Gear box manufacturer creates new engineering jobs at Huddersfield HQ
Precision engineering firm David Brown Santasalo (DBSantasalo) has revealed plans to create 38 engineering jobs at its Huddersfield headquarters.
The gearbox manufacturer, which was acquired by US private equity firm Stellex Capital Management earlier this year, has appointed Elland-based manufacturing and engineering specialist E3 Recruitment to manage the appointment programme and secure 38 new skilled engineers for the firm.
A global business, founded in Huddersfield in 1860, DBSantasalo has 26 locations worldwide and employs over 1,200 people, with 350 based in the UK. The firm delivers precision-engineered industrial gear systems, manufactured for a range of industrial applications including mining, pulp and paper, power generation and defence.
“We are on a growth trajectory and our recent client successes have paved the way for this raft of new opportunities within the marine, engineering, and heavy manufacturing departments at our state-of-the-art Huddersfield site,” said Leanne Crowther, DBSantasalo’s HR manager for UK operations.
E3 Recruitment director Tracie Norton said: “We are really pleased to be working with DBSantasalo on this major recruitment programme, which is great news for Huddersfield and is also further evidence of the value and importance of engineering and manufacturing skills and qualifications to the economy.”
E3 Recruitment is working in partnership with DBSantasalo to recruit for a range of Huddersfield-based roles including quality and manufacturing engineers, assembly team members, general labourers, CNC machinists and manual millers, programme managers and schedulers, project controllers, senior design engineers and buyers. The roles will support programmes across the firm’s engineering, marine and large gear cell departments.
Multidisciplinary engineering consultancy expands Yorkshire presence with new Leeds office
Pell Frischmann, a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy, has expanded its Land Development team with a new office in Leeds at The Leeming Building on Ludgate Hill.
Pell Frischmann’s Land Development team, led by sector director, Paul Smith, has been on an impressive growth trajectory over the past six years. With a team of over 40 technical staff, this expansion into Leeds represents a significant milestone in the company’s growth, further enhancing its capacity to support existing clients and projects.
Heading the Leeds office is Pell Frischmann’s newly appointed technical director, Matthew Addison. For the past decade, Matthew has been a key figure in providing specialist transport planning advice to the North of England market.
He has contributed to several prestigious schemes, including the Headingley Stadium north/south stands on behalf of Caddick Developments and securing planning consent for 1,300 dwellings on an unallocated site at Bartle to the north-west of Preston.
Matthew said: “My decision to join Pell Frischmann was a natural progression and one that aligns with the company’s reputation for delivering innovative highway solutions to both public and private sector clients. I’m eager to help grow the sector while maintaining the exceptional standard of service that clients have come to expect from Pell Frischmann.”
Siemens at Goole to get larger slice of Tube train building action
Officials from Siemens visiting MP Andrew Percy at Parliament have announced that their share of new trains for London’s Piccadilly Line is to be significantly increased.
The MP said: “The good news is that Siemens were able to announce at the event that the share of the new Piccadilly Line tube trains, which are going to be produced in Goole, will be significantly increased. Previously, about half of the contract was going to be fulfilled elsewhere but now 80% of the trains for this tube line will be produced in Goole.
“This is yet another expansion by Siemens on what they originally proposed to do in Goole. We have also had hundreds of extra jobs announced at the site due to the component facility and bogies centre being added to Goole, alongside the Raise Business Centre.
“None of this has happened by accident, but has happened due to excellent partnership working between the company, government, East Riding Council, the University of Birmingham and others.
“I’m also proud to have played a role throughout as I have always believed that Goole has a positive future and was being held back in the past by negative attitudes from local representatives who always seemed to talk the town down. We expect to have some other good news of further investment in the town and hundreds of new jobs in a couple of weeks’ time.
“Finally, the reception was great and I especially enjoyed catching up with the apprentices from our area. I wish them all the best for the future.”
New premises enable expansion at Metheringham kitchen company
Metheringham-based Phoenix Kitchens has taken over new premises at Scoley Court off Moor Lane in Metheringham, which is owned by North Kesteven District Council.
The move is perfect timing, as the business also prepares to celebrate its 20th birthday in October.
Phoenix Kitchens makes and sells kitchens and bedrooms, and is moving from the Moorlands Trading Estate, where it has been in business in Metheringham for almost 20 years.
Owner and Director Andy Graham said: “After starting to manufacture our own products in 2013 we quickly ran out of space. Scoley Court was the perfect opportunity for us to expand and allow us to upscale our operation, providing two additional jobs in the process.
“Scoley Court also allowed us to open a large showroom, which has resulted in additional sales and continued expansion, leading to needing more warehouse space hence taking on Unit 4 Scoley Court, in addition to 5, 6 and 7.
