G&H Group appointed to £1.6bn Decarbonisation Solutions Framework
Leeds-based mechanical, electrical and public health service provider, G&H Group, has been appointed to Hull-headquartered Pagabo’s £1.6bn Decarbonisation Solutions Framework.
The framework, which will run for four years, will support public sector organisations completing building works in all areas excluding healthcare. Kingston upon Hull City Council (HCC) will serve as the contracting authority.
G&H Group will engage with end clients via Pagabo’s framework in two ways. Direct Award, when a client organisation or supplier contacts the procurement organisation and advises that they wish to work with the other. Further Competition, when the client doesn’t have a specific organisation on the framework in mind for their requirement.
The types of projects available via the framework include installation of specialist heating, cooling and ventilation systems, installation of renewable energy sources, and energy saving lighting, all of which play to G&H Group’s strengths.
Marc Ambler, group director at G&H Group, said: “The appointment of G&H Group to Pagabo’s Decarbonisation Solutions Framework is testament to our strong record supporting contractors and clients working towards net zero.
“At the heart of our work is the inclusion of sustainable, low carbon features. These elements have become standard practice for any MEP project we undertake. We are looking forward to drawing on our extensive experience and working with public sector organisations to achieve their decarbonisation goals.”
Jason Stapley, chief procurement officer at Pagabo, said: “Decarbonisation is a specialist service meaning that it was more important than ever to ensure the very best businesses were identified, which includes various SMEs in addition to some of the larger organisations too.
“With the growing focus on the role decarbonisation has to play in working towards and meeting net zero goals, we know that this framework – and its healthcare sister offering – will be well utilised by clients, helping them to meet their individual goals while working towards bigger picture goals at the same time.”
Tamsin joins Agrovista as East of England advisor
Agrovista has appointed Tamsin Roark as rural consultant for the east of England to help meet increasing demand from farmers requiring guidance on the Sustainable Farming Incentive and other agricultural policy initiatives.
Tamsin, pictured above, grew up near Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire. She is a graduate of Bishop Burton College where she obtained a degree in agriculture.
After completing her studies she joined Limagrain in 2019 as a barley technician, before joining Pilgrim Foodservice, where part of her role included leading a project alongside Dyson Farming to set up national sales for Lincolnshire-grown beef and lamb.
Tamsin then spent 18 months working as a business and performance analyst for three local authorities, before taking up her role with Agrovista Rural Consultancy.
She said: “I realised I wanted to return to agriculture and saw this new position as a chance to develop my career and build on the business experience I had gained, particularly during my last role.
“It was very obvious through the application process that the company wanted to support my professional development. It’s an exciting time to be getting back into agriculture – there’s so much happening across the industry, technically and policy-wise.”
Tamsin, who primarily covers the east of England and part of the Midlands, advises mainly Agrovista customers, working closely with company agronomists who can provide valuable detail on each of their farms and additional advice on which options might work best.
She also works with new farming customers looking for support. Most of her work is SFI related, and she also advises on capital grants and helps with nutrient management plans, which she will take on fully once she is FACTS qualified.
“SFI is new to everyone and is constantly evolving, so there is plenty to go at,” says Tamsin. “No two farm businesses are the same and helping individual farmers to maximise the benefits of SFI alongside their ongoing farming operations is immensely satisfying.
“Agrovista Rural Consultancy is growing and becoming more prominent nationally. I’m really enjoying the role, being part of a team that can add real value to our farmers’ businesses.”
Ongo names new Director of Property
This month Steve Ellard becomes Ongo’s Director of Property , moving from his current role as Director of Assets and Sustainability at Yorkshire Housing/
As part of his new role Steve will be part of Ongo’s Executive Management Team and oversee the delivery of the repairs and maintenance services, and the development and regeneration of all stock and communities.
He replaces Pete Stones, who retired earlier this year after over 35 years in the industry.
Steve said: “Ongo has an excellent reputation for being both customer focussed and delivering great services. I was keen to be part of their journey and defining the next chapter.”
Recently Steve has taken a leading role in understanding net zero and the challenges and opportunities this brings, making him a great addition in achieving Ongo’s environmental, sustainability and retrofit aims.
