British Steel sections used in major airport development
British Steel’s sections are being used in a £200million development at Teesside International Airport’s Business Park South.
When fully operational it will create up to 4,400 jobs in its 1.9 million square feet of logistics, distribution, and industrial buildings.
Key progress has now been made on the first unit of the development with more than 40 tonnes of steel brought onto the site. Work on the new link road to connect the business park is also now nearing completion after beginning earlier this year.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “The first steel on the business park and the construction of the link road are further visible evidence of the excellent progress we are making to transform Teesside Airport from not just a great place for passengers but also as a superb location for business.
“The involvement of local companies and the use of British Steel shows we are ensuring that major projects such as this directly benefit firms and workers in our area.”
Ben Cunliffe, British Steel’s Commercial Director, Construction, said: “We are proud to be supplying our steel into this prestigious development on Teesside.
“British Steel has a vital role to play in supporting the economic growth of the region, and the wider UK, and projects like this demonstrate our commitment to manufacturing the high quality products our customers require.”
Both the link road and first unit are scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
Work completes on Leeds high school extension
The main phase of work on a contemporary two-storey extension at an outstanding Leeds high school completed this week, helping to increase student capacity by over 400.
The lead contractor on the project, Henry Boot Construction, started construction on the new 2,500m2 extension at Allerton High School on King Lane in June 2022.
In addition to the extension, which sees the school’s capacity grow from 1,400 to 1,840, the project added attractive new outdoor landscaping, modernisations to the car park – including new EV charging facilities, and minor refurbishment to an existing block.
In total, the development has added multiple new classrooms and offices, a bespoke suite of rooms to house provision for students with SEND, PE changing rooms, a staff room, a meeting room, a new cafeteria and a kitchen. Now that this primary stage of the development is complete, installation of a Sport England football pitch will begin, with completion set for late 2023.
In September 2022, Allerton welcomed an additional 60 Y7 pupils, aged 11, as part of a phased plan to add more than 400 pupils over the next few years. The new building extension enables the school to add to the overall capacity without greatly increasing individual class sizes – providing the best possible learning environment for their students.
Yorkshire-based Henry Boot has worked closely with Leeds Local Education Partnership, Leeds City Council and design partner NPS Group on this project.
Henry Boot Construction Managing Director, Tony Shaw, said: “We’re delighted to have successfully completed the extension work on Allerton High School. We’ve undertaken a truly collaborative approach alongside the design team, the Council, our local supply chain and, of course, the school itself.
“Consequently, the project ran smoothly and Allerton staff will now have the rest of the summer to get used to their new surroundings and plan for the next academic year.”
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education, said: “We want to ensure that all children in Leeds continue to have access to the best possible education.
“The completed development at Allerton High School will ensure there are more school places available for local children which is a strong focus for the council. It also means that current and new pupils will enjoy and benefit from an enhanced learning environment.”
Andy Haigh, Deputy Headteacher at Allerton High School, added: “Allerton High School is delighted to move into this well-designed and well-constructed building.
“The new classrooms will provide an excellent learning environment for our growing school community and the new cafeteria will allow all our students to enjoy their breaks in comfort.”
Leeds United’s Elland Road ground named as an Asset of Community Value
Leeds United’s Elland Road ground has been named as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) by Leeds City Council.
The council placed Elland Road on its list of ACVs after considering a nomination from the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust (LUST) that was backed by the football club.
The award of ACV status to a building or piece of land means that, should an owner decide to sell, then the local community will normally be given an opportunity to bid for it on the open market.
Elland Road was originally named by the council as one of the city’s ACVs in late 2017, following a previous nomination from LUST.
Under the terms of the Localism Act 2011, sites remain on a local authority’s ACV list for five years at a time.
LUST’s newly-approved nomination was submitted after the recent expiry of Elland Road’s original listing period.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “The council can confirm that Elland Road has been included in its list of Assets of Community Value following a nomination by the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust.
“As is standard procedure, the nomination was carefully assessed by the council according to criteria set out in the Localism Act 2011.
“When those criteria are met, as they were in this case, then the building or piece of land in question becomes an Asset of Community Value.”
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Elland Road is part of the fabric of life in our city, so I’m delighted that it has once again been confirmed as an Asset of Community Value.
“As a season ticket holder, I know how much the ground means to all Leeds fans. It’s seen plenty of ups and downs over the years, but it is our home and long may it remain so.
“As a council, we are hugely proud of Leeds’s reputation as a top-class sporting city and the role that famous venues like Elland Road play in raising our national and international profile.”
