Expansion to see 130 jobs created at sweet treats chain
A retailer which sells artisan bakery products from Yorkshire through its outlets nationwide has secured a £250,000 loan from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.
Despite being launched just two years ago, Batch’d already has 24 sites throughout the UK. The funding will support its plans to add more locations, treble its turnover and create 130 new jobs in the next three years.
Batch’d sells high-quality sweet treats such as brownies and cookies from independent Yorkshire bakers. The Leeds-based company was founded by David Richmond who previously ran the taxi firm Arrow Cars. When demand for taxis dwindled during the pandemic, he started offering food deliveries, initially trading as Arrow Fresh.
The company soon began to specialise in bakery products and opened its first shop in the White Rose Centre in Leeds. It now has stores or kiosks in locations including York, Hull, Bradford, Sheffield, Manchester, Preston, Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham and – the latest – Wolverhampton.
Batch’d currently has 120 direct employees, in addition to supporting jobs in independent bakeries, and has a turnover of £6.5m. It plans to increase that to over £20m by 2026 and raise staff numbers to 250. The funding will enable it to install new kiosks, recruit staff to operate them and enhance its ecommerce site, to expand online sales.
David Richmond, CEO, said: “Our strength lies in our suppliers. We handpick the best small-scale bakeries and sell their products across Batch’d locations. We are enormously proud of our range and want everyone to feel included which is why we take our vegan range seriously. This funding will help us to continue our growth and bring Batch’d products to an even wider audience.”
Gary Whitaker of Mercia added: “Batch’d is a great post-Covid success story. David’s transition from running a taxi company to deliveries and then developing a fast-growing artisan bakery chain is truly remarkable. Batch’d is a hugely successful operation that offers high-quality products and supports independent bakers. We are delighted to support its future growth and help it create many more new jobs.”
Wilkin Chapman creates new Directorship role and appoints Jody to it
Law firm Wilkin Chapman has hired Jody Evans to be the Director leading its risk and governance team.
The Directorship is a new role for the firm, ensuring that risk, compliance and governance are represented at a strategic level within the business.
Jody said:“My job is to help the firm remain compliant, creating governance structures to embed risk awareness across all roles and areas. It’s effectively a dual role – supporting the business in making sure that effective processes exist and are followed, and making sure clients receive the best service possible and are protected in their instructions with us.
“In the rare instances where things go wrong, my team and I will manage those incidents to ensure a good outcome, review how the issue has happened, and take steps to help reduce the risk of future recurrence.
“I’ll be helping to create and implement a strategy to ensure the firm, its people and its clients are protected as much as possible.”
As well as ensuring the firm is compliant, Jody’s role also sees her taking a lead in driving Wilkin Chapman’s environmental, social, and governance activities. “Wilkin Chapman already does a lot of fantastic things, particularly in the local community as well as implementing operational changes to ensure we’re more environmentally aware and sustainable. However, previously there hasn’t been a role, or strategy, to spearhead and coordinate those efforts.
“My role looks to change that by bringing all of that activity in line with the firm’s strategy, and ensuring we are measuring, monitoring and reporting those activities. It’s a chance to reset, further embed ESG into our culture, and bring all the great work that’s already happening together in a more coordinated way.
“Applying for the role at Wilkin Chapman was a little bit of a wildcard for me in terms of location as I’m based in North Birmingham – however the forward thinking approach of the firm meant this geographical hurdle was not an issue and so I’ll be working remotely and travelling around the firm’s offices.
“There was more than enough in the job description and in the discussions with the HR team and senior management team to really pique my interest. The passion and drive to ‘be better’ with risk, compliance, and governance being at the heart of this change really came through.
“The firm is at a great junction. It has placed significant investment in its people, infrastructure and offices – such as the new Wolds office in Louth – to ensure client service is delivered at the best possible level and that our people can continue to thrive in the best working environment.
“The firm’s presence within the local area is also fantastic – people know and really trust the brand. Now that all of these investments have been made the opportunity is to build on this excellent foundation to make things even better.
“The other thing that struck me was that everyone I met as part of my recruitment process was so passionate, energetic, engaged, and genuinely wanting to make things even better. From a risk and compliance perspective, that is absolute gold dust! The worst case scenario for me is to join a team who think that everything is already perfect and are reluctant to explore opportunities and adapt to change. That is not Wilkin Chapman at all. This firm recognises that it needs to constantly strive to improve, even when already delivering outstanding service.
“It’s a brilliant firm that I’m really happy to be a part of and I’m looking forward to the future.”
New tenants for industrial business park in Hull
A new industrial business park in Hull is set for success with commercial trade units earmarked for tenants following the completion of the development – and the first two occupiers set to move in.
Careco Limited has taken two adjacent units totalling 6,000 sq ft and Lincs Electrical Wholesalers Limited has agreed to have a 4,350 sq ft unit. The tenants have agreed 10 and five year leases respectively.