“Working with Eddisons Incorporating Banks Long & Co has been key to securing the units at Scoley Court and the transition across from Moor Lane. When we needed more space, they have come up trumps twice in securing additional units, allowing the business to grow.”
North Kesteven District Council Leader Councillor Richard Wright said: “This is a fantastic success story about a business clearly working incredibly hard to keep expanding and delivering great services, and which has had the space and freedom to grow through the availability of suitable units locally.
“It’s a great example of why we are focused on providing high quality space across the District to meet the needs of growing businesses, and I wish it all the best as it continues to succeed.”
Mother and son sentenced for illegal waste activities in Huddersfield
A son and mother responsible for illegal activity involving up to 1,300 tonnes of waste at a site in Huddersfield, which then set on fire in 2016 causing significant risk to the environment, have been sentenced.
Samuel Hunter, 31, of Dewsbury, and Jacinta Hunter, 59, of Dewsbury, were given a 24-month custodial sentence, and 12-month sentence respectively, suspended for two years.
Samuel Hunter must undertake 300 hours of unpaid work, the maximum number of hours a court can order. Jacinta Hunter must undertake 80 hours of unpaid work.
The two defendants, who were director and manager of Hunter Group (Yorkshire) Limited also known as Sam H Services Limited, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to charges of waste offences at a site in Queens Mill Road, Huddersfield, and were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court. They accepted they had kept waste which posed a fire risk in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm to human health.
The company had premises at Scotland Yard, Queens Mill Road, Huddersfield, and held an environmental permit from the Environment Agency.
Following site inspections by the Environment Agency in 2015 and 2016, the site was found to be repeatedly in breach of its permit, as huge piles of waste were found pushing against a perimeter fence which was broken in places. Shredded waste was found stored between a roofed area of the site and a wall, when it should have been in a building or held in bays.
The Environment Agency ordered the waste be moved and the fences repaired, but return inspections found that no improvements had been made.
Following continued breaches of the permit, and concerns over the waste falling through the fence and potentially polluting a river, two enforcement notices were issued. When advice had been given to make improvements, Samuel Hunter was verbally abusive to officers on more than one occasion.
Environment Agency officers were concerned that rubbish including wood, rubble and scrap metal including a gas bottle was hanging over the wall against the damaged fencing towards the river. In one place where the boundary fence was completely missing, some waste had fallen into the river, so was at risk of causing pollution.
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service advised Samuel Hunter that the site was a fire risk and that he needed to introduce fire breaks between the waste piles.
An Environment Agency officer estimated the volume of waste on site to be between 825 and 1383 tonnes. Disposal of this quantity of waste at landfill would cost between £98,880 – £165,912. The amount charged by the company for accepting the waste onto site was estimated to be £120 per tonne. In June 2016 another individual began running the company and site.
The court then heard how on 18 August 2016 a fire broke out at the site and a large amount of runoff had accumulated behind the premises of a nearby glass factory from the firefighting activities.
This was a major concern as it was about to overflow into the river or flood the building where the glass company had important compressor machinery. To avoid this, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service used a small pump to move the runoff onto the access road so it would flow into the sewer network. Later, Kirklees Council brought machinery onto site to move the waste around on the site to help the fire service put out the fire.
The fire was still smouldering on the 30 August 2016. It took Kirklees Council till March 2017 to remove all the waste from the site to reduce the risk of ongoing fires. The total amount paid by Kirklees Council for clearance of the site amounted to £1,142,131.
In sentencing, the Judge was satisfied both defendants had committed the offences deliberately with a flagrant disregard for the law which he described as a financial decision. Jacinta Hunter had followed Samuel Hunter’s lead as he was the controlling mind of Hunter Group (Yorkshire) Limited. He said Samuel Hunter should be ashamed of his behaviour when he described his interactions with Environment Agency officers to whom he had been foul and abusive.
In mitigation, the defence said the Hunters were trying to act within the law and were not rogue operators. Jacinta Hunter said she hadn’t been given enough time to meet the deadlines to rectify issues at the site. Samuel Hunter maintained he had done everything he could.
Ben Hocking, Yorkshire Environment Manager at the Environment Agency said: “The seriousness of this sentence sends out a message that waste crime will not be tolerated.
“This case followed action from the Environment Agency with support from our colleagues at West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and Kirklees Council. Despite repeatedly being warned, waste was still brought onto site causing a risk to the environment and contributing to a fire which affected the surrounding community and businesses, and left authorities with significant clear up costs.”
Firms offered free advice at Hull business breakfast
Anyone running a business in Hull is invited to the second instalment of Hull Business – Your Future event in The Guildhall later this month.
The breakfast event will showcase to local businesses what support is available to them from various organisations to help with sustainability and growth.