49ers Enterprises takes ownership of Leeds United
The EFL has approved the sale of Leeds United Football Club to 49ers Enterprises – the strategic arm of the San Francisco 49ers focused on investments in teams, leagues and other sports properties – paving the way for the immediate transition of ownership.
Paraag Marathe, previously vice chairman and board member of the club, will take over as Leeds United chairman. In this role, Marathe will oversee all aspects of the club, including football and business operations, and drive the strategy to fight for promotion back to the Premier League in the 2023-2024 season.
Marathe takes over from Andrea Radrizzani, who has been majority owner of Leeds United since 2017.
Angus Kinnear, CEO of Leeds United and board member, will remain in his current position, and continue to direct the club’s day-to-day operations.
Rudy Cline-Thomas, founder and managing partner of MASTRY, will join the board as co-owner and vice chairman of the club.
“This is an important moment for Leeds United and we are already hard at work,” said Marathe. “This transition is a necessary reset to chart a new course for the club.
“We have already appointed a highly-respected first team manager with a track record of success, and we are confident Leeds will field a competitive squad to contend for promotion next season. It’s a privilege to carry this torch as I know we have a responsibility to ensure this club makes our staff, players, supporters, and the Leeds and Yorkshire communities proud.”
Cline-Thomas added: “With my family hailing from Leeds, it’s an honour to be able to uplift this incredible community. This is more than just an opportunity, it’s a personal mission. The chance to reinvigorate the cherished Leeds culture, to create a platform that attracts the world’s finest players, and build a truly global brand that celebrates diversity, is a prospect that thrills me.”
49ers Enterprises, led by Marathe and 49ers CEO Jed York, has steadily supported and increased its investment in Leeds United over the past five years. Moving forward, the group will look to enhance all aspects of the club both on and off the pitch.
Marathe, Kinnear, and the club recently announced the appointment of Daniel Farke as first team manager. The club’s leadership has also been laying the groundwork to build a successful squad by retaining key players from last season’s team as well as bringing in new talent.
“49ers Enterprises is bringing fresh leadership, management, and a commitment to investment, which I’m confident will meet our ambition to compete for promotion and remain in the top flight as an established Premier League Club,” said Kinnear. “I know Paraag, Rudy and 49ers Enterprises will keep supporters central to their plans during their custodianship and I am excited to work in realising the true potential of this great club.”
Radrizzani said: “It has been an honour to guide Leeds United over the last six years and to spend so much time with the best fanbase in the world. 49ers Enterprises have been fantastic partners for years and I’m confident they will take Leeds to the next level.”
Yorkshire technology consultancy partner appoints new head of implementation
Technology consultancy partner true9 has appointed Jenna Bennett as the business’s new head of implementation.
Based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, true9 is an established technology consultancy partner that works with businesses seeking cutting-edge digital products and services.
The business has collaborated with organisations such as Channel 4, Lloyds Private Banking and the NHS across a diverse range of projects.
New head of implementation Jenna Bennett will be tasked with helping to lead further business growth as true9 approaches a milestone ninth birthday.
Jenna’s new role will see her engage with clients and colleagues to ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of projects, utilising her significant experience of delivering small, medium and large business solutions across a career in software in technology.
true9 managing partner Chris Richardson said: “Jenna’s appointment is a great milestone for our business and helps to level up our service to clients and overall efficiency.
“Jenna has proven herself to be a highly motivated, hardworking individual with significant experience and a passion for empowering organisations by providing client-focused service and support.
“These qualities make her the perfect fit for true9 as our new head of implementation.”
About her new role, Jenna said: “It’s a proud moment for me to join such a passionate and innovative group of people in such an important role. true9’s values and philosophies are very much in keeping with my own and I’m excited to drive efficiency and add value for our clients as part of this hardworking team.”
Drax commits £1.5m to help schools become more energy efficient
The Drax Foundation has committed £1.5 million this year to help schools install energy-efficient LED lights and solar panels, and deliver energy saving monitoring and education.
The firm, which owns Drax Power Station near Selby, established the Drax Foundation earlier this year to provide grant funding to non-profit organisations in the regions where it operates. The installation of energy-efficient LED lighting initiative is currently being piloted at the following five schools local to Drax’s operations in England:- Barwic Parade Community Primary School in Selby
- Kirk Sandall Junior School in Doncaster
- Selby Abbey Primary School
- Triangle Primary School in Sowerby Bridge
- Great Clacton Junior School in Clacton-on-Sea
Apex Group chosen to provide asset management services for Sheffield Forgemasters
Global asset management specialists Apex Group has been selected by Sheffield Forgemasters to provide long-term support for its major recapitalisation programme.