He continued: “I’m excited about getting to grips with our biggest challenges and working with some brilliant colleagues to solve them – therefore delivering even better services to our customers.
“Whether it’s the development of new homes, investment in our existing homes or the day to day repairs service that our customers value so highly – I want Ongo to be delivering excellent services in all of these areas.
“There’s pressure on the sector at present to illustrate that homes are decent and fit for our customers – and rightly so. That’s the least that me, my colleagues and our customers expect, and we’ll be working hard over coming months to achieve this.”
Steve Hepworth, Chief Exec at Ongo said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Steve as our new Property Director. I believe he will be a real driving force for positive change at a time when we’re facing lots of challenges in the areas he will oversee.
“The interview panel were impressed with Steve’s commitment to delivering excellent services and the tenants who took part in the selection process praised his knowledge and commitment to listening to their views.”
Streets Chartered Accountants covers election concerns, trivial benefits and more in new news roundup
Streets Chartered Accountants covers election concerns, trivial benefits, and more in its latest monthly news roundup.
What might businesses want from the next government?
The wait is over and we now have a date for a general election, the 4th July. Whilst many will have been pressing for and wanting an election, how many of us have considered why or what we really want from the next government? Whilst individuals will no doubt have their own thoughts and asks, these invariably will be unique to them. When it comes to businesses there is probably a more collective thought or ask. Read More
Employment, workforce and skills election special
This special episode of The Streets Sessions, with guests Anita Wynne, CEO of Beststart Human Resources, and Taj Rahil, Partner and employment law specialist with leading law practice Fladgate LLP, focuses on the election and what the main party manifestos have in store for employers and employees, as well as addressing workforce skills shortages and managing migration. Listen Now
Small perks, big impact: keeping your team happy
In today’s competitive business landscape, finding and retaining great staff can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. But did you know that something as simple as trivial benefits can make a significant difference? Trivial benefits are small perks that don’t attract tax. Think coffee vouchers, seasonal gifts or a team lunch. These little tokens of appreciation can work wonders for morale and loyalty across all industries. Read More
Bloodstock industry benefits from Streets Bloodstock’s new Taxation Guide for 2024
Streets are excited to announce the publication of the 2024 Bloodstock Tax Guide, in association with The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. This specialist guide has been produced in response to the members of the association seeking advice and guidance on the specific tax implications and treatments for those involved in the sector and in particular breeders. This new guide supersedes the Horseman’s Group guide for bloodstock taxation advice. Read More
Banking & Finance services for clients – business funding options available
There are numerous reasons why many clients are using Streets’ Banking and Finance services. Their dedicated in-house team are easy to access, work with your accountants and are situated within Streets offices providing an expert knowledge in all areas of finance. Like your accountant they always have the client’s and their businesses’ best interests at heart. Whatever your funding requirements are it pays to engage with experts to support you, who have access to whole of market to secure the right funding solution for your business needs. Read More
HMRC wrongly refund voluntary Class 2 National Insurance payments
This incorrect refunding may have significant effect on many individuals in the future when the time comes to receive their state pension and other contributory benefits. Each year, Class 2 National Insurance is collected via self assessment returns and payments transferred through self assessment to each individual’s National Insurance record by HMRC. However, all Class 2 contributions need to be paid by 31 January for the contributions to be accepted by HMRC systems. Read More
United Living acquires training specialist and heat pump system design app
United Living Group, the provider of infrastructure, affordable housing, property services, and telecoms, has acquired a majority stake in both GTEC Training Limited, a training specialist, and Thormer Solutions Limited, developer of Heatly, a digital tool that makes heat pump system design, surveying and installation easier.
With over 15 years’ experience, GTEC specialises in closing industry skills gaps and providing formal qualifications and retrofit training in the net zero space across the UK and further afield. GTEC’s training courses cover heat pump, solar PV, battery storage, solar thermal, biomass, EV charging and energy efficiency, plus a wide range of bespoke training programmes for larger clients.
In the last four years, GTEC has delivered over £3 million of funded training places through various government schemes, and its work on technical committees is helping to shape national and worldwide industry standards.