Developed by The Derwent Group on behalf of the Albert Gubay Charitable Trust, Anlaby Trade Park in Springfield Way provides 49,000 sq ft of new industrial space in the city.
In total 16 new units have been created in sizes from 1,500 sq ft to 3,550 sq ft.
The new site sits on land adjacent to Anlaby Retail Park – also part of the The Derwent Group – which is an established destination with businesses including M&S, Costa, Pets at Home, Next, Asda Living, Iceland and a JD Gym on site.
Andy McCormack, senior asset manager at the Derwent Group, said: “We were confident in our decision to develop this speculative scheme having recognised a lack of supply of high quality industrial and trade counter units in the area. Whilst we have already secured the first two tenants at the Park, we have also had a number of serious enquiries from other potential occupiers – both locally and nationally.”
Chris Hyam, senior surveyor at Garness Jones, says there has been ‘high levels’ of interest in the development, attracting enquiries from a range of national and local operators.
“We’ve seen excellent levels of interest in this development ever since we commenced marketing. The high quality specification of the units, mixed with the excellent West Hull location and close proximity to the Anlaby Retail Park, has proven popular with potential occupiers,” he said.
“As new build units they are more energy efficient than older stock, which in the current climate is a consideration for occupiers. These units have returned ‘A’ rated energy performance certificates.
“The high levels of interest are a reflection of the need for high-quality, adaptable industrial space in the local market, which has not seen speculative new development of this high quality for a number of years.”
Grimsby retail park acquired
Commercial property and investment company LCP, part of M Core, has taken ownership of the largest retail warehouse scheme in Grimsby.
It has acquired Alexandra Retail Park, Alexandra Road, for an undisclosed sum from an institutional vendor, as part of its proactive acquisition drive in shopping parades, centres and retail parks across the country.
The 125,695 sq ft retail park comprises eight units, with tenants Matalan, SCS, The Food Warehouse, My Energi Ltd, Argos, Pets at Home and Poundstretcher. There are also about 560 parking spaces for shoppers.
It is prominently situated, adjacent to a Sainsburys superstore and petrol station, with access directly off Corporation Road, which is one of the key routes through the centre of the town. It is also close to the A180, the main arterial route and dual carriageway through the town.
James Buchanan, LCP group Managing Director, said: “Our asset management team is working hard to identify sites that have potential for us to add value to, provide good value for money for tenants, a great shopping experience for local people and a good return on our investment.
“M Core has already invested more than £100 million in the first half of 2023 across the UK. We continue to believe this is a strong and positive market to be in and because we have healthy cash reserves, we can move swiftly when we want to complete a transaction.
“This approach has stood us in good stead for years, which is why we are renowned in the commercial property sector for our acquisition and intense asset management strategy.”
Barry Flint, LCP director and asset manager at Alexandra Retail Park, added: “Alexandra Retail Park is well positioned in the town and has a strong tenant line-up. We’ll be exploring options over the next few weeks to see how we can add to it further.”
The solicitor acting on behalf of LCP was Catherine Gunz of Osborne Clarke and ESH acted as the agent for LCP. Savills acted as an agent for the vendor, and its solicitor was Gowling WLG (UK) LLP.
Appointed agents are Henry Phipps of Edgerley Simpson Howe and Duncan Wiley of PPH Commercial.
Significant office deal sealed in Leeds
Property consultancy Knight Frank has brokered one of the most significant office deals in Leeds this year.
The Leeds office agency team of Knight Frank, led by partner Eamon Fox, has let 15,500 sq ft of Grade A office space at 26 Whitehall Road.
Engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald has taken a 10-year-lease on the fifth floor of the building, which is owned by Credit Suisse Asset Management.
Eamon Fox, who advised Credit Suisse Asset Management, said: “This is a very significant deal, underlining the fact that 26 Whitehall Road is one of the finest office buildings in the city.
“It already boasts some high-profile occupiers, including Yorkshire Post Newspapers, global consumer finance business International Personal Finance (IPF), energy company Engie (formerly GDF Suez) and Sky.
“These occupiers underpin the quality of 26 Whitehall Road and its excellent location. It has an enviable combination of low running costs, high-tech features, quality design and superb office space. It is also one of the most energy efficient buildings in Leeds and has recently been refurbished.
“This deal, one of the largest of the last three months, also emphasises the strength of the Leeds office market, which has proved remarkably resilient in the face of the challenging economic climate.”
Lisa Littlefair, Leeds City Lead for Mott MacDonald, said: “Following the continued growth of our business as we deliver work across West Yorkshire and nationally, we’re pleased to be expanding our base in Leeds city centre.
“Being in the business district of the city, between Temple Quarter and Wellington Place, our new office will continue to benefit our staff with excellent local facilities and good travel connections, whilst also offering a contemporary space that fosters a spirit of collaboration and creativity.”