Sheffield Forgemasters is set to replace significant amounts of plant and equipment to deliver on its re-capitalisation plan, which will see whole new machining facilities created for defence-critical manufacture.
Apex will provide used equipment management services to generate the maximum business benefits for the heavy engineering specialist through the strategic and sympathetic disposal of its surplus industrial assets.
Steve Marshall, manufacturing transformation director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “As we progress with our recapitalisation programme, we have a requirement to dispose of numerous assets which will be replaced with state-of-the-art machining facilities.
“The appointment of a dedicated asset management group ensures that these machines are disposed of efficiently, securing maximum return on those assets and ensuring compliance with environmental best-practice.”
Five large machines are scheduled for disposal by the end of 2023, including large horizontal boring machines and lathes, with a further three ultra-large machines scheduled to go by the end of 2026. 2027 – 2028 will see seven more ultra-large machines decommissioned.
Steve added: “These assets are some of the largest machines of their kind in Europe, so decommissioning them is a key logistical project. Consideration of the circular economy through this disposal process will be a priority, ensuring that precious resources are re-utilised where possible.”
Apex Group aims to bridge the gap between buyer and seller, using a trading platform, a global buyer database, and targeted marketing and sales strategies in the disposal of Sheffield Forgemasters’ mature assets.
Apex Group’s Managing Director, Stephen Dugard, said: “Apex is proud to be involved with this iconic UK company at this time of major strategic investment and growth. It is great to add an organisation with the stature of Sheffield Forgemasters to our expanding list of corporate accounts working under long-term master services agreements.”
Scarborough firm gets £10,000 grant from ‘Made Smarter’ programme
A grant of almost £10,000 is helping Scarborough tech company Castle Group boost services and production buy investing in new equipment as it looks to expend its client base.
Castle Group Ltd, which offers a range of services to monitor levels of noise and vibration in the environment, will now be able to speed up its production processes and provide extra support to clients.
MD Simon Bull said: “The grant means we can purchase a system allowing us to test the functionality of vibration accelerometers – which are devices that measure vibration levels, whether that’s in a workplace or out in the environment.
“This in-turn means we can provide test certificates to customers detailing the specific performance profile of their own measurement devices.
“Part of our five-year business growth plan is to expand our calibration offer and increase the number of customers who use this service. The capability provided by the grant will allow us to achieve this.”
Mr Bull said that as well as being able to offer a new service, the equipment would also speed up production testing of new products, allowing the firm to increase automation and free-up staff for other area of the Scarborough tech company.
The grant came following a successful bid to the Government’s Made Smarter programme, which is run in conjunction with York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.
The Growth Hub’s Mike Pennington said: “This is a great win for one of the companies which make up North Yorkshire’s coastal economy. I’m looking forward to seeing the Castle Group go from strength to strength.”
Small firms urged to offer opinions in FSB’s high street survey
Northern Lincolnshire’s SMEs are being invited to have their say on the future of the high street by taking part in a UK-wide survey by the Federation of Small Businesses on issues such as business rate relief, public transport and parking, access to cash and street cleaning.
The findings will be analysed, and recommendations then submitted to the UK National government, local authorities, and politicians to help the regions high streets to flourish into the future.
Paula Gouldthorpe, FSB Development Manager for South Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “I encourage all small businesses across Northern Lincolnshire, from its city centre, towns, villages and coastal communities to spare just a few minutes to take part in the FSB Future of the High Street survey.
“High streets are essential for small businesses, providing a platform for commerce and a sense of community pride, as well as opportunities for social interaction, events, and cultural activities. Sustainable high streets are key to flourishing urban and rural areas and for the success of our seaside towns. The more responses we get from businesses in communities across Northern Lincolnshire, the better their specific views can underpin recommendations.”
The public highly values small businesses on the high street, according to recent research by FSB and Public First; A majority of respondents said that small businesses were more important than large businesses for the following categories: Keeping traditional craft and skills alive (78%), pride in local communities (76%), providing unique services and products (72%), and growing the local economy (57%).
The survey will run from 13 July to the 27 July and can be found at https://www.fsbbigvoice.co.uk/FSBHighStreetsSurvey– external site
Study explores running HS2 trains into Leeds and improving Bradford rail connections
The government is considering options for running HS2 trains to Leeds and reassessing evidence to improve rail connections in Bradford.
The Leeds Study, which will take until 2025, is said to deliver on a commitment made in the government’s £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan, and will consider a number of potential options to run HS2 trains into the city centre.
It will consider capacity at Leeds Station and take into account local views, as well as factors such as disruption, economic development, value for money, affordability, deliverability and timescales.
