Architectural practice Holmes Miller has opened a new office in Leeds to support growing demand for public sector projects in the region. This marks the firm’s third UK base, alongside its offices in Glasgow and St Albans.

The firm, which has operated for 75 years, specialises in sustainable architecture across education, leisure, and justice sectors. Directors Ryan Holmes and Craig Heap emphasised that the Leeds office will enhance local engagement and deliver cost-effective, user-focused design as budgets tighten across the industry.

Holmes Miller also plans to expand further in Ireland, targeting growth in the sports and education markets.

The UK government has approved the development of the North Lincolnshire Green Energy Park, an energy-from-waste facility planned for Flixborough Industrial Estate near Scunthorpe. The site will include an Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) capable of converting up to 650,000 tonnes of Refuse Derived Fuel annually into electricity.

Developer Solar 21 says the facility could generate enough low-carbon power for 221,000 homes per year and create up to 257 permanent jobs, with an additional 600 jobs during construction. The project aims to reduce landfill use by up to 760,000 tonnes and prevent 150,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The site will also feature a plastic recycling facility capable of processing 20,000 tonnes of plastic annually. Ash from the energy recovery process will be repurposed into concrete blocks for construction.

Solar 21 highlights the Humber region’s high industrial carbon emissions and landfill waste as key drivers for the project, positioning the facility as part of the UK’s strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Up to 60 homes in Grimsby’s East Marsh area will undergo renovations aimed at improving insulation and energy efficiency. North East Lincolnshire Council will retrofit properties on Rutland Street using £3.1 million in government funding awarded last summer.

The project, approved by the council’s cabinet, will be delivered in partnership with community groups, including East Marsh United. The council selected Rutland Street following a borough-wide assessment and may seek additional funding to enhance surrounding areas with fencing and greenery.

A similar regeneration effort took place in Guildford Street in 2017. The council says the upgrades will enhance safety, reduce anti-social behaviour, and improve public health by addressing housing conditions and energy costs.

Indaver plans to build a £35 million solvent recycling facility at Syngenta UK’s manufacturing site in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The project, set to begin construction in 2026 and become operational in 2028, will create 16 jobs and support more sustainable manufacturing processes.

The facility will process 15,000 tonnes of industrial waste annually, recovering acetonitrile (ACN), a key solvent in agricultural product manufacturing. A direct pipeline system will connect Indaver’s facility to Syngenta’s production site, reducing transport needs, logistical risks, and carbon emissions.

Indaver, which specialises in waste-to-energy and sustainable waste management, sees this investment as part of a broader £750 million commitment to the UK. The company has already invested in waste transfer and recycling sites across the country, including a £600 million energy-from-waste plant in Essex and a £150 million facility in Scotland.

Syngenta expects the partnership to stabilise ACN supply, mitigate market fluctuations, and support its carbon, water, and waste reduction goals. The facility will be built on previously developed industrial land, aligning with Syngenta’s sustainability strategy while strengthening local industry and job creation in Kirklees.

Construction work will shortly begin on Doncaster’s Gateway One development, a new 52,000 sq ft Grade A office building on Trafford Way which is set to become Doncaster’s new digital tech hub.

Study Group has signed a five-year lease for 19,000 sq. ft. at 8 Park Row in Leeds city centre, marking one of the largest office deals in the city this year. The space will house The Leeds International Study Centre (ISC) for progression to the University of Leeds.

The deal, brokered by property consultancies Knight Frank and Fisher German LLP, will see the ISC occupy floors three to seven following a refurbishment. Study Group, in partnership with the University of Leeds, runs pathway programmes for international students in subjects including STEM, business, law, and social sciences.

Leeds has seen increased education-sector investment in recent years, with institutions such as the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, Leeds Trinity University, and the Mathematics School of Excellence establishing city-centre locations.

8 Park Row, originally the site of Beckett Bank, was built in 1967. Leeds Civic Trust opposed previous proposals to convert it into residential units.

Study Group cited the building’s location, quality, and architectural significance as key factors in the decision. Fisher German advised on the transaction, highlighting 8 Park Row as the best fit for the ISC’s operational needs.

SSE has reached a key milestone in its South Milford battery storage project, with battery units now delivered to the Monk Fryston site near Tadcaster. Once completed in early 2026, the 320MW/640MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) will be SSE’s largest to date and one of the UK’s biggest operational storage sites.

The project is more than six times the size of SSE Renewables’ 50MW/100MWh battery in Salisbury and more than double the capacity of its 150MW/300MWh sites under construction at Ferrybridge and Fiddler’s Ferry. When fully operational, Monk Fryston will power up to 533,000 homes for two hours during peak demand.

Morrison Energy Services, part of M Group Services’ Energy Division, is overseeing the installation, which includes Sungrow’s battery units. Sungrow is also working with SSE Renewables on the Ferrybridge storage project.

SSE and its partners see the Monk Fryston BESS as a critical step in improving grid flexibility and supporting the UK’s renewable energy transition.