Businesses given chance to support Scarborough and take naming rights to its stadium
Organisations that want to support grassroots sport are being given the chance to secure the naming rights to the home of Scarborough Athletic Football Club.
North Yorkshire Council are asking for bids from organisations that are interested in the naming rights to the community stadium in the coastal town.
The stadium opened in 2017 and represented a return to the town for the fan-owned club, after the former Scarborough Football Club folded in 2007.
Since opening, the stadium, at Scarborough Sports Village, has increased its capacity to more than 3,250 thanks to the on-field success of the team, which now plays in the National League North following two promotions in the last five seasons.
The stadium naming rights would give the selected organisation the chance to become a part in the club’s and the town’s continuing success story, as well as exploit new marketing opportunities and help to support the area’s football and sporting community.
Executive member for culture, leisure and housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for an organisation to become part of the fabric of Scarborough and attach themselves to a team on the rise.
“The football club is at the heart of the community and provides access to sport for children of all ages. This is the chance to help the club to continue to grow.”
Scarborough is managed by ex-Manchester United, Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion footballer Jonathan Greening, who was born in the town.
The stadium is also the base of Scarborough Ladies Football Club and is widely used by the local community for football.
As well as its men’s first and reserve team, Scarborough Athletic also delivers inclusive and walking football offerings, through to academy teams starting at under-sevens. It has recently added female teams at various age groups who participate in the Scarborough and District Minor League.
Minister for Health and Secondary Care meets businesses at Nexus
The UK Minister for Health and Secondary Care visited the University of Leeds to see how the city region is developing innovative healthcare technologies.
Will Quince MP visited Nexus, the University’s state-of-the-art innovation hub, to meet with member businesses and learn more about the region’s strengths in health innovation.
The companies that he visited included: Dedalus, an international industrial group in healthcare software, Videregen, a clinical-stage leader in the restoration of tissue function, with an initial focus on airway diseases, and Atlas Endoscopy, a clinical-stage start-up and University of Leeds spin-out company that is creating the most advanced robotic colonoscopy system.
The Minister also met with Vee Mapunde, programme director of the National Institute for Health Research Surgical MedTech Co-operative. The Co-operative is creating a national network for improving surgical care through technological innovation. The NIHR Surgical MedTech Co-operative is hosted by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and works closely with the University of Leeds in biomedical research.
Professor Nick Plant, deputy vice-chancellor: research and innovation, who welcomed Mr Quince, said: “Working in collaboration with partners across the health and social care sector, our world class research reduces local and global health inequalities and accelerates the development and adoption of new health technologies.
“We welcomed the opportunity to share this vital work with the Minister for Health and Secondary Care during his visit to showcase how we can make a positive impact in the world.”
Gareth Scargill, interim Nexus director, added: “Nexus supports a variety of innovative companies that play an important role in developing healthcare innovation within the region and globally. It was great to highlight some of this work today. Health innovation is a regional strength for West Yorkshire and, collectively, we’re in a great position to deliver a faster and better service for patients.”
Following the visit, Will Quince said on social media: “It was great to see the brilliant work happening in Leeds to drive innovation, including developing new medical technologies to improve surgery. We’re determined to protect tech budgets and embrace innovations. Cutting-edge tech is key to improving care.”
Professional services firm snaps up wealth manager
Leeds-based multi-disciplinary professional services firm, Progeny, has acquired Nottingham wealth manager, Fiscal Engineers.
This will strengthen Progeny’s presence in the Midlands and take its assets under management to £8 billion.
The move will allow the two businesses to combine their expertise, complement each other’s offerings and build on their shared principles, values and strategic thinking.
Fiscal Engineers uses a Family Office approach to provide bespoke services for business owners, entrepreneurs and other individuals who have substantial investment needs.
The company, which is based in Nottingham and also has offices in Birmingham and London, has won a number of awards for financial services and innovation since its launch in 2000.
Fiscal Engineers executive chairman and founder Shane Mullins said: “This move will enable us to keep building on everything we’ve achieved over the course of the past 23 years.
“We believe combining our own unique strengths with Progeny’s will help both businesses fulfil our shared ambitions of delivering a world-class wealth management service and continually improving what we offer to clients.
“We’re very excited about this chance to grow the Fiscal Engineers family, broaden our proposition and deliver even more benefits to our clients, team and professional friends.”
Progeny CEO Neil Moles said: “Over nearly a quarter of a century, Fiscal Engineers has built a highly prestigious advice firm that services a select and extremely discerning client base.
“Their well-researched and methodological approach to providing advice is progressive and effective in equal measure and will add a great deal of value to our own proposition.
“It’s great to be able to welcome Fiscal Engineers and their clients into Progeny as we realise the full potential of two great businesses coming together.”