The training provider has expanded its range of training courses and its geographic coverage rapidly, from a single site in Hawes, North Yorkshire, to over 19 locations throughout the UK and the Channel Islands.
GTEC will continue to operate as a standalone business delivering training to the wider market and will also support United Living’s group-wide training requirements and those of its customers.
Thormer, a subsidiary of GTEC, has developed a unique integrated software package and app, Heatly, which digitalises, expedites and improves heat pump design and installation accuracy. Combined with a decarbonised energy mix, heat pumps are a key component of the global energy transition. Heatly will revolutionise the process and accelerate implementation.
Neil Armstrong, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Living Group, said: “In line with our commitment to provide high quality, technology-enabled services and to expand our highly skilled workforce, we are pleased to announce the acquisition of a majority stake in GTEC Training and Thormer Solutions.
“This acquisition will help us to address one of the key challenges facing us, our clients and industry as a whole; which is to bridge the skills gap and expand workforce capability and capacity.
“The Heatly app fits perfectly with our strategy to incorporate innovative, leading-edge technology into our service offering in order to help our clients optimise and decarbonise their business operations and assets.
“We look forward to working closely with GTEC Training and the Thormer Solutions team to provide additional tailored skills training on behalf of all our customers and the wider UK economy.”
Griff Thomas, Managing Director of GTEC Training and Thormer Solutions, said: “Joining the United Living Group is the ideal fit for GTEC and we are excited about the opportunities and growth this investment will bring.
“Like us, United Living is committed to promoting and contributing to a sustainable future, and through their support we can bring our industry-leading training to a wider audience, as well as directly supporting United Living’s training needs and those of its customers.
“Heatly is set to be a real game-changer for the heat pump sector, removing some of the barriers to take-up and improving outcomes for installers and their customers. The investment brought by United Living will accelerate our market deployment and make Heatly the go-to digital solution for wide-scale heat pump deployment.
“With Heatly’s cutting-edge building scanning techniques and United Living’s reach into other related sectors, heat pumps are just the beginning.
“This is an exciting stage in GTEC’s history, and we are thrilled to have the backing of such a well-respected organisation.”
Council sets up free advice session in Goole
East Riding of Yorkshire Council is hosting an event at Goole Library on Wednesday 10 July at which it will highlight initiatives available to support businesses.
The council’s Business Support Services team can provide everything from help securing grant funding and independent one-to-one advice to free workshops and events for business owners to attend. They also manage The Supply Chain Network, an online directory that enables businesses to showcase their products and services, and gain easy access to opportunities to win more work.
Teams representing Goole Town Deal and two of the projects that it funds – Opportunity Goole and the Property Activation Fund – will also attend. Opportunity Goole provides free access to information about workforce development, helping local people to gain the knowledge and skills they need to secure employment and ensuring that employers can recruit local people with the skillset that they’re looking for. Meanwhile, the £4 million Property Activation Fund grant scheme was set up to encourage property owners, developers and tenants to carry out improvements to buildings in the town centre and bring empty or under-used sites back into use.
The council’s Adult Learning Team will also be present to showcase the diverse choice of learning and training opportunities on offer to help businesses upskill their workforce.
The event will take place within Goole Library on Carlisle Street in the town centre, where there will also be a chance to find out more about the network of Business and Intellectual Property Centres (BIPCs) based within East Riding of Yorkshire Council-run libraries. BIPCs provides specialist business information and resources for anyone thinking of setting up or growing a business.
Dawn Hall of Invest East Yorkshire’s Business Support Services team said: “There’s a comprehensive range of advice, support, training, events, guidance and more on offer to local businesses of all sizes and from all sectors. The aim of this free drop-in event is to bring them all together at one venue so that local businesses can call in to chat to the various teams and get a clear insight into what’s available to help them to grow and develop.”
The event will be open from 4pm to 7pm and representatives of local businesses are welcome to drop in at any time throughout the session.
City Council appoints Ridge to undertake further District Heat Network surveys
Hull City Council has appointed Ridge and Partners to provide further topographical and utility surveys as part of Phase 1 of its Hull District Heat Network.