The government says it remains committed to upgrading and electrifying the existing line between Bradford Interchange and Leeds, which could deliver a 12-minute journey time and help decarbonise the railway within the next decade. Government will also reassess evidence to improve connectivity in Bradford, including examining the case for a new station.
Meanwhile, £40 million is being provided to West Yorkshire Combined Authority to support its development of the mass transit system, which will deliver integrated public transport options and offer a greener, quicker and more reliable option of travel.
Thorpe Park to subsidise sustainable travel initiative
Thorpe Park Developments is to help fund an Arriva bus service through Thorpe Park Leeds and The Springs from this Sunday, capping the flat fare at £2.
Adam Varley, Development Director at Scarborough Group International, 50:50 joint venture partner of Thorpe Park Developments Ltd, said: “With more than 6,500 people working on the site, and thousands of visitors each week to The Springs, there is a strong demand for sustainable public transport connections which, as the Park reaches its next phase of maturity and as we add further workspace and amenities, the demand will further intensify.”
Arriva’s 165 and 164 bus services will run through Thorpe Park and The Springs at 15-minute intervals throughout the day, Monday to Saturday, with a slightly reduced frequency in the evenings, as well as on Sundays.
The bus services will provide convenient connections to nearby destinations including Cross Gates, Garforth, Sherburn, Selby, Kippax and Leeds City Centre. Arriva is offering a special family ticket price and £2 flat fares for all passengers.
Gregory Properties starts speculative build at Sheffield Business Park
Gregory Properties has started work on the speculative build of a 33,000 sq ft industrial unit on a two-acre site at Europa Link on the Sheffield Business Park, expecting to complete by January next year.
Sheffield-based BDB Design Build is the principal contractor working alongside The Harris Partnership, Eastwood & Partners and RPP Group.
Nick Gillott, Development Director at Gregory Properties, said: “Sheffield Business Park is a prime strategic site already recognised as a hotbed of cutting-edge industry and is well placed for last mile logistics operators serving the Sheffield City Region.”
The Sheffield office of Knight Frank is appointed to market the property. Harry Orwin-Allen, Senior Surveyor at Knight Frank, said: “The industrial and distribution sector across Yorkshire continues to be buoyant, with demand from a range of sectors. The development of Unit T1 Sheffield Business Park offers opportunity for an occupier acquire a brand new, high specification detached unit with good yard provision and strong environmental credentials by way of sale or letting. Located at the established Sheffield Business Park, the property is in a highly desirable industrial, logistics and distribution location, a stone’s throw from the Sheffield Parkway and therefore having fantastic links to Junction 33 of the M1 motorway and Sheffield City Centre. We are excited to bring this opportunity forward and look forward to seeing construction progress.”
Humber Freeport launches with hopes to generate huge investment and more than 7,000 jobs
Humber Freeport has launched with a mission to drive hundreds of millions of pounds of investment and at least 7,000 new jobs.
The freeport will harness the unique potential and location of the Humber to stimulate economic growth, skills development and inward investment in both established and emerging industries.
Huge opportunities to build on the region’s fast-growing renewable energy industries have already been identified, as well as potential investment in the chemicals, logistics, advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.
Humber Freeport was officially launched at a VIP event at Associated British Ports’ Pump House at Hull’s Alexandra Dock – a stone’s throw from Siemens Gamesa’s wind turbine blade manufacturing facility.
With links both to the region’s rich maritime past and the offshore wind industry, which is a key part of the Humber’s exciting present and future, the Grade-II listed Pump House provided a fitting backdrop for the official launch of Humber Freeport.
The event, attended by leading figures from the public and private sectors, marked the establishment of the Humber Freeport Company Ltd and signals that the organisation is now fully up and running.
Speaking at the event, Humber Freeport chair Simon Bird said: “The Humber Freeport has an outstanding and potentially unique opportunity to be not merely a source for economic growth, but the primary vehicle for the delivery of the Government’s levelling up agenda in the Humber.
“Humber Freeport will seek to secure hundreds of millions of pounds of private sector investment and the final business case conservatively estimates that such investment will create at least 7,000 new, mostly skilled, jobs.
“This investment will have a transformative effect in lifting the prospects of the region.”
Mr Bird outlined the benefits freeport status brings to companies investing in the tax and customs sites within the Humber Freeport footprint on both banks of the Humber Estuary.
Humber Freeport comprises of three defined tax sites – Hull East; Able Marine Energy Park and Immingham, on the south bank of the Humber; and Goole – each of which offers incentives for businesses operating within the zones.
Benefits include land tax relief, business rate relief, enhanced capital allowances and National Insurance contribution relief for employers.
In addition, a new customs zone which has been created at Grimsby will help unlock growth in the car handling and storage sector, supporting the growth of the electric car industry.