A team from global law firm Squire Patton Boggs acted as legal adviser to Progeny during the deal. Fiscal Engineers’ side of the transaction was led by the company’s own management team.
Corporate insolvency rate hits 14-year high
The 14-year high number of corporate insolvencies reached this quarter is due to a rise in Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations, administrations and Company Voluntary Arrangements, says Eleanor Temple, chair of the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 in Yorkshire and a barrister at Kings Chambers in Leeds.
She says: “Although Compulsory Liquidations have fallen compared to the last quarter, numbers for this process are the highest we’ve seen in the second quarter of the year since 2019.
“More and more businesses are running out of road or rope. Directors are choosing to close down their firms while the decision is still theirs, while an increasing number of creditors – including HMRC – are turning to winding-up petitions to recover the debts they’re owed.
“When the pandemic ended, many directors thought and hoped things would improve, but instead they’ve faced rising costs, supply chain issues and a customer base that is tightening its purse strings to cope with the cost of living.
“Business owners remain worried about customer demand, rising costs and the state of the economy, while high interest rates may affect access to rescue funding and could deprive saveable firms of a lifeline. Unless the economic picture improves, it’s likely more businesses will need an insolvency process to help resolve their financial issues, and numbers will remain high throughout the rest of this year.
“Turning to personal insolvencies, the trend we’ve seen is down to a fall in Individual Voluntary Arrangement numbers – which suggests that the ongoing cost of living crisis isn’t translating into more people requiring a personal insolvency process at present.
“However, the rise in bankruptcies and Debt Relief Orders suggests that more people are unable to make almost any kind of contribution to repaying their debts this quarter, so have turned to these processes in an attempt to resolve their financial issues.
“Making ends meet is still a key concern for many. People are living in a world where it costs more to keep a roof over their head, put food on the table and keep the lights on, so they’re only spending money on the essentials. Alongside their money worries, job security and the health of the economy are key concerns for many people – while rising interest rates could affect their ability to pay or secure mortgages in the future, and inflation levels will continue to push costs up.
“An increasing number of people are turning to credit cards to pay bills or pay for the basics, which is concerning as people in this position are just one financial shock – like an unexpected bill or a cut in hours at work – away from becoming insolvent.
“Anyone who is worried about their business or personal finances should seek advice as soon as possible. Money worries are one of the hardest topics to talk about, but having that conversation while your concerns are fresh gives you more time to make a decision, more potential solutions for your issue, and usually leads to a better outcome than if you’d waited till the problem became more serious.
“Most R3 members will give potential clients a free consultation to understand more about them and their financial issues and outline the potential options open to them to resolve them.”
First glimpse of Piccadilly Line trains to be built in Goole
The first of the 94-Siemens Mobility built new trains for London’s Piccadilly Line has arrived at the Test and Validation Centre in Wegberg-Wildenrath in Germany from Vienna, where it was built.
Both are a long way from Goole, where half of the new fleet will be built at the new Siemens Mobility site. The site is currently in the final stages of fit-out, with recruitment well under way, ahead of production starting there early next year. Up to £200m is being invested in developing the train manufacturing facility, which will create up to 700 skilled jobs, as well as up to 1,700 in the supply chain and 250 during construction.
Sambit Banerjee, MD for Rolling Stock and Customer Services for Siemens Mobility UKI, said: “The first new Piccadilly line train is now at our world class testing facility in Germany where it will undergo a period of extensive testing. This is the first stage of testing before London Underground’s newest train reaches the UK for further testing and integration in late 2024. I am incredibly proud to see this first train continue its journey towards enhancing passenger experience and transforming rail travel on the Piccadilly line.“
Stuart Harvey, TfL’s Chief Capital Officer, said: “Seeing the first of our new Piccadilly line trains getting ready to undergo rigorous testing clearly demonstrates the hard work that has been going on behind the scenes to build a new fleet of state-of-the-art Tube trains for London. We remain on track for these new Piccadilly line trains, which will see air-conditioning brought to the Deep Tube network for the very first time, to start serving our customers from 2025.
“We hope to follow the introduction of these new trains to the Piccadilly line by doing the same on the Bakerloo line, replacing the 51-year-old trains that it currently operates, and then by introducing new signalling across the Deep Tube lines to realise the full benefits of the new trains.
“However, such large-scale investment will not be possible without continued capital investment from the Government from April 2024. We will continue to work with the Government to make the case for long term investment in London to make it an even better, greener, safer and more successful place for everyone.”
Doncaster housing development is largest of its kind in the UK
Housing 21 has completed at Patent House and Patent Walk in Doncaster – England’s largest net zero volumetric Retirement Living scheme.
Built offsite at M-AR’s factory in Hull, the scheme adopts ‘low carbon specification’ to meet the Future Homes Standard and 2050 net zero targets.