Various European funded business support programmes ended in June, however those attending the event will hear about the new programmes of support being made available through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
Hull businesses, particularly SMEs, are welcome, however larger organisations will also be able to access some elements of UKSPF and are also invited to attend the breakfast.
The event follows on from the successful Hull Business – Your Future which was held in March and Hull City Council Leader, Cllr Mike Ross, will once again be greeting guests on the morning.
Cllr Ross said: “March’s event was a huge success and we saw many Hull businesses attend to hear all about the support available to them.
“At that event, I committed to regular engagement with smaller businesses, as supporting the local economy is extremely important to us as a council, and this is the second instalment of what I expect to become a twice yearly event.
“It’s fantastic that the council is able to provide further support through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and I look forward to welcoming businesspeople to the Guildhall later this month.”
The council’s assistant director for economic development and regeneration, Alex Codd, will also be in attendance, as well as its Enterprise Development Team, Employment Hub, Hull Youth Enterprise Partnership, John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank, Hull Training & Adult Education and Managed Workspace Centres.
In addition, Hull & East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership will be represented through its Growing Places Fund, Business Growth Hub and Made Smarter Programme, as well as Hull Culture and Leisure’s Business & Intellectual Property Centre.
Other attendees are East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Business Support Team, Department for Business & Trade, University of Hull, Finance Yorkshire, Mercia Group, Innovate UK and the Federation of Small Businesses.
The breakfast event will take place from 8-10:30am on Friday 29th September.
You can find out more information and book your place here.
Hundreds of new homes get the go-ahead in Leeds South Bank
Proposals to invest more than £10 million to unlock over 800 new homes in the South Bank of Leeds have been approved by members of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The proposals, brought forward by the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, will see 864 new homes built across three different sites as part of efforts to turbocharge regeneration.
In a bid to open up Leeds City Centre to hundreds more people, tenants will benefit from low carbon features that cut energy bills. This could include energy efficient lighting, electric vehicle charging points, secure cycle spaces, and solar panels.
The funding, secured by the Mayor, forms part of a wider £89 million Brownfield Housing Fund devolved to the region from the Government. The latest funding approvals will help to fulfil the Mayor’s manifesto pledge of building thousands of new, affordable and sustainable homes.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Growing up in a two-bed council flat, I learnt the importance of having a safe and secure place to call home from a young age.
“We want everyone in West Yorkshire to have that same opportunity, and regenerating Leeds’ South Bank will help achieve that.
“Today’s approval of hundreds of new homes is an exciting milestone in our important work to create a more vibrant region that works for all.”
The Mayor has also written to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, urging him to provide more local flexibility to develop brownfield land across the whole of West Yorkshire.
Currently, a Government rule allows housing projects to proceed only where the land values are relatively high, as each new project must show financial benefits that outweigh the costs.
As such, it is difficult for regional leaders to back housing projects in areas where the land values are relatively low – and where regeneration is especially needed.
A change to this rule, proposed by the Mayor, would look at the overall financial benefit of multiple sites instead of each site on its own, opening up more housebuilding across West Yorkshire.
Irwin Mitchell invests in Scottish law firm
Sheffield-headquartered Irwin Mitchell is investing in Scotland-based law firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie, with the two firms working in collaboration to provide a full suite of legal and financial services operating out of more than 20 locations across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The firms have complementary skills north of the border with Irwin Mitchell Scotland operating out of Glasgow predominantly in banking and finance and complex personal injury work, while Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie specialises in corporate, private client, property, and asset management.
In England and Wales, Irwin Mitchell already provides a full suite of legal and financial services which will be opened up to Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie’s clients. The two firms have access to 200+ jurisdictions across the world via membership of several international law firm networks and through these networks have collaborated for a number of years.
As part of the agreement, on completion Irwin Mitchell partners Bruce Macmillan, Craig Marshall and Mark Higgins will join the newly constituted Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie Management Board.
Craig Marshall, Group Chief Operating Officer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “The two firms are a great cultural fit and share a similar purpose, values, and future vision. We have ambitious plans for growth, and we are both focused on building on our client-centric approach, an excellent colleague experience and an ambition to become leading responsible businesses.
“This strategic investment significantly expands our access to Scotland and Irwin Mitchell and Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie believe it will fundamentally enhance the service for current and future clients across the whole of the UK and internationally.”
Fraser Gillies, managing partner at Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie, will continue to head up operations in Scotland.
He said: “This is a landmark moment for our firm. We have expanded considerably over the past decade and this investment will supercharge our growth efforts and provide a clear route into England and Wales, while broadening the services we can offer our clients.
“We share a similar approach, putting our clients and people at the heart of everything we do. We also share similar ambitions for the future, so we are proud to make history together and begin this exciting new chapter.”