Ridge will conduct these additional surveys around Cambridge Street flats and at buildings on Osborne Street, St Luke’s Street, Great Thornton Street and Portland Street.
HDHN was initially based around the city centre and immediate surrounding area, however further streets, such as Cambridge Street and Great Thornton Street, have now been included.
The topographical surveys, which will take place over the next few weeks, will map the features of the site, such as height and boundaries, to determine the precise locations to support the project development and design process.
Utility surveys will be undertaken using ground penetrating radar which is a non-invasive method to locate and map features below the ground, so that planning for any protection or movement of utilities can be undertaken.
These are required to support the council to fulfil its objective of developing the Phase 1 district heat project, which will deliver low carbon heat to the city centre, serving both public and private buildings, as well as business and residential accommodation, both existing and new build.
Rory joins East Yorkshire-based ironmongery specialists
Rory Summers has joined East Yorkshire ironmongery specialist FR Scott as a Senior Account Manager.
He has more than 28 years’ experience in the ironmongery industry and is a registered Dip GAI (Diploma of the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers).
The company says Rory’s appointment further strengthens its position as a leader in ironmongery supply to construction, joinery and modular businesses. He said: “I’m extremely excited to join FR Scott. They are well known in the industry as a reliable, trusted, value for money ironmongery supplier.
“From the outside looking in I have seen them excel in recent years, growing their ironmongery customers whilst doing positive community based initiatives in the area. I am really looking forward to meeting my new account customers, building new relationships and sharing my knowledge.”
Yorkshire businesses UK’s most confident in June
Business confidence in Yorkshire and the Humber was the strongest of any UK region or nation in June, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.
While companies in Yorkshire and the Humber reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 17 points at 33%, their optimism in the economy climbed 23 points to 62%. When taken together, this gives a headline confidence reading of 48% (vs. 45% in May) – the highest of any UK region or nation in June.
A net balance of 37% of businesses in the region also expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up eight points from May.
Looking ahead to the next six months, the region’s businesses identified their top target areas for growth as investing in their team (50%), for example through training, evolving their offering, for example by introducing new products or services (40%) and investing in sustainability (35%).
The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.
National picture
Overall UK business confidence fell nine points in June to a net balance of 41%. However, this was consistent with levels seen during Q1 2024, before the sharp rise in May, and remained above the long-term average (28%).
While businesses reported lower confidence in both their own trading prospects, down 10 points to 44%, and the economy, down seven points to 39%, both remained robust.
The North East (47%) closely followed Yorkshire and the Humber as the second-most confident UK region or nation in June, along with the East Midlands (46%).
Sector insights
Results across the sectors were mixed in June as three of the four sectors saw a decline in trading prospects. Construction fell 16 points to 42% and there were other notable decreases in retail (down 14 points to 35%) and services (down 11 points to 46%). Manufacturing however, bucked this trend, increasing by two points to 51%.
Martyn Kendrick, regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Yorkshire’s businesses are taking a range of steps to build resilience and position themselves for growth. It’s particularly encouraging to see sustainability as one of their key focus areas.
“We’ll be by the side of the region’s businesses as they target new opportunities with our insight and support, including discounted lending for green purposes like new low carbon transport through our Clean Growth Financing Initiative.”
Council’s mealtime innovator scoops national award
North Yorkshire Council’s Katherine Breckon has won a major accolade in the hospitality industry after creating pioneering recipes that improved meals for thousands of pupils across North Yorkshire.
Training and Development Officer Katherine won the Public Sector Chef Award category at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2024, seen as the chefs’ Oscars recognising the “exceptional talent” across the whole of the industry.
Nominations for the Public Sector Chef Award were sought from the high-volume catering arena including hospitals, prisons, education, military, public and social services and in house staff restaurants.
Katherine said winning the award was “brilliant” and added: “I wasn’t anticipating this win at all, and finding out I was shortlisted was an honour in itself and one I was extremely proud of.
“To attend the 30th celebration of the Craft Guild of Chefs surrounded by such esteemed chefs was a surreal experience, to say the least. To actually win such a highly acclaimed award is a huge privilege.
“The number of people from celebrity chefs to industry colleagues who came over to say congratulations to me is totally overwhelming. It certainly has not sunk in that I have won a ‘Cheffing Oscar’.”