The scheme will enable people aged 55 and over to live independently within a community setting.
More than 60 volumetric modules provide a total of 20 homes, including eight two-bedroom bungalows, as well as a three-storey building featuring six one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments – all available for social rent.
Located off Cooke Street, residents will also be able to enjoy the facilities at another Housing 21 scheme, Minden Court, located adjacent to Patent House and Patent Walk. Minden Court has a spacious communal lounge, which was renovated in 2017 and is surrounded by extensive open-plan gardens featuring outdoor seating.
Tony Tench, Deputy Chief Exec at Housing 21, said:“This has been an incredibly exciting project for us to deliver. We had a very clear objective for developing this scheme. Not only did we want to provide an entirely affordable Retirement Living complex, but we wanted to ensure it could achieve net zero in terms of operational carbon so that we can keep energy costs as low as possible for our future residents.
“While we look forward to welcoming our new residents, we are already looking ahead and have put in place a year-long programme to accurately monitor the energy use of these new homes. This will be reviewed alongside another traditionally built scheme, so we can capture data that will further shape net zero homes of the future.”
Waystone Hargreaves gets planning permission for M18 project
Waystone Hargreaves Land has been given planning permission for a major new phase of industrial development at Unity Yorkshire, close to Junction 5 of the M18.
It’s for Unit A, which will provide 375,000 sq.ft of industrial accommodation on a 20-acre plot. The unit is designed to meet modern occupier requirements.
Unity Connect forms part of the Unity Yorkshire development covering 618 acres. The development has opportunities for commercial and industrial business, residential, retail and leisure developments.
When completed the site will accommodate industrial and warehousing units from about 20,000 to 400,000 sq. ft.
North Yorkshire asks tourism businesses to highlight their priorities for the region
Tourism businesses are being given the chance to highlight their priorities and fine-tune the first strategy of its kind to help to attract thousands more visitors to the county and support the multi-million pound industry.
The visitor economy is said to be a cornerstone of North Yorkshire’s economic vitality, bringing in more than £1.5 billion a year from domestic visits alone.
A new strategy aims to boost the visitor economy and support tens of thousands of workers who are employed in the sector, while also attracting a wider and more diverse range of visitors to the county.
The destination management plan is set to provide the first countywide approach to promoting the visitor economy following the launch of the council in April.
A series of events will be held this month to gather information and views from key organisations and enterprises involved in the visitor economy to help to shape a draft document for the destination management plan.
Council leader Carl Les said: “The visitor economy is so important to North Yorkshire, and we are proud to give everyone who comes to the county the warmest of welcomes.
“It is vital that we take into account the views of all those businesses and partner organisations which are involved in the visitor economy to help to develop the destination management plan.
“This is such a key moment for North Yorkshire as we develop the first countywide strategy to promote the visitor economy, and we are committed to supporting the sector while attracting more visitors to enjoy what is such a wonderful part of the country.”
As part of the public engagement for the draft destination management plan, invitations are being sent out to tourism businesses for the workshops, which are free and will be staged both in person and online.
Attendees will be asked about their priorities and aspirations for the tourism industry as well as the strengths, opportunities and challenges being faced by North Yorkshire’s visitor economy.
Sessions will be held at:
- The Garden Room at Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn on Friday,11 August.
- The Old Deanery in Ripon on Tuesday, 15 August.
- Whitby Pavilion on Tuesday, 15 August.
- Harrogate Convention Centre, Wednesday, 16 August.
- North Yorkshire Council’s offices in Skipton on Wednesday, 16 August.
- The Civic Centre in Selby on Wednesday, 16 August.
- Mercury House in Richmond on Thursday, 17 August.
- Scarborough Spa on Friday, 18 August.
- Pickering Memorial Hall on Tuesday, 22 August.
Wykeland Group secures further retailer for its Flemingate development in Beverley
The Flemingate centre in Beverley has attracted another major retailer with footwear chain Shoezone arriving in the East Yorkshire market town.
Flemingate is owned and operated by Hull-based property development and management business Wykeland Group, which has secured Shoezone to occupy a 4,500 sq ft unit in the heart of the centre.
Wykeland Property Director David Donkin said: “We’re delighted that another national retailer has chosen Flemingate for its latest opening.
“The arrival of Shoezone is another major vote of confidence in Flemingate and reflects the popularity of the centre among both local customers and visitors to the town.
“We now have one of Britain’s favourite footwear stores in our line-up, which complements the great mix of fashion, food, films, fun and so much more that Flemingate has to offer”.
Yorkshire Building Society names new Non-Exec Director
Yorkshire Building Society has confirmed Debra Davies as an new Non-Executive Director.
Debra has more than 30 years’ experience in financial services, with the majority of her career at American Express where she gained deep and broad experience at senior levels in customer focused roles, both consumer and business-to-business.