Both Irwin Mitchell and Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie have pursued strategic growth plans over the past decade with lateral hires and M&A activity used to grow their businesses in complementary areas and in order to adapt to their clients’ and the market’s needs.
In the past 12 months Irwin Mitchell has also agreed deals to acquire asset management firms TWP Wealth and Andrews Gwynne. The firm has also opened new offices in Cardiff and Liverpool and recruited 18 new partners.
British Steel keeps West Midlands moving with 850-tonne rail order
British Steel has supplied more than 21,000 metres of rails made at Scunthorpe to extend the Midland Metro Alliance between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill – the largest such project currently under construction in the UK.
The extension will be delivered in two phases with the first to Dudley town centre expected to open for passenger services in late 2024. The second phase will see the route further extended to Brierley Hill.
Colas Rail, a partner in the Midland Metro Alliance, visited British Steel’s manufacturing facilities in Scunthorpe to review and approve the manufacturing processes and product quality.
Safe storage and handling of more than 850 tonnes of rail is a challenge, but working in partnership, British Steel and Colas Rail identified and agreed suitable locations through joint site visits. All rails were delivered on time and in full during summer 2023.
Darren Cole, British Steel Account Manager, said: “It is very pleasing to secure the order and provide leading solutions to our customer’s supply chain requirements. The supply of UK Steel into UK rail networks is vital to the wider UK economy, providing significant environmental and social benefits alongside our world class products. We look forward to providing future supply into the West Midlands network.”
Andy Street, Metro Mayor for the West Midlands, has signed the UK Steel Charter, committing to using UK-made steel wherever possible in key projects in his region.
He said: “By signing the UK Steel Charter, we’re signalling our commitment to back British steel – supporting well paid and highly skilled manufacturing jobs and training opportunities that will benefit local people right across our region.
“This initiative can help to increase the amount of high quality steel manufactured in Britain and increase the supply of British made steel contributing to key West Midlands projects. I very much hope our decision will encourage others to follow suit – impacting positively on the supply chain, our region and indeed the wider UK economy in the months and years ahead.”
Tramlines brings £3.8m annual boost to Sheffield’s economy
Events bring millions to Sheffield’s economy, generate community pride and support the wellbeing of residents, according to a new report from Sheffield City Council that looks at the impact of events on the city, including Tramlines.
It’s estimated that Tramlines brings a £3.8 million boost to Sheffield’s economy annually. As well as the festival at Hillsborough Park, which was attended by more than 40,000 people, more than 40 city centre venues took part in The Fringe at Tramlines in 2023, with thousands of people enjoying a free family-friendly event on Devonshire Green during the Fringe.
During September, the council’s Economic Development and Skills and Communities, Parks and Leisure Committees, will be discussing Tramlines festival, the benefits it brings to the city, the recovery of Hillsborough Park after this year’s wet weather and plans for future festivals.
Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development and Skills Committee, said: “Tramlines is an incredible celebration of Sheffield’s musical heritage and emerging talent that attracts artists and fans from the city and beyond to enjoy a weekend of music and creativity.
“As well as putting on an incredible show, both in the city centre and Hillsborough Park, both events provide a welcome boost to the local economy. Tramlines fans spend money on hotels, food and drink and transport, whilst the events provide opportunities for local suppliers, create jobs and work placement opportunities, and helps provide an income to support the running of the city’s parks.”
Tramlines is a major event for Sheffield and has grown to be one of the biggest city-based festivals in the UK since it started in 2009. In that time, the festival has supported more than 200 local artists to play the festival, given 68 work placements to local students and raised £200,000 for local charities. Income generated from Tramlines has helped to fund improvements in Hillsborough Park including improvements to pathways.
As well as economic benefits, hosting events in Sheffield parks helps bring social and health benefits to the city as well. Smaller, neighbourhood events bring communities together and encourage more people to visit their local green spaces, with income made from these events going back into supporting Sheffield’s parks, to ensure more neighbourhoods have access to green space.
Fees from event organisers play an important role in helping the council to manage and maintain the more than 800 parks and green spaces in Sheffield. Income from fees contributes to maintaining and improving green spaces in the city. This includes sharing investment across parks which may be too small or unsuitable to host their own events but still bring a huge benefit to the community.
Councillor Richard Williams, Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee, said: “Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in the UK and we are proud to have so many green spaces for residents to enjoy.
“The council’s budget has faced unprecedented cuts and there will be growing pressures in the years to come. Despite this, customer feedback shows an increase in satisfaction with the quality of Sheffield’s parks and academic research shows how important good quality green spaces are for residents’ wellbeing. Bringing events into our parks gives the council an opportunity to be more ambitious with Sheffield’s green spaces, improve parks for residents and unlock opportunities for local businesses.”