Katherine is no stranger to winning awards for her expert cooking skills. Earlier this year she won Chef of the Year 2024 at the Public Sector Catering Awards.
The mum-of-two is a key member of NYES Catering, providing meals to more than half of North Yorkshire’s schools and developing meals and menus in-line with food trends and food standards, always looking at opportunities to create tasty meals, while reducing food waste and recipe costs.
Katherine joined our catering service 15 years ago having previously worked as a school cook at West Cliff Primary in Whitby.
corporate director of resources, Gary Fielding, said: “Katherine’s passion for the providing healthy and nutritious meals for our schoolchildren in North Yorkshire goes above and beyond her role and I’m really pleased that she has been recognised at this prestigious, top level.”
Watling Real Estate acquires second major industrial unit in Barnsley in a month
Watling Real Estate has acquired a second major industrial unit in Barnsley in a month.
Following on from the acquisition of a 60,000 sq ft unit at Valley Road Industrial Estate by Glenbrook Investments, Watling Real Estate has completed a second deal to buy the remaining 133,000 sq ft former Safestyle UK manufacturing distribution hub for a private regional investor.
The latest acquisition includes a modern distribution unit of 67,234 sq ft together with a manufacturing unit of 66,133 sq ft, on a site of 7.96 acres. It was on the market for £6 million.
Hilco Global Real Estate Advisory advised the seller.
Ian Whittaker, capital markets director in the Manchester office of Watling Real Estate, said: “It’s great to be involved in another acquisition on Valley Road Industrial Estate in the space of a few weeks for another proactive client.
“We identified an opportunity to acquire the site at short notice and were able to complete the transaction in under a week. This transaction perfectly demonstrates Watling’s ability to identify opportunities and piece together deals in what is still a fairly sluggish and slow market with limited stock.”
Law firm DLA Piper acted for the seller with the buyer advised by Hill Dickinson.
Companies fined after teenage worker exposed to asbestos
Two companies have been fined after a teenage worker was exposed to asbestos.
The 16-year-old had been working for P Turnbull Joinery and Building Services Ltd on an outbuilding of a domestic property after the firm had been hired by Alt Berg Holding Limited to refurbish the property in Richmond, North Yorkshire.
He had been breaking up cement sheets taken from the roof of the property and putting them into a skip on 7 June 2021. Asbestos was later found to be in the cement sheets, exposing the worker to asbestos fibres.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Alt Berg Holdings Limited had failed to carry out an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey of the property, which would have identified the asbestos. P Turnbull Joinery and Building Services Ltd had not properly assessed the work and failed to prevent the worker being exposed to asbestos.
P Turnbull Joinery and Building Services Ltd, of Attwood Terrace, Wolsingham, Durham, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £500 in costs at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on 20 June 2024.
Alt Berg Holdings Limited, of Moor Road, Melsonby, Richmond, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £1,950 in costs at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on 20 June 2024.
HSE Principal Inspector Chris Tilley said: “A suitable and sufficient asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey of the building undertaken by the client and provided to the contractor before work started would have identified the presence of asbestos in the roofing materials. The contractor could have ensured that suitable controls were put in place and the asbestos removed safely before further work was undertaken.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by the provision of suitable and sufficient pre-construction information, effective communication between the parties and the use of correct control measures and safe working practices.”
This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Chloe Ward and supported by HSE paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.
Private equity firm invests £12m in water management consultancy
Stefan Gunn, Investment Director at LDC, added: “Neil and the team at Waterscan have a great deal of experience having pioneered the self-supply model post market deregulation in 2017 and are hugely passionate about helping businesses to achieve their sustainability goals.
“They are supporting customers across all corners of the UK and helping them to optimise water usage at a time when all consumers are starting to recognise the increased value – and indeed scarcity – of water.
“We’re excited about what the future holds for Waterscan as it continues to invest in Waterline and broaden its services, and are pleased to welcome Neil Penhall to the board as he brings significant and relevant experience.”
LDC was advised by RSM UK (corporate finance and tax), Womble Bond Dickinson (legal), Grant Thornton (financial due diligence), PMSI (commercial due diligence) and Coppett Hill (value creation due diligence).