She also currently serves on the Board at AXA UK PLC and Intrum AB.
John Heaps, Chair of Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Debra has considerable experience, skill and knowledge in the financial services sector. Her focus on renumeration and risk and her great interest in social purpose and sustainability will, I’m sure, be of considerable value as we continue to grow and develop.”
In addition to the non-executive role, Debra will also chair the Society’s remuneration committee, subject to regulatory approval.
Debra said: “Yorkshire Building Society’s strong mutual heritage and clear customer-focused approach was particularly appealing. I’m looking forward to using my experience and expertise to ensure, among many other things, we’re attracting and rewarding the best talent to lead and deliver outcomes that are in the best interests of our membership as a whole.”
Architect trusted with board role
An architect from York has been appointed to York Civic Trust’s board of trustees. The organisation helps safeguard the city’s heritage buildings and historic monuments.
Matt Seddon is an associate director at Brewster Bye Architects in Leeds, where he has worked for almost 20 years. His architecture work includes the acclaimed restoration of the historically important crescent at St Leonard’s Place in York city centre, which has been transformed back into grand houses and apartments.
Matt said: “The York Civic Trust is a membership organisation that is run by volunteers for the benefit of everyone who lives, works and visits the city.
“As well as owning and running Fairfax House, which is an impressive Georgian town house dating back to the 1760s in the centre of York that is open to the public, the trust is involved with several restoration projects throughout the city. It also provides the City of York Council with crucial planning reports and recommendations.
“My role will be to provide a contemporary viewpoint and insight into the most recent planning rules and regulations when reviewing policy documents and creating planning reports for the Local Authorities and Council on behalf of the trust.
“I will also help the board of trustees to review and consider new uses for the historic buildings it is responsible for. It’s a fascinating role that will allow me to play a part in the protection of some of the city’s most interesting and historic buildings.”
York Civic Trust also works with local primary and secondary schools across the city as well as the University of York to educate pupils and students about the importance of York’s history and architecture. It is responsible for awarding and erecting the famous blue plaques seen on many buildings across the city.
Plans submitted for phase one of Attercliffe Waterside scheme
Sustainable developer Citu has submitted plans for the first phase of the landmark Attercliffe Waterside scheme in Sheffield.
The 23-acre urban regeneration scheme, which will transform brownfield land either side of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, will be one of the largest zero carbon communities in the UK, featuring more than 1,000 homes alongside climate conscious creative workspaces, an arts venue and retail opportunities to bring the neighbourhood to life.
The first phase, located on the north side of the Sheffield and Tinsley canal, will develop the heart of the district, transforming six existing buildings into the new neighbourhood’s cultural centre including bars, an independent bakery, music venue and art studios.
A public and commercial square will be created, alongside a series of walkable, south facing courtyard areas and new routes down to the canal. A new pedestrian and cycling footbridge will connect phase one to the south side of the river.
Phase one will also include 447 new homes including a mix of apartments and houses, built using Citu’s timber-framed housing system which combines bold architecture with flexible designs, and sustainable, low carbon materials to ensure the highest standards of energy efficiency.
The houses will be constructed on a podium which sits above an under-croft carpark and there are plans to remove cars from the particular stretch of Effingham Road, to replace with pedestrianisation, public realm and incorporation of a cycle lane, as part of the developer’s ambition to create a car-free landscape.
If planning is approved, work will begin on the leisure and commercial elements of the scheme in the autumn and due to complete in 2024, ahead of construction starting on the homes in 2025.
Chris Thompson from Citu said: “Our vision is for this area to become a new destination in Sheffield, filled with independent, creative, and spirited businesses to kickstart the regeneration of Sheffield’s East end.
“For so long, this part of the city has remained derelict and underused, and we were keen once the development deal was signed in May to swiftly move forward with our planning submission.
“We’ve prioritised the leisure and commercial elements of the scheme first to put this area on the map as a place to visit and enjoy, and then when the homes are built, a place to live.
“We’re not just building homes, we’re creating a new neighbourhood complete with its own identity, one that incorporates the heritage and beautiful waterside location of this place. And underpinning this, is our ambition to establish a low carbon community that will enable future generations to live more sustainable lifestyles.”
Citu has major ambitions for the scheme to set new standards of sustainability for Yorkshire, building on its multi-award-winning treatment of previously vacant or derelict brownfield land which include low-carbon residential neighbourhoods in Kelham Island, and the Climate Innovation District to the south of Leeds city centre.
The land at Attercliffe Waterside, which is owned by Sheffield Council, was brought to market in 2019 and billed as ‘one of the most exciting development opportunities in the north of England’. In May of this year, it was announced that Sheffield City Council and Citu had exchanged contracts on a development agreement for the site.