In 2023, the weather throughout Tramlines was incredibly wet, with seven inches of rain falling across the weekend – more than double the average for the time of year. Whilst previous Tramlines festivals experienced some rainfall and the ground held up, this summer far more rain fell than was forecast.
Despite preparing the ground before the festival and bringing in measures to protect the park during the event, the park was damaged and has required substantial repairs. Repairs have taken place during the summer and will be paid for by Tramlines. The park has reopened in sections. The café, multi-use games area, pump track and some grassed areas are now open to enjoy, whist Parkrun has also returned to the park.
Councillor Richard Williams, Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee, said: “Tramlines will remain at Hillsborough Park because it is the best venue for the festival in the city. The fee the festival pays to the council will continue to support maintenance and improvements to the park for the benefit of all users. Festival organisers are always responsible for the cost of works required to reinstate the park after the festival.
“I’d like to thank the local community for their patience as repairs take place, I know the damage caused by the weather conditions during the festival has had an impact on residents, and particularly families during the school holidays. The council will monitor progress to ensure that high quality and sustainable repairs are made in reasonable timeframes for the weather conditions and the park is opened up for use as soon as sections become ready. We will keep working with Tramlines to ensure this level of damage is avoided if extreme wet weather happens during the festival again.”
North Yorkshire aspires to build more than 12,000 new homes in five years
An ambitious new strategy to deliver thousands of homes that meet the needs of communities across North Yorkshire is being developed.
The draft North Yorkshire Housing Strategy provides a framework for housing policies and projects to be undertaken by the unitary council over the next five years.
It includes proposals to tackle homelessness, meet the needs of the ageing population, increase the supply of affordable and available housing and improve the energy efficiency of housing, which would reduce fuel poverty.
It aims to deliver at least 12,685 new homes – of which 4,000 will be affordable – over the next five years. And a council housing growth plan will be drawn up to include increasing the authority’s existing stock of 8,500 homes.
Executive member for housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “This is the first housing strategy of the new North Yorkshire Council and outlines our vision for housing across the county, our priorities and the actions we will take.
“North Yorkshire contains diverse housing markets, with varying housing needs and many challenges, but local government reorganisation has given us a once in a generation opportunity to transform services, drive innovation and improve outcomes for our communities and the people who need the most help.
“We will take a proactive approach to housing delivery, and we will develop a bold plan to deliver more homes, including more affordable properties over the next five years.
“We will use the new combined strength of the unitary authority and the advantage of being a stockholding council to unlock greater resources, access funding opportunities and accelerate housing growth and regeneration, ensuring that we deliver sustainably, and develop inclusive places.
“We are an ambitious council, keen to deliver excellent housing services and be an exemplar social landlord.”
The draft housing strategy follows three key themes – our people, our places and our homes – which look to focus on the following areas:
- Preventing and tackling homelessness.
- Meeting the needs of the ageing population.
- Meeting supported housing needs and the needs of specific groups.
- Growing the supply of affordable and available housing.
- Addressing the rural housing crisis.
- Supporting communities through neighbourhood renewal and regeneration.
- Decarbonising homes.
- Ensuring that new housing supply contributes to the council’s net zero ambitions.
- Addressing stock condition issues.
- Ensuring that council stock remains of a decent standard and continues to improve.
Revival of Sheffield’s historic Leah’s Yard reaches important construction milestone
The ongoing revival of Sheffield’s historic Leah’s Yard on Cambridge Street celebrated an important construction milestone this week, with the building’s new extension reaching its highest point.
Leah’s Yard is seen as the jewel in the crown of Heart of the City – the transformative city centre development programme led by Sheffield City Council and their Strategic Development Partner, Queensberry. The former collection of small industrial workshops is currently being transformed into a new social hub for creative independent businesses.
This Grade II* listed building was recently removed from Historic England’s ‘Building at Risk’ register following preliminary structural and roof work, which has brought the building back into usable condition.
Work on adding a complementary and sympathetic extension to the building, designed to vastly improve public accessibility and create extra commercial space, began earlier this year and the steel structure has now hit its peak.
To celebrate this latest milestone for Leah’s Yard, Sheffield City Council welcomed key representatives from Queensberry, RF Joinery, Turner & Townsend and Lathams, alongside Tom Wolfenden and James O’Hara – the future venue operators – for a tour of the site, along with an official topping-out ceremony.
Councillor Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We are delighted to see Leah’s Yard reach this milestone. The redevelopment of this cherished heritage ensures that the building will remain a key focal point in our city centre for decades to come. This new hub for independent retailers and creative workshops will deliver a modern, fresh and vibrant destination – one that really reflects what Sheffield is all about.”