Waterscan was advised by KPMG (corporate finance) and Stevens & Bolton (legal).
Working capital facilities were provided by Virgin Money.
Finance manager who cost employer hundreds of thousands of pounds jailed for fraud
A woman whose crimes cost her employer hundreds of thousands of pounds has been jailed for more than three years, following a police investigation.
Louise Chambers, 41, from Thirsk, worked as finance manager for a group of Knaresborough-based companies from March 2021 to November 2022, when she was dismissed.
A review then identified fraudulent payments from company accounts to accounts linked to Chambers, including a current account, a credit card and a council tax account.
North Yorkshire Police were called in, and a criminal investigation was launched. Chambers was arrested and interviewed. Police enquiries identified fraudulent transactions totalling more than £34,000.
Further discrepancies were discovered in the accounts in relation to an invoice discounting facility which saw the company having to pay back over £300,000 due to Chambers’ actions.
Chambers was charged with two counts of fraud by abuse of position. She pleaded guilty at York Crown Court in May 2024. On 25 June 2024 at the same court she was jailed for a total of three years and one month.
After the hearing, DC Amy Webster Gonzalez, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Chambers’ crimes caused significant financial damage to a local business with a good reputation, risked the livelihoods of other staff members, and put significant financial and emotional strain on company directors.
“She abused her position for her own selfish gain. But her dishonesty was uncovered, and the investigation has ensured she has now faced justice for her actions.”
Ramsdens boosts real estate team with eighth partner
Yorkshire-wide law firm Ramsdens Solicitors is continuing to build its real estate team with the appointment of Ian Hartley as partner based across the firm’s York and Leeds offices.
With extensive experience in real estate law and the Leeds and Yorkshire markets, and nationally, Ian joins from Squire Patton Boggs where he spent seven years, most recently as director in the Leeds real estate team. Prior to that, Ian trained and spent 15 years at Walker Morris where he was an associate and senior associate in its real estate team.
Ian acts for occupiers, developers, investors and funders across a range of sectors, including residential/living, hotel and leisure, industrial and logistics, retail, agricultural and energy, with a particular focus on development transactions.
He said: “I am delighted to have joined Ramsdens’ growing real estate team, particularly at this exciting time as the firm is building on its already strong reputation in the Yorkshire region and looks to expand its real estate offering. I’m excited to take up this opportunity and looking forward to playing my part in the firm’s continued success.”
Kirsty Jackson, Ramsdens Solicitors’ head of real estate, said: “We are really pleased to welcome Ian to the Ramsdens team. His extensive experience and outstanding client-centric reputation in the real estate arena make him a valuable addition to the firm.
“Ian’s appointment reflects our ongoing commitment to attracting top talent to ensure we continue to provide the highest quality service to our clients.”
CEG boots leadership team with new MD
Matt Farrell, formerly at Invista, Grosvenor and Trophaeum Asset Management, has joined CEG as Managing Director, a new role in the company.
CEG, which has offices in Leeds, Birmingham and Cornwall, as well as London, recently secured a British Council of Office award for the quality of its Globe Point development in Leeds and is currently shortlisting a joint venture residential delivery partner on its Kirkstall Forge development.
Matt will manage and grow the 150-strong team at the property company, which has a development pipeline of more than £2bn and £800m of assets under management.
Farrell has extensive asset management, finance and asset repositioning expertise and leaves his Managing Director position at Trophaeum to join CEG. He said: “CEG has a strong 35-year history of investment and value-add asset management, setting a benchmark for new regional office developments.
“Benefiting from a diverse portfolio, supported by a proactive strategic land team, there are many existing projects to bring to fruition. I’m also excited by the new capital we have to deploy, which comes at an opportunistic time in the market.”
Farrell will work closely with Gerard Versteegh, chairman and founder, and Andrew Woods, who co-owns the business.
Gerard Versteegh explained: “Matt shares our vision for CEG and with his new ideas and energy he will pioneer new investment strategies. He will also support the team in progressing many exciting new developments, both within the new build and refurbished office sector we are known for, but also through the growth of our business space and strategic land portfolios.”