Cllr Ben Miskell, chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “It is fantastic to see the next stage in this development coming forward to create 1000 new zero carbon homes in Attercliffe. If approved, the scheme will provide much needed homes for the city, and will complement ongoing Levelling Up and Transforming Cities projects set to rejuvenate the once thriving area.”
BRM welcomes new senior associate
BRM, a commercial and private client law firm providing advice and services to businesses and individuals in Derbyshire, South Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire, continues to grow with a new senior associate solicitor, Travis Wood, joining the Sheffield Real Estate division.
Travis joins BRM from a large Midlands firm and has significant experience in property development and investment work across a number of sectors. His appointment will enable the Sheffield property team to continue to support and grow its client base in the city and beyond.
James Alger, head of the Sheffield Real Estate department at BRM, said: “We are pleased to have added an experienced and commercially focused senior associate in Travis to our team in Sheffield. He possesses the technical quality and affability we always look for in what is a very challenging recruitment market presently. He will be a great asset to the team.”
Travis, who has recently relocated to Sheffield to join the firm, says: “I am enthusiastic about my move to the firm, known for its high quality of work and strong commercial focus and I am delighted to have moved to Sheffield at an exciting time in the city’s continued growth and redevelopment.
“I particularly enjoy climbing in my spare time and with the close proximity of the Peak District there could not be a better place to combine work and recreation.”
Travis’ appointment is another in a long line of appointments made by BRM recently. Together with other recent hires, the Real Estate team now numbers 25 lawyers across the firm’s offices.
Adrian Sheehan, executive director and head of Real Estate, says: “The Commercial Property legal market in South Yorkshire is dynamic with existing firms active and new ones coming to the region.
“Our expansion supports our desire to manage our clients’ requirements in an efficient and flexible manner tailored to their business. We believe this appointment will help us maintain our strong service levels and the growth of the team will add to the breadth of expertise we offer. We are happy to welcome Travis to the firm.”
More than half residential landlords prefer selling up to energy efficiency upgrade work
Residential landlords in the UK are more likely to sell their properties rather than make the energy-efficient upgrades needed to meet the government’s new EPC ratings by 2025, according to a survey by York-based Green Building Renewables.
Its survey revealed that 63% of landlords in the UK are considering selling rather than making the energy-efficient upgrades necessary to meet the government’s new Energy Performance Certificate ratings in the next two years.
From April 1, 2025, the minimum EPC rating will be raised from E to C for new tenancies and for existing ones from April 1, 2028.
MD Chris Delaney said: “The results from this survey are startling. The fact that such a high percentage of landlords would rather sell their energy-inefficient properties than improve them with technologies like solar panels and heat pumps raises some significant questions for the government and policymakers.
“Eighty per cent of the buildings that exist today will exist in 2050; as a nation, we have a serious responsibility to transform our buildings and make them more energy efficient, and residential landlords have a critical role to play in this transition.
“The fact that so many were concerned about the costs suggests that something has fundamentally gone wrong in the messages and their understanding of energy-efficient upgrades. Improving the fabric of their properties and installing technologies like heat pumps should be seen as an investment and not a financial burden in the properties they own.”
Despite a range of incentives to upgrade properties, 41% of landlords anticipate spending between £5,000 and £10,000 per property, and more than a quarter expect costs to exceed £10,000. The perceived financial burden seems to be deterring landlords from seeing these upgrades as an investment in their properties’ long-term value.
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were 3.4 million UK residential lettings in 2023. The data shows the average rent in the UK has been rising in recent years. In 2023, the average rent for a two-bedroom property in England was £1,098 per month, and the average rent for a three-bedroom property was £1,327 per month.
Philip Fellowes-Prynne, CEO of Green Building Renewables’ parent company Efficient Building Solutions, added: “We call upon policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the wider community to collaborate and explore innovative solutions to make upgrading properties as attractive a possibility as it is beneficial to the buildings and the UK economy.
“By developing robust financial incentives, streamlining bureaucratic processes, and implementing comprehensive educational campaigns, landlords should be empowered to embrace energy efficiency as a smart business strategy and a crucial step towards a greener future.”
Exploring the future of digital construction: an insight into #Dcw2023
Waldeck were back at Excel London for another insightful Digital Construction Week! This year’s theme was around ‘Exploring the Future’.
This year Associate Director, Veronica Ruby-Lewis, attended Digital Construction Week (DCW) 2023 on behalf of Waldeck; a conference committed to driving architecture and design, construction, engineering, and operation forward by focussing on new technology that can improve project delivery and team collaboration.
Following the event, Veronica told us about her top industry insights to take away. Veronica shares: “This year’s programme had a lot on offer, it was great to attend some very insightful presentations across the various stages.
“Seminars of particular interest for me were in relation to the Building Safety Act, including ‘Building Safety Act 2022 – How Digital Solutions can help Industry Unleash the Potential of the Golden Thread’ and ‘The Golden Thread to ESG: The Built Environment’s Opportunity & Calling’.”
