%. Similarly, in manufacturing, trading prospects fell for a second month to 53%, although this figure is still stronger than the year-on-year figure. However, the falls in manufacturing & construction sectors were more than offset by a small rise in retail and a bigger rise in the dominant service sector. Martyn Kendrick, regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “It’s discouraging to see confidence falter among Yorkshire firms, especially after the optimism of August. “However, businesses are set to benefit from the ample investment opportunities available in the area. Sustainability firms are particularly well placed for growth, with a new report by Green Economy finding that companies focused on decarbonisation are set to grow by 37% by 2026. “As always, we’re also on the ground in Yorkshire, understanding the needs of businesses’ leaders and providing the support they need to keep growing.”

Alison takes on Head of Marketing role at Forrester Boyd

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Alison takes on Head of Marketing role at Forrester Boyd
Alison Mitchell has been appointed Head of Marketing at accountancy practice Forrester Boyd after six years with the firm. As marketing manager she helped to develop and grow the marketing function internally, but also met clients to discuss their marketing strategies and areas for improvement. Phil George, Partner and Business Development Partner at Forrester Boyd, expressed his enthusiasm for Alison’s appointment: “We wanted Alison’s title to be reflective of the level of service that she delivers not only to the partners and the firm, but also externally to our existing clients and to other non-client firms. “Alison, a chartered marketer, has over 30 years’ experience both in house and agency side, the last 10 being in professional services. She chairs the Marketing Taskforce for the UK200 Group, a membership of over 60 accountancy and law firms, sharing her expertise and guidance to other marketers within the group and building her network. Head of Marketing we feel is the perfect title to reflect her expertise and the services that she provides.” Alison will also sit on the steering group of Humber Business Week. Pat Coyle, Chair of the Humber Business Week, said: ‘We are excited to have Alison Mitchell on board as a member of the Humber Business Week Steering Group. Her extensive network of connections and knowledge of the business community, especially on the south bank of the Humber, will be invaluable as we continue to grow and expand the reach of the Business Week.”

Construction starts on £4.3bn electricity superhighway between Scotland and Yorkshire

Tess Egginton
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Construction starts on £4.3bn electricity superhighway between Scotland and Yorkshire
Construction work on a major UK electricity infrastructure project has taken a momentous step forward, with a symbolic simultaneous ground-breaking ceremony in Scotland and England at either end of the £4.3bn EGL2 project – a 2GW subsea electricity link.
In a significant milestone in the step towards decarbonising the energy system, representatives from National Grid and SSEN Transmission took the first ceremonial spadefuls of earth, marking the start of main construction, at events held at either end of the subsea link in Peterhead in Scotland and Wren Hall in Drax, near Selby in North Yorkshire. After travelling 436km under the sea from Peterhead, EGL2’s subsea cable will come ashore on the East Yorkshire coast at Fraisthorpe Sands and then run underground for 68km to a new high voltage current (HVDC) converter station at Drax. Once complete, it will unlock the rich renewable energy capacity of Scotland and significantly increase the UK’s capacity to deliver clean energy for around two million homes. At peak periods of construction, the project is expected to support hundreds of local jobs in Yorkshire, through supply chain and construction activity. Representatives from National Grid were joined in Yorkshire by colleagues from specialist HVDC cable supplier, Prysmian, and Hitachi Energy and BAM, responsible for the supply of converter stations at either end of the project. Commenting at the ceremony, Offshore Delivery Director for National Grid, Zac Richardson said: “Today marks an important moment for all involved in the project and the commitment of both National Grid and SSEN in delivering major projects that will play a key role in supporting the UK’s transition to a net zero economy. “EGL2 is the first of four currently proposed 2GW projects between Scotland and England to begin construction and in total these projects, delivered in partnership by National Grid, could provide enough renewable electricity to power eight million homes. “Achieving this first milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the huge commitment of the project team, our construction partners, stakeholders and the invaluable feedback from local communities.” Akshay Kaul, Ofgem Director General for Infrastructure Group, said: “Today is a historic occasion. Not only is construction starting on EGL2, Britain’s biggest ever electricity transmission project, but we’re also standing here two years earlier than we might have been thanks to Ofgem’s fast track new process which cuts red tape to get consumers across the country connected to renewable energy more quickly.   “Harnessing homegrown clean energy will help build a secure energy future for Britain, and projects like EGL2 are pivotal in our move towards that. This is the first project to successfully complete our new process and many more major energy projects are going through this fast-track pipeline.”    Wren Hall Converter Station in Drax has seen the start of main construction activities this month, including site establishment and vegetation clearance. Surveys are expected to continue along the underground cable route in the coming months. The project is expected to be operational in 2029.

Grimsby’s University Centre gets new Campus Principal

Stuart Pearcey
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Grimsby’s University Centre gets new Campus Principal
The TEC Partnership has appointed Joanne Wallace as new Campus Principal for Higher Education at the University Centre Grimsby.
She joined the TEC Partnership last year as Deputy Principal, bringing extensive experience in the education sector, from the University of Leeds and Bradford College before working on curriculum development and quality management of overseas centres in the Pacific Rim and Middle East. Joanne said: “I joined TEC Partnership as Deputy Principal a year ago and have felt fortunate to join an organisation and team where improving the outcomes of every student is at the heart of everything they do. “I am looking forward to working with colleagues to continue to develop an accessible and outstanding provision for the communities that we serve and to further the development of our new Animal Care training facility at our Grimsby campus and the new build development of the Skegness campus, both of which will bring further educational opportunities to our local communities. “One of my key goals going forward is to further involve local and regional employers in our academic provision and to align our offer to existing and future aspirations of their business and regional economic priorities.” Ann Hardy, CEO of the TEC Partnership, said: “Joanne’s extensive experience in Higher Education and curriculum development will support students and our local communities. Her approach to supporting our local community and building lasting talent pipelines make her the ideal person to lead the University Centre forward.”
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