Andrew Davison, Project Director at Queensberry, added: “Leah’s Yard is progressing well and on track to open early next year. The plans for this space are completely unique and, alongside the neighbouring Cambridge Street Collective food hall and live entertainment venue in Bethel Chapel, we expect it to become the social and cultural heartbeat of the city centre.”
Once completed in Spring 2024, the venue will be run by Tom Wolfenden, who manages the Cooper Buildings on Arundel Street, and James O’Hara, who runs acclaimed bars such as Public and Picture House Social.
The duo plan to breathe new life into the site by transforming it into an experience-led destination for local independent retailers and businesses, creative workshops and social events. A bustling central public courtyard will be surrounded by small boutique shops, while the first and second floors will host around 20 independent working studios.
Tom Wolfenden said: “It’s been a long journey to get to this point, but we’re delighted to finally see the end in sight and can’t wait to open next summer. On the upper floors we’re already starting tours of the offices and studios to build our tenant community.”
James O’Hara continued: “We’re also speaking to independent retailers and starting to map out the exciting tenant mix within the courtyard. We can’t say much at the moment but get ready for some big news over the coming months.”
Holiday home firm Willerby develops ‘all-electric’ model
Hull-based holiday homes designer and manufacturer Willerby has announced it has developed a pioneering all-electric specification enabling its models to be powered solely by electricity on the majority of UK holiday parks.
The move comes hot on the heels of Willerby becoming the first manufacturer in the sector to publish a Sustainability Report, detailing its mission to combat climate change and cut carbon.
CEO Peter Munk says the move underlines Hull-based Willerby’s commitment to making sustainability a cornerstone of the business and to work with partners to pave the way to a green future for the holiday homes industry. It’s the first time Willerby has formally and publicly reported the progress it is making in tackling climate change and reducing carbon emissions, as well as the investments it is making in its people and local community. Willerby has now committed to publishing the Sustainability Report on an annual basis, so that customers, employees and stakeholders can see the full range of initiatives it is driving forward to reduce the environmental impact of the business. The Willerby all-electric specification is a UK holiday home first. The breakthrough reinforces Willerby’s reputation as the sector leader on sustainability and comes ahead of the Great Holiday Home Show, the UK’s biggest outdoor holiday home, caravan and motorhome show, which opens on Friday, September 8. Developed by Willerby’s in-house technical and product development teams, Willerby All-E will be showcased in a Willerby holiday home at the event, which is being staged for the first time at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. Willerby CEO Peter Munk said: “We’re very excited to announce this major breakthrough, which will enable the holiday parks industry to take a big leap forward. “Our Willerby All-E specification is the natural next step on our sustainability journey, following the introduction of the Willerby GreEN Standard last year. “We know holiday home owners share our passion for protecting the planet and recognise that holiday parks already offer one of the most sustainable forms of tourism. Now, this ground-breaking innovation will make holidays and short breaks in Willerby models even greener. “Equally, holiday park operators are committed to sustainability and the Willerby All-E specification will enable them to push ahead in moving from gas to electric energy supply and embrace more ways to generate green electricity on their sites. “We’re inviting visitors to the Great Holiday Home Show to come to the Willerby Village to learn more about Willerby All-E and the sustainability benefits it offers to holiday home owners and holiday park operators.”Housebuilder acquires trio of new Yorkshire sites
The Yorkshire division of housebuilder, Crest Nicholson, has continued its northern growth by entering into contracts on three sites in East Ayton, North Yorkshire, Swanland in East Yorkshire and a third in Wilberfoss, nearby to York.
The new developments will deliver over 250 much needed new homes, a mix of private and affordable housing.
The Swanland site is just over 20 acres and located in a prime position on the southern edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, with Hull to the east, Beverley to the north and the Humber Bridge and A63 within three miles. It will comprise 150 two to five bedroom homes and bungalows, including 25% affordable housing.
Located in the picturesque East Riding village of Wilberfoss, on the outskirts of York, the six acre site will comprise approximately 60 two to five bedroom homes, including 25% affordable housing. Located on Mill Lane, the development will provide an ideal location for those commuting into the city centre.
The East Ayton site is just under five acres in size and located in the popular historical village, on Racecourse Road, five miles south west of Scarborough. A development of 56 new homes will include 30% affordable housing.
Works are expected to start at Swanland in the coming months, and East Ayton and Wilberfoss in early 2024, with sales starting for all three developments from early next year.
Guy Evans, Managing Director at Crest Nicholson Yorkshire, said: “The sites in Swanland, Wilberfoss and East Ayton, are sought after destinations for homebuyers in the region, with strong commuting links and will allow us to provide increased choice of high quality, more energy efficient, new build homes with plenty of amenities nearby. We look forward to starting construction works later this year.”
MAP Charity completes £1.4m refurbishment of Hope Foundry in Leeds
Alternative education provider, MAP Charity has made a huge step towards revitalising Mabgate’s creative business community in Leeds, completing a £1.4m refurbishment of Hope Foundry.