In summary, her top 3 insights from the event covered the ‘Golden Thread’, Technologies and a Digitalised Construction Industry:
The ‘Golden Thread‘
As the UK construction industry prepares for the Building Safety Act to arrive later this year, a key topic at DCW was the ‘Golden Thread’, a term which emerged following Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of the Building Regulations and Fire Safety in response to the Grenfell devastation.
Hackitt’s recommendation for the government to mandate a digital (by default) standard of record-keeping raised some questions about how the industry goes about delivering it.
It has been made quite clear, that whilst the government has detailed what information shall be made accessible within this Golden Thread, it is important for the industry to not wait around in the hope that the government will mandate how we deliver it, as this isn’t going to happen.
The Golden Thread isn’t an ‘off-the-shelf software solution’, the standards have been set by government and are what we must adhere to, but it is up to us, being the duty holders to determine what tools are used to deliver against those standards, hence why the industry has such a wide range of tools available.
Technologies
Amongst the array of talks across the various stages, the new asset management stage had an inspiring session on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, thought to be the biggest restoration challenge the UK industry has seen!
The presentation showcased the power of available technology today, and how it can be leveraged for one of the UK’s most complex historic building renovations, demonstrated through:
Retrospectively creating a fully operational physical asset; recreating a detailed Revit model from 10,000+ scans, with integration, and analysis of data from sensors or other sources to monitor and optimise the performance of an asset.
Optimising geometry for real-time interrogation; Revit models comprising only of data rich components to aid decision making, whilst utilising the point cloud data as the backdrop to aid locating and navigation.
Enhancing internal spaces; utilisation of machine learning to turn 2D images into 3D models.
Engaging stakeholders; creating interactive digital environments to improve understanding of a building, aid decision making, and rehearse construction scenarios.
Digitalised Construction Industry
It is extremely clear that ‘Building Safety’ is a driver for a digitalised construction industry, with standardised product information being key to minimise risk, but how do we move to this?
A panel discussion, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt, with representatives from across the construction process highlighted the mammoth task of sifting through existing product data so that only useful data is shared with the supply chain.
As a result, with the designers having all the data available to them about a product from the manufacturer, they would be able to make the decision and select the right product, meaning the industry could see what is being designed as actually what is being built.
Final Thoughts
Veronica concluded: “One of my key takeaways from the day, is that the industry plays a pivotal role in the safety of occupants, and the Building Safety Act 2022 ensures tragedies, such as Grenfell, do not happen again.
“In addition to this, and as discussed in one of the sessions ‘The Golden Thread to ESG: The Built Environment’s Opportunity & Calling’, what we at Waldeck, other consultants across the industry and our clients must now do is take this opportunity to look at environmental and social considerations in design that impact occupants directly or indirectly, such as energy efficiency, adoption of renewable energy sources and public spaces to name a few, going some way to meet the UK’s sustainability targets.”
Technologies
Amongst the array of talks across the various stages, the new asset management stage had an inspiring session on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, thought to be the biggest restoration challenge the UK industry has seen!
The presentation showcased the power of available technology today, and how it can be leveraged for one of the UK’s most complex historic building renovations, demonstrated through:
Retrospectively creating a fully operational physical asset; recreating a detailed Revit model from 10,000+ scans, with integration, and analysis of data from sensors or other sources to monitor and optimise the performance of an asset.
Optimising geometry for real-time interrogation; Revit models comprising only of data rich components to aid decision making, whilst utilising the point cloud data as the backdrop to aid locating and navigation.
Enhancing internal spaces; utilisation of machine learning to turn 2D images into 3D models.
Engaging stakeholders; creating interactive digital environments to improve understanding of a building, aid decision making, and rehearse construction scenarios.
Digitalised Construction Industry
It is extremely clear that ‘Building Safety’ is a driver for a digitalised construction industry, with standardised product information being key to minimise risk, but how do we move to this?
A panel discussion, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt, with representatives from across the construction process highlighted the mammoth task of sifting through existing product data so that only useful data is shared with the supply chain.
As a result, with the designers having all the data available to them about a product from the manufacturer, they would be able to make the decision and select the right product, meaning the industry could see what is being designed as actually what is being built.
Final Thoughts
Veronica concluded: “One of my key takeaways from the day, is that the industry plays a pivotal role in the safety of occupants, and the Building Safety Act 2022 ensures tragedies, such as Grenfell, do not happen again.
“In addition to this, and as discussed in one of the sessions ‘The Golden Thread to ESG: The Built Environment’s Opportunity & Calling’, what we at Waldeck, other consultants across the industry and our clients must now do is take this opportunity to look at environmental and social considerations in design that impact occupants directly or indirectly, such as energy efficiency, adoption of renewable energy sources and public spaces to name a few, going some way to meet the UK’s sustainability targets.” 