Yorkshire-made linseed paint chosen for £20m Natural History Museum renovation
The team that is renovating the landmark Waterhouse Building at the Natural History Museum, one of London’s most iconic 19th century buildings, will use historically accurate and sustainable linseed paint, made in North Yorkshire, to restore each of the structure’s hundreds of original cast iron windows as it undergoes the latest phase of a £20m restoration project.
Yorkshire-based Brouns & Co, which manufactures traditional linseed paint in Sherburn in Elmet, from flax crops grown nearby, has been appointed to the project as part of a team of specialists led by London-based Avanti Architects, which was awarded the contract to manage the latest phase of works to repair the façade of the Natural History Museum’s grade 1-listed Waterhouse Building.
The firm’s CEO, Michiel Brouns, is a conservation expert who gained expertise in restoring and renovating historic buildings in his native Netherlands before moving to the UK in 2006 and setting up Brouns & Co in Yorkshire.
“In Scandinavia, which has a long tradition of using linseed paint, original coats of linseed paint have survived on houses that are more than 500 years old,” said Brouns. “Linseed oil paint is fully protective against the weather; unlike modern plastic-based paints, its wicking properties enable humidity to evaporate, instead of trapping moisture under an impermeable film, and it’s absolutely historically accurate to the period of this iconic building,”
He added: “We are really excited to work on this important project to restore the Waterhouse Building with Avanti and the other conservation experts who are leading the field in this vital area of work.”
Avanti Architects director Fiona Lamb said: “As specialists in the conservation and heritage sector, we work hard to ensure we specify the correct materials in the repair and care of historic buildings. Paint is so often key to protecting and extending the life of materials like timber and metal; using the wrong paint can be disastrous for the building and the environment.
“Whereas modern paints are made from plastics, which are tinted with synthetic pigments and filled with drying agents, Brouns & Co’s linseed paint, which we are using on the original cast iron windows that were installed when the museum was built in 1881, is made in the traditional way by grinding powder pigments into boiled linseed oil.
“The modern formulation has zinc oxide rather than lead as the mould inhibitor and with the right combination of zinc white and titanium dioxide, the paint has great efficacy and produces a paint that is safe for the environment, great to work with and enhances the protection of wood and metal.”
£106.6m land deal to see development of hyperscale datacentre
Harworth, a regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has exchanged contracts for the conditional sale of 48 acres of land at its Skelton Grange site in Leeds to MSFT MCIO Limited (Microsoft) for a total consideration of £106.6m.
The plot comprises two adjoining land parcels.
Plot 1, which comprises 27 acres, will be sold on an unserviced basis for gross consideration of approximately £52.9 million. Completion of the sale is targeted for H2 2024. Alongside completion of the sale of Plot 1, the Group will be reimbursed approximately £0.5 million for the costs it has incurred in securing additional power capacity for the site.
Plot 2, which comprises 21 acres, will be sold on a serviced basis for gross consideration of approximately £53.2 million. Completion of the sale is targeted for H1 2026.
The former Skelton Grange power station site was purchased by Harworth in December 2014 for £3 million.
Since acquisition, Harworth has secured approval in November 2023 for 800,000 sq ft of Industrial & Logistics space, and most recently in May 2024, a reserved matters approval for a further 320,000 sq ft of Industrial & Logistics space.
Previous transactions at the site include a 19.5-acre land sale to Enfinium in 2020, on which it is developing a 49MW energy-from-waste (EfW) renewable electricity generation facility for its own operation, and the grant of a lease in 2021 to facilitate the development of a 100MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility on a 5.7-acre demise.
Harworth acquired a further 21 acres of adjoining land in 2023.
Upon completion of the transaction, Harworth will have invested £36.7 million in the site and generated £135.7 million of sales. The Group will retain 16 acres on which to promote 250,000 sq ft of employment space. This is in addition to the 77 acres owned by way of joint venture with The Aire Valley Land LLP at a neighbouring development, Gateway 45.