The Grade-II listed building is currently home to the charity’s Education Programme and a small number of creative practitioners and not-for-profit organisations.
The £1.4m project has been funded by grants from Leeds City Council, the European Regional Development Fund and MAP Charity, reflecting a significant investment of public funding into the Mabgate area.
By offering local creative businesses and practitioners access to affordable workspaces, the refurbished first and second floors provides a home for small, independent organisations and start-ups, reinvigorating Mabgate’s reputation as a hub of creativity.
From screen printers to audio mastering engineers, skilled professionals already operate from Hope Foundry, and up to 30 creative businesses will now be able to make Hope Foundry their home.
Strategic property advisors, Fox Lloyd Jones have been appointed by the charity to lead the letting of Hope Foundry, with spaces ranging from 150 to 2,693 sq ft.
The first floor is separated into ten studio workspaces, which are now fully let. The 2,693 sq ft second floor operates as one large workspace available as a whole or in part and is suited to growing creative organisations.
Tom Smith, co-founder of MAP Charity, said: “We’re hugely proud of this major refurbishment and being able to take derelict spaces and turn them into fantastic workspaces. Our aim is to make the building sustainable financially, whilst also offering affordable spaces to creative businesses who want to work with young people.
“In addition to the benefits to potential occupiers, the expanded possibilities following the refurbishment of Hope Foundry are hugely important to MAP Charity’s Education Programme, which works with young people at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).
“By working closely with a community of creative professionals, students will be able to access opportunities to learn skills directly from creative professionals and apply them to real life situations.”
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, culture and education, added: “It’s fantastic to see plans for this beautiful building taking such an important step forward.
“The redevelopment of Hope Foundry will be an important catalyst in revitalising the Mabgate area, which is such a key part of the city for our creative industries, independents and start-ups. The superb work of MAP helps so many talented young people in Leeds to flourish and we’re very proud to be supporting them to develop that work further.”
Nick Salkeld, director at Fox Lloyd Jones, said: “Hope Foundry is paving the way in placing Mabgate at the forefront of a fast-growing hive of creativity bringing together a wide variety of organisations. We are delighted to be working alongside MAP Charity to build this exciting community and play a role in revitalising the iconic Hope Foundry.”
European firm reveals majority investment in Sheffield digital engineering consultancy
European technology solutions and services firm SCC has revealed a majority investment in Nimble, a Sheffield-headquartered, 150-person digital engineering consultancy.
Founded in 1975 by Sir Peter Rigby and with significant footprints in the UK, France, and Spain, SCC has steadily evolved from its reseller roots to offer services in line with technology innovations and customer demand.
The investment announcement marks another significant step in what the company calls its ‘Digital Solutions and Services Provider’ (DSSP) strategy – a plan that will see the company build a 2,000-person European digital consultancy within the decade.
“For decades, our customers across Europe have trusted us to bring value and support in their technology environments,” said James Rigby, CEO of SCC EMEA. “The investment in Nimble – alongside organic investments we have already made in the areas of cloud, cybersecurity, and digital workplace – will enable SCC to bring that same trust and value as they embark on digital transformation journeys.”
Rigby noted that the company’s search for the right firm to “seed” its digital transformation services business ended when he and his team encountered the Nimble team, led by CEO Chris Roberts. While the firm was still relatively young (Roberts founded Nimble in 2016), it had all the traits SCC sought.
“We looked first for a company that shared our values and our commitment around customer service,” explained Rigby. “The way Nimble engages with its clients, the culture Chris and the team have created, and the pragmatic way they make decisions – it felt comfortable from the first conversation and will fit well with the way we are already operating in our Cloud.”
To Roberts and his Nimble team (known as ‘Nimblers’), the opportunity to engage with SCC’s public and private sector clients was the initial draw, as well as the opportunity to expand Nimble’s reach into Europe, and to extend the company’s services by leveraging SCC’s delivery teams in Romania and Vietnam.
“Partnering with SCC gives us rocket fuel to grow Nimble both in the UK and beyond,” noted Roberts. “This gives Nimblers an even bigger playing field to deliver innovation across our current capabilities and to consider new areas where we can help customers accelerate their transformation, including AI.”
SCC will operate Nimble as a separate company under the guidance of Roberts and the current Nimble management team, with additional strategy support to be provided by senior SCC executives.
“With SCC’s global footprint and our investment in cloud services, we had many of the pieces we needed to help clients with digital transformation,” said Christine Olmsted, SCC’s Corporate Development Director, who will also serve as Nimble’s Chief Strategy Officer.