Mr Bird said investors also benefit from “assumed permitted development rights to speed up the planning process” and that “when added to being adjacent to high-quality port operations, the offer becomes even more appealing.”
Mr Bird was joined as a speaker at the launch event by Michael Green, Head of Freeports at the Department for Business and Trade.
He said: “Freeports represent a generational shift. Inward investment is hugely important for job creation and regeneration and we are looking to build on the UK’s centres of excellence with targeted Government support.
“Humber Freeport will play a key role in decarbonising industry in what is the largest industrial cluster in the UK.
“It will ensure the region makes the most of the unique assets it holds. Being within four hours of most areas of the UK, the size of opportunity here in the Humber should not be underestimated.”
Freeport status will enable the Humber to maximise opportunities from the net zero transition, in offshore wind and other low carbon technologies, creating highly-skilled jobs and driving investment.
As the largest energy-related cluster in north west Europe, the Humber is often referred to as the UK’s Energy Estuary.
Decarbonisation is one of three key workstreams established by Humber Freeport, alongside skills and innovation, and will be a key focus for the freeport’s work.
Jo Barnes is the Managing Director at Sewell Estates, a key partner in the Yorkshire Energy Park, east of Hull, which is set to be the UK’s first freeport-based energy and technology business park.
Speaking at the launch event, she said: “Securing freeport status is a huge opportunity for the Humber. It will significantly raise the profile of the area to potential end users and investors on the global stage.”
Yorkshire businesses feel the impact of inflation as levels of distress rise in June
Yorkshire and the Humber, along with many other parts of the UK, saw a worsening economic picture in June as businesses struggle in the face of falling consumer spending resulting in the region seeing levels of insolvency-related activity increasing by over 20% compared with May 2023.
According to the latest research from insolvency and restructuring trade body R3, which is based on an analysis of data provided by CreditSafe, Yorkshire was one of four regions and nations across the UK which saw a month-on-month rise in insolvency-related activity (which includes liquidator and administrator appointments and creditors’ meetings).
Those seeing the largest increases were Wales (up by 27.9%), followed by the South West (26.9%), the North East (26.3%) and Yorkshire (20.7%).
In fact, the rise in insolvency-related activity in Yorkshire last month, up to 274, was the largest number seen by the region in the last 16 months since its peak of 601 in March 2022, and March 2023 when it reached 283.
Of the 12 regions and nations, just five saw falls in levels of insolvency-related activity since May, with the East Midlands (down by 15%) and the South East (-11.2%) performing most strongly; followed by East Anglia (-3.2%), the North West (-2.3%) and Greater London (-1.2%).
Looking at the number of start-ups in June, another indicator of economic health, there was a decrease in levels of new businesses since the previous month in all parts of the UK with Yorkshire and the Humber seeing the greatest fall.
The region saw start-ups decrease from 4,782 in May to 4,182 in June, a drop of 12.5%. East Anglia, the West Midlands and Northern Ireland also all experienced month-on-month falls of over 12% while the East Midlands (-6.3%), the North East (-7.2%) and the North West (-7.9%) saw the smallest falls.
Eleanor Temple, chair of R3 in Yorkshire and a barrister at Kings Chambers in Leeds, said: “We are now starting to see the negative impact of rises in the cost of living and escalating interest rates as businesses feel the bite of households’ reduced disposable income.
“Unfortunately, With the squeeze on consumer spending looking set to continue, the prospect of the UK sliding into recession is a very real risk.
“While Yorkshire has a strong track record of performing relatively strongly despite adverse economic conditions, there’s no doubt that there are some major challenges ahead as food inflation continues, mortgage rates edge upwards and energy prices are predicted to remain high next winter.
“With more financial pain likely, directors would be well advised to keep a close eye on cash flow and turn to professionals for advice at the first signs of trouble when the most tools will be available to prevent problems from escalating.”
Industry continues to drive forward digital revolution towards Net Zero
Britain’s manufacturers are powering forward in their digital journey towards Net Zero as the sector moves to reduce energy usage and costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost productivity, according to new research published by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, and cloud business management solutions firm Sage.
The research – ‘Decarbonisation through Digitalisation’ – shows manufacturing businesses are investing in digital technologies more than ever before and reaping multiple benefits – from productivity increases to product improvements, reduction in waste and labour efficiencies.
Use of a pool of digital tools including data analytics, supply chain management to boost resilience and full automation of business processes including finance, human resources, manufacturing and procurement have been working together to boost productivity.
Nearly half of manufacturers have an active plan to invest in digital technologies to decarbonise their business and almost a quarter have already invested in digital solutions. A further 23% plan to do so in the coming 12 months.