Once the development is complete, Skelton Grange is expected to provide 250,000 sq ft of Grade A Industrial & Logistics space, a hyperscale datacentre, a BESS facility, an EfW facility, and 28 acres of land returned to a natural habitat alongside improved green travel infrastructure, which Harworth estimates will represent in excess of £4 billion of inward investment providing a substantial boost to the local economy.
Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive, Harworth Group, said: “Since re-listing in 2015 Harworth has successfully completed a number of significant transactions that create value for our shareholders but this sale at Skelton Grange is the Group’s largest to date and is yet another exemplary case study that demonstrates the successful regeneration of brownfield land.
“It highlights Harworth’s capabilities in identifying and acquiring complex sites, creating planning-friendly masterplans that maximise site potential, and deploying timely and effective investments into remediation and infrastructure. This transaction further builds our expertise to include datacentres and evidences the growing spectrum of industries that continue to be attracted to the schemes that Harworth brings to the serviced land market.”
University of Leeds quantum security spin-out secures £2.2m
Northern Gritstone has made an £850,000 Seed investment into Cavero Quantum, a disruptive quantum security spin-out. It comes as part of a £2.2 million Seed round led by Foresight.
Cavero Quantum, a University of Leeds spin-out, has developed a new encryption technology for secure key generation and authentication.
Compatible with legacy hardware, requiring little bandwidth and secure against cyber-attack by quantum computers, the technology is attractive to a wide range of sectors and has immediate market application by replacing multi-factor authentication and one-time passwords with a high security, frictionless, password-less form of authentication.
Founded by Professor Ben Varcoe and Dr Frey Wilson, Cavero Quantum will use the funding to begin commercialising its technology and launch its first product. Ben will support Cavero Quantum alongside his existing role as Professor of Quantum Information Science at the University of Leeds, while Frey will become Chief Technology Officer.
They will be supported by newly appointed CEO James Trenholme and Andrew Wallace as Chair. James is an experienced software entrepreneur and Andrew has significant deeptech experience in quantum computing.
Northern Gritstone CEO, Duncan Johnson, said: “Cavero Quantum’s technology is applicable today and has the potential to allow individuals, businesses and nations to function safely in a post-quantum world.
“Spun out of the University of Leeds’ innovation ecosystem, one of Northern Gritstone’s university partners, Cavero Quantum is an example of a world-class business of tomorrow built on the amazing science and technology that exists in the North of England today.”
James Trenholme, CEO at Cavero Quantum, said: “The technology that Ben, Frey and the experimental quantum science team at the University of Leeds have built is ground-breaking.
“It is the first solution in the world that can replace security standards like ECDH without compromising on architecture and customer experience, keeping data safe for the next 30 plus years as quantum computing becomes the norm. It’s an honour to lead Cavero Quantum and it’s great team. I’m looking forward to building a great business together.”
Professor Nick Plant, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, University of Leeds, said: “It is inspiring to see how the experimental quantum science team at Leeds, with support from Northern Gritstone, has developed solutions for such a critical issue in online security.
“Cavero Quantum’s technology will have a major impact on our global community, making sector-leading improvements and bringing financial savings to businesses. It is testament to the world-leading, innovative technology being driven by our region.”
Historic business park appointment for LSH
Lambert Smith Hampton’s (LSH) Industrial & Logistics team has recently been appointed as agents to market two significant industrial buildings at Humber Enterprise Park (HEP).
The historic business park, formerly the BAE Systems estate where Robert Blackburn converted and built planes for World War 1, spans 86 acres and offers high-grade production and storage units, office spaces, and versatile business areas. Building 74 comes at 63,026 sq ft and Building 22 at 167,486 sq ft.
HEP is located west of Hull City Centre, a short distance from the M62, M18, A1M, and M1 motorways. It sits just off the A63 motorway south of Brough, and is adjacent to Brough’s mainline railway station, offering direct access to the North of England and London Kings Cross.
Scott Morrison, Director at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “HEP offers a significant opportunity for occupiers looking for much needed second hand space at very affordable rental levels. HEP is a gated and secure estate, with excellent links to the Humber Ports and we are delighted to be appointed by Westcore and Citivale to find a new occupier for these units.”
Lambert Smith Hampton are acting as joint agents alongside PPH for Westcore and Citivale.