“What we lacked was the front end – a team of seasoned consultants who could help customers envision and articulate their needs and the development and delivery ‘squads’ to then make that vision a reality. With Nimble now on board, SCC can become the full-scale Digital Solutions and Services Provider our customers are seeking.”
Terms of the investment were not disclosed. Nimble was advised by Squire Patton Boggs and Alantra, while SCC advisors included Eversheds Sutherland and Grant Thornton.
City’s football stadium extension starts to take shape
A new Skills & Education Hub at Lincoln City FC’s LNER Stadium is starting to take shape, with the steel frame of the extension to the existing Stacey West stand now complete.
It follows extensive groundworks, which have included a new mains water supply, increased power supply, and a state-of-the-art pitch irrigation recycling system.
Once complete in August 2024, the new building will provide the Lincoln City Foundation with the facilities and office space to expand its social impact work in the local community. New matchday stadium toilet facilities will also be integrated with the existing Stacey West stand.
As part of the work, a new 70,000 litre tank has been installed at the stadium. This will be filled with rain water from the pitch and the roof, via the new irrigation system. The water will then be reused on the pitch. Recycling rainfall in this way will save the club thousands of pounds on its water bill as it relies less on mains supplies.
Richard Shaw, Lindum Group Director, said: “It is fantastic to see the progress being made at the Stacey West project, with the new frame giving us a good idea of what the finished building is going to look like.
“It is important to us that we can not only provide a dynamic space for the Lincoln City Foundation, but also help the club lower its environmental impact and running costs. We are very much looking forward to the completion of the extension and becoming part of the history of the Stacey West stand and the stadium as a whole.”
Damian Froggatt, Director of Operations at Lincoln City Football Club, said: “After four years of planning and having secured over £2m in funding, we are delighted to see construction work well underway. The new build will provide over 1500 square metres of dedicated new space from which Lincoln City Foundation can expand its vital social impact work, further establishing Lincoln City Football Club as a true community club.”
Work can now begin on the brick work and concrete floor slab. Bricklayers started on site at the end of August, giving the people an idea of what it will look like when it is finished.
Business need urgent action to stimulate growth, says Chamber
The British Chambers of Commerce is calling for urgent action from politicians to stimulate economic growth across the UK. Among the key asks are:
- Better planning for business so that firms are not squeezed out of towns and cities.
- Introduction of flexibility in the apprenticeship levy to support everyone in the workplace.
- Strengthened UK-EU co-operation to increase bi-lateral investment levels.
- Dramatic energy grid upgrades to ensure there is sufficient network capacity to meet modern needs.
Non-profit organisation to enjoy new and improved office space thanks to Levelling Up Funding
A charitable organisation providing support to vulnerable adults in Hull will soon enjoy new and improved office space thanks to Levelling Up Funding.
MRC Estates and Letting Agents Limited and its not-for-profit sister company, CU Support, has been granted £54,402.98 for the restoration to the ground floor of 2-4 Baker Street.
Full planning permission has already been approved for three new windows and the installation of roof mounted solar panels and, on completion, the project will create seven full-time equivalent jobs.
The funding, from monies awarded to Hull City Council in 2021 by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, will be match funded by MRC, meaning the overall cost of the project is £108,805.95.
The building will undergo a full refurbishment, with works including a full strip out of the floor space, as well as new doors and frames, air conditioning and ventilation. There will also be new flooring and decorations.
Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, Hull City Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “Levelling Up Funding has provided so many opportunities to regenerate the city centre and this is another example.
“It is great that the council is able to support both a local business and a non-profit organisation at the same time.”
Private sector activity down again, making for a flat year, says CBI
Private sector activity fell again in the three months to August, marking a full year of declining or flat activity, according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator.
Manufacturing was a particular weak spot, reporting a contraction in output of almost 20% – the sharpest isince September 2020 (-19%).
Services also saw a continued downturn in the quarter to August, with business volumes falling at a broadly similar pace to last month (-6% from -8% in July). This reflected another notable contraction in consumer services (-22%) but volumes in business & professional services were broadly unchanged (-2%). Meanwhile, distribution sales stabilised after three rolling quarters of decline (-2%).
Looking ahead, activity is expected to continue falling at a broadly similar pace over the next three months (-6%). Output is expected to stagnate in manufacturing (-3%) and continue to fall slightly in services (-7%) and distribution (-8%).
Alpesh Paleja, CBI Lead Economist, said: “Activity remains weak in the private sector, reflecting difficult trading conditions for businesses and the growing impact of the higher cost of credit. The weakness in manufacturing and consumer services is particularly a stark indication of just how challenging things are.
The upcoming Autumn Statement will need to be mindful of continually challenging conditions for businesses, and ongoing pressure on households from high inflation. It will also need a renewed focus on building the productive capacityof the economy, which is the surest way to drive up growth and living standards”