Some 62% of companies which have already adopted digital technologies into their production processes reported energy cost savings – over half said those savings were between £10,000 and £100,000 the last 12 months. A further 46% said energy savings came in under £10,000 but were still significant to their businesses.
But savings did not end there with companies citing real cost savings on labour, material wastage and water usage. Almost half (44%) of companies surveyed said that digitalisation has been their firm’s top driver of productivity improvements, with production processes tightened up.
The need to reduce carbon is now embedded in most companies’ business plans with a quarter of Britain’s manufacturers believing new digital technologies have already had an impact on decarbonisation and their ability to achieve challenging Net Zero targets. Just one in ten businesses do not believe that digitalisation will have any impact on their Net Zero ambitions.
Of those surveyed, 30% of businesses reported they had already invested in supply chain management digital tools which can reduce emissions and build resilience from delivery disruptions caused by new Brexit trading rules and long-term Covid disruption in Asia.
However, significant barriers to digitalisation remain, with six in ten manufacturers still wary of the upfront cost without accurate timings for return on the investment. Companies (45%) said more evidence on investment return would help drive positive decisions towards the adoption of digital tech as part of their journey towards Net Zero.
Half of manufacturers said that tax incentives to invest in digital decarbonisation technologies and upskill their current workforce would provide a major boost to uptake. Again, SMEs found taking those first digital steps much harder than larger companies with 64% of smaller firms saying they experience skills shortages while trying to invest and adopt digital tech.
Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK, the manufacturers organisation, said: “Britain’s manufacturers have long been at the forefront of digital innovation globally and they have taken significant steps to cut carbon emissions and move towards Net Zero.
“But in order to supercharge that journey, business needs Government to play its part in driving the process forward.
“To that end, Government needs to help them move forward faster by committing to a national rollout of the industrial digitalisation programme Made Smarter across the UK and expand its remit to include industrial decarbonisation.
“Made Smarter has already delivered amazing successes in helping SMEs boost their productivity through digitalisation, and they are ideally placed to pick up the mantle to help decarbonise through digitalisation.
“We need to see an expansion in the R&D tax relief to include capital equipment relating to industrial decarbonisation and the introduction of a Help to Grow Green tax credit to incentivise businesses to take those first active steps to produce goods more sustainably at a time companies are cash-strapped through the burden of higher labour and energy costs.”
Council discusses rents for Lincoln’s new Cornhill market
Next week City of Lincoln Council’s Executive will hear proposals on new rent prices for the 37 new stalls in the refurbished Cornell market.
Subject to approval, plans would see more than half of the 37 stalls priced at a starting rent below £500 per month, with five stalls being charged at £350 per month and rent prices subject to the size and type of stall, such as general retail, fruit and vegetables, fish/meat and hot food and drink.
The city council, alongside letting agents Eddisons Incorporating Banks Long & Co, opened applications for businesses wishing to trade in the newly-renovated Cornhill Market in June, with more than60 potential stallholders having already come forward.
Formerly known as Lincoln Central Market, the Cornhill Market is set to open in the autumn, aiming to be known for exceptional produce and the unforgettable experience, with new opening times planned for Wednesday-Sundays, 9am – 10pm – to help serve the evening economy.
More than £7 million is being invested in the regeneration of the Market and adjacent City Square, via the government’s Towns Fund programme through the ‘Be Lincoln Town Deal’, and Heritage Action Zone funding via Historic England. The renovation project includes opening blind arches, constructing a new mezzanine floor and relocating existing butcher and fishmonger stalls to the main market hall.
It has also been confirmed as part of the regeneration project, Caribbean-inspired bar and restaurant Turtle Bay will open its first Lincolnshire venue on the site later this year, prior to the market’s official opening.
Cllr Naomi Tweddle, Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economic Growth at City of Lincoln Council said: “The vision for the market has, for some time, been to design a building of destination, an attractive and modern retailing and leisure space, offering a mix of stalls and delivering a place where people want to visit and dwell rather than simply pass by en-route to the High Street or the Transport links in the city.
“Thanks to funding from government’s Towns Fund programme through Be Lincoln and Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ), The Cornhill Market will create a sustainable future for this important historical asset.”
Chip developer raises £21 million
Northern Gritstone has invested in Optalysys, the developer of a revolutionary photonic processing technology, as part of a £21 million Series A funding round alongside Lingotto (an investment management company owned by Exor N.V.) and imec.xpand.
The investment will allow the company to advance its Enable photonic computing technology to unlock a new form of secure processing known as Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE).
FHE is a form of quantum-secure cryptography that closes the last vulnerability in cloud systems: unlike other encryption methods, FHE does not require the data to be decrypted before it can be processed, allowing confidential or sensitive data to be sent along untrusted networks, or to be worked on by multiple parties without ever exposing the data itself.
However, the computational burden attached to this poses significant challenges, with a single process on encrypted data taking around one million times longer than on unencrypted data, making it near impossible to deploy at scale with conventional computer processors.
Optalysys’ approach addresses this bottleneck. The company has created an advanced photonic semiconductor which accelerates the FHE process, allowing encrypted data to be processed at similar speeds to its unencrypted form. This brings hope of deploying FHE at the scale demanded by the largest secure data applications.
With potential use cases across most major industries, including finance and banking, manufacturing, healthcare and machine analytics, research firm Global Market Insights estimates that the global FHE market is set to grow to $53 billion by 2030.
Optalysys was formed in 2013, having developed from co-founders Dr. Nick New and Robert Todd’s work for Cambridge Correlators, a company spun out of Nick’s PhD research on Optical Computing at the University of Cambridge. The company relocated to Leeds to draw on the city’s resources and the University’s strong expertise in the field of optical computing.
Nick and Robert made a key breakthrough three years ago, when their research into accelerating AI models led them to pivot towards chip-level silicon photonics from the communications industry. This combined the benefits of optical transport and processing by placing the optics at the heart of the electronics, making them the building blocks of much larger, high-precision functions.
The goal is for Optalysys to become the world’s leading provider of confidential and private computing leading to the Encrypted Data Centre, where today’s trust and security issues of sending data to the cloud become consigned to history. The company’s technology has already attracted the attention of financial institutions and has applications across a wide range of industries, from financial fraud detection to advanced processing of medical data.
The investment will allow the company to launch its technology on a cloud-based service model, in partnership with system integrators and service providers. Initial photonic systems developed by Optalysys will also be made available to end-users via an Accelerator program – ahead of the first high-speed Enable chips being produced within 24 months. The funding will also be used to expand its team in England, Europe and the US.
For co-founders Dr Nick New and Robert Todd, this marks the culmination of over 20 years development in optical computing.
Dr. Nick New, co-founder and CEO of Optalysys, said: “Fully Homomorphic Encryption has the power to unlock the full value of data – but despite its advantages, it is currently unviable for anything beyond basic processes – this is where Optalysys comes in. Our Enable technology allows us to turbo boost the workflows and address the underlying bottlenecks that hold FHE back.
“It is a very exciting moment for Optalysys and it’s fantastic to have the backing of such prestigious deep tech investors to help us reach our goals. We have turned optical computing on its head. What’s more, FHE is just the starting point for where our technology can go.”
Duncan Johnson, CEO of Northern Gritstone, said: “Optalysys has the Holy Grail of privacy technologies, providing a solution that will close the last major vulnerability in cloud and remote processing.
“Nick and Rob’s decision to move the company to Leeds validates Northern Gritstone’s belief that the thriving innovation hub in the North of England will attract fast-growing technology companies to the region. We are thrilled to support them in their journey as they seek to transform the data protection market and create another Northern success story.”
Ashish Kaushik, partner at Lingotto, said: “Optalysys presents a groundbreaking semiconductor technology to reduce energy consumption, boost processing power, and enhance data security.
“The capability to unlock the power of FHE with their photonic computing technology will enable new markets with advances in encrypted AI. We look forward to working with Nick, Rob, and the team to bring a new level of trust and security to how we use our data.”
Cyril Vančura, partner at imec.xpand, said: “We are at the cusp of a new era of data sharing, and in the future the biggest opportunities will lie in enabling data sharing across institutions and efficient data processing across industries without compromising data security, confidentiality, and privacy.
“Optalysys is developing the key hardware component which will enable this new paradigm of secure data sharing. We are thrilled to support the company in developing this novel technology.”
The company was supported by Mills and Reeve and advised by KPMG. The investors were advised by Taylor Wessing.
201 new homes approved for Castleford
Wakefield Councillors have voted to progress the development of 201 new homes in the Whitwood area of Castleford.
Members of Wakefield Council’s planning committee approved Persimmon’s plans for phase 2 of its Sycamore Gardens development. 201 new homes will be provided on the site located close to junction 31 of the M62. Homebuyers will be able to choose from a mix of properties ranging from bungalows and one-bedroom properties through to 2, 3 and 4 bedroom terraced, semi-detached and detached houses. The bungalows will be fully adaptable to meet the needs of wheelchair users. 60 of the 201 new homes will be transferred to a local housing association offering properties for social rent as well as intermediate or shared ownership. The development will boast two main areas of public open space including a children’s play area. Cycle and pedestrian links will also be created, linking the development to local amenities including a local play park as well as through to the local primary school. Every house will be completely gas free with properties powered by air source heat pumps. Each home will also benefit from having an electric vehicle charging point. A 10% diversity net gain will be delivered using nearby land, while nearly £400,000 will be paid to Wakefield Council via the Community Infrastructure Levy. Another £145,000 will go towards improving local bus stops and bus services in the area. James Parkin, land director at Persimmon West Yorkshire, said: “We’re pleased that committee members have voted to reaffirm the Council’s recommendation for approval. The scheme offers an exciting opportunity to provide much needed family housing in Castleford. “As well as providing a mix of house sizes for families and downsizers, home owners will enjoy significant areas of green space, cycle routes, play areas and new footpaths. “This proposed scheme will also provide over half a million pounds in funding for local transport and wider infrastructure improvements.”BCC predicts benefits for SMEs from UK membership of Asia-Pacific trading bloc
The British Chambers of Commerce predicts benefits for SMEs from the forthcoming addition of the UK to the Asia Pacific Trading Bloc, which accounts for 15% of global economic output.
Says William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC: “It will open up new opportunities for our businesses in both inward and external investment with the other 11 countries from the second half of next year.
“The UK has bilateral trading terms negotiated with nine of the eleven current members, but no agreements had been reached with Malaysia and Brunei, so the new terms will be of particular interest for traders in these markets.
“There are not many multi-national trade agreements like this one, and it offers new prospects in a fast-growing region of the global economy.
“We see particular relevance for small and medium sized businesses in reduced costs to import components from member countries to use in manufactured goods for export.
“There are also generous terms for data flows which underpin an increasing part of international trade.
“We will be scrutinising the Accession Protocol in detail on its publication in the next few days. But accession will be good news for UK businesses to enter or upscale their trade in these markets, with increased confidence and more generous trading terms.
“We look forward to working with the UK Government, and others, to ensure firms get the best possible access to this thriving market within the global trade system.”
Fines and suspended sentences for illegal tyre dump operators
Operators of illegal waste sites in Calderdale and Bradford have been fined and handed suspended sentences after a joint operation by the Environment Agency, Calderdale Council, Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.
Shakil Ahmed, 42, of Spinners Close, Halifax, Jamie Craggs, 34, of Sedbergh Close, Bradford, and Levi Depass, 35, of West Royd Road, Shipley, appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday 12 July after earlier pleading guilty.
Shakil Ahmed, owner of the Calderdale site, was sentenced to ten months imprisonment suspended for 18 months, 250 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay £2,500 in costs, after operating in breach of an environmental permit and failing to comply with notices. Ahmed also had a further offence taken into consideration for offending between June 2021 and December 2022.
Jamie Craggs and Levi Depass, directors of The Tyre Waste Team Limited, were both sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, 250 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs.
The Tyre Waste Team Limited was fined £10,000 fine and ordered to pay costs of £2,500.
The Court heard how the case related to two illegal waste operations, involving the storage and treatment of tyres at Fairlea Mills at Luddendenfoot in Calderdale and a site at Ashley Lane, Shipley, Bradford.
Both sites were selected for inspection following a major fire in November 2020 at another waste site in Bradford that stored tyres. Due to the environmental impact of that fire, the Environment Agency, working with Calderdale Council, Bradford Council, Kirklees Council, Wakefield Council and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, launched a project to look at all other sites with exemptions to ensure the sites were in full compliance with the terms of the exemption and operating legally.
Ahmed operated a regulated facility for the storage and treatment of end-of-life vehicles at the Fairlea site. He had an environmental permit, which was in place to ensure any activity did not impact on the environment.
On the same site The Tyre Waste Team Limited operated a waste tyre business under the provision of an exemption. An exemption allowed the company to operate its business at the site without the need for an environmental permit provided the requirements of the exemption were followed.
The company brought waste tyres onto the Fairlea site before passing them to Shakil Ahmed for treatment.
The volume of tyres stored at the site significantly exceeded the quantity permitted and caused a significant fire risk. During the Environment Agency investigation, Shakil Ahmed was served with an enforcement notice and a suspension notice. These resulted in Shakil Ahmed being ordered to cease operating and to clear the site, which he initially failed to do.
The Tyre Waste Team Limited subsequently moved to the site in Shipley and started to import waste tyres there. The site didn’t hold an environmental permit because the activity came within an exempt activity, provided it complied with the exemption criteria, which included a limit on the quantity of waste tyres that could be stored and how they were stored. The Tyre Waste Team Limited operated outside the exemption criteria and therefore operated illegally.
