A new committee to encourage equality, diversity and social inclusion in the legal profession has been set up in Sheffield.
The Sheffield & District Law Society has launched its new EDI Committee which features a group of 12 legal professionals who are passionate about promoting and supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in and around Sheffield.
Wake Smith private client associate Stephanie Chung and trainee solicitor Anna Woodcock have joined the committee which will work with local law firms, affiliated organisations, and local solicitors to build a more diverse profession.
They join other committee members from law firms across the region to share good practice and ideas around EDI.
Stephanie Chung said: “Anna and I are delighted to be working with the Law Society on their newly established EDI committee.
“Our focus for the year is social mobility and raising awareness about different routes into the legal profession and bringing together junior and experienced legal practitioners.
“We will be working hard to normalise EDI events and activities and build a platform for EDI to thrive in the culturally diverse region, so everyone can potentially make the choice of the law as their career.”
Clare Young, President of Sheffield & District Law Society, added: “We aim to bring together legal professionals and firms from across the region, in order share ideas and best practice concerning EDI. We want to support all firms in creating an inclusive working environment, and the work of this new committee will help achieve this goal.
“We are also introducing a new EDI Champion Award at the Yorkshire Law Banquet and Awards in 2025, open to members of the SDLS, in order to recognise and promote their EDI initiatives.”
If you want to get involved in the committee’s work or attend upcoming events and opportunities, please contact elizabeth@sheffieldlawsociety.co.uk for further information.
A financial support package worth up to £700 million for SME housebuilders will be up for grabs through the expansion of a government programme to boost economic growth and build tens of thousands of new homes.
The existing Home Building Fund for SMEs is being extended beyond its original end date of March next year to secure millions of pounds worth of loans and investments for small housebuilding firms who would otherwise be unable to access lending elsewhere.
Providing a range of financial support, including direct loans and lending partnerships, the Fund is increasing the amount of cash available for smaller housebuilders so they can play a crucial role in the government’s Plan for Change to build 1.5 million new homes over five years. This will get more families onto the property ladder and create jobs in the areas most in need.
The extension will support the delivery of around 12,000 additional homes – on top of the 42,000 homes the Fund is already on track to deliver.
Housebuilders struggling to access the credit they need continues to be a key constraint in driving growth across the sector and today’s intervention will help remove these barriers to encourage more housebuilding and grow the economy.
Chief Executive of Homes England, Peter Denton said: “The Fund is playing a vital part in England’s housing and regeneration story. It is at the heart of unlocking opportunities and helping the market to thrive and diversify, which is essential to boost the creation of new, high-quality, sustainable homes that people want and need.
“The Fund’s extension brings certainty to the sector and will undoubtedly open doors for SMEs, who I would encourage to reach out to us, as part of a collective mission to ensure everyone in the country has a permanent place to live and thrive.”
The Yorkshire-based maker of sustainable linseed paint, Brouns & Co, has appointed real estate expert and developer Duncan Melville to its board as it gears up for further expansion in 2025.
Harrogate-based Melville, the founder and owner of student property developer Primus Property Group, has over 30 years’ experience across all components of the built asset lifecycle.
From funder to management consultant, to investor and developer, Melville has held senior leadership positions with Northern Rock plc, global real estate advisory firm Cushman and Wakefield, and global built asset firm Arcadis on project and programme delivery, before setting up his own PBSA development company over 10 years ago. He also holds an MBA with the University of Leeds.
Since its launch in 2015, Brouns & Co has grown to be one of the most established producers of historically accurate linseed paints and stains in the world.
Following a period of growth, and a move to local manufacturing in order to reduce carbon footprint, the business relocated in 2023 to a new warehouse and manufacturing facility in Sherburn in Elmet, between Leeds and York.
After another year of solid growth in 2024 with rising exports to the US market, the business has just opened a US warehouse in New Hampshire and established a US subsidiary and a dedicated US market eCommerce website.
“Our progress in recent years, and our expansion to the massive US market is a really exciting time, and we needed to deepen our board experience as we look to scale the business significantly in the coming two years,” said founder Michiel Brouns.
“Duncan’s experience within the sector is going to be critical to our UK and overseas expansion, and his understanding of how to help grow a business to take advantage of market opportunities is exactly what we need at this crucial stage of our growth,” he added.
Melville said: “I’ve known Michiel and Brouns & Co for some time, and I’ve been an advocate for natural materials and products where possible in our developments, so I’m excited to come on board to help the business at such a key stage in its growth.
“The remarkable rise in demand for linseed paint and coatings is driven by a need to preserve and protect historic buildings, where Brouns & Co have always had a strong track record with the Natural Trust and RIBA in the UK.
“But increasingly, the commissioners, specifiers and designers of new buildings and structures are demanding that natural methods, materials and components are used.
“The carbon footprint and sustainability of 100% natural paints and stains puts the business in a very good place, at just the right time,” he added.
Brouns & Co views the huge US market as a key area for growth, driven by a combination of consumer preferences for natural products, and the huge volume of wooden homes that are built and maintained in North America due to climate differences.
Two surveyors from Trident Building Consultancy’s Leeds office have been promoted to the company’s senior team.
Christian Watkins and Usmaan Mehboob, who work at the office at Carlton Tower, St Paul’s Street, have both been appointed to Associate Director from the role of Principal Surveyor.
Christian, who specialises in fire safety surveys, joined Trident Building Consultancy in 2017, passing his APC qualification in 2019.
Through his role as an APC counsellor, he also supports younger colleagues through their professional qualifications.
Christian Watkins
Usmaan also joined the company in 2017 and qualified in 2019, now specialising in large office refurbishments and other commercial surveying work.
He also sits on several management committees within the business, including those dedicated to sustainability, HR, and the Building Safety Act.
Christian said: “I’m delighted to join the senior team here at Trident Building Consultancy as it will enable me to play a more meaningful role in guiding the future direction of the business, and help to help more of my colleagues.”
Usmaan added: “I’ve always loved my job at Trident, so being promoted to Associate Director is a real source of pride. As an EOT, Trident is owned by its employees which means it is managed very much with our people in mind. This, we believe, is the secret to the business’s ongoing success.”
Dan Roe, Managing Director of Trident Building Consultancy, congratulated Christian and Usmaan on successfully taking the next step in their careers.
He said: “We are extremely fortunate at Trident Building Consultancy in that we have a great track record of recruiting and retaining talent.
“This is helped by being an EOT, meaning everyone who works at the business has a hand in making key decisions and shares in our financial success.
“To ensure this continues, we are keen to reward the hard work and talent of our people by helping them to get to the position they want to in their careers and fulfilling their potential.
“These well-deserved promotions are a reflection of that.”
More than nine in 10 (91%) private business owners in Yorkshire and the Humber are confident of delivering growth in 2025, according to KPMG UK’s first ever Private Enterprise Barometer.
The new poll gauged optimism among 1,500 private business owners, including 128 in Yorkshire and the Humber, across a range of sectors including professional services, finance, technology, industrial manufacturing and retail.
Increased demand for products and services was identified as the main reason for this confident outlook – cited by nearly half (48%) of respondents – while a similar number (46%) highlighted plans to introduce new technologies into their business as reason for optimism.
Indeed, Yorkshire-based businesses are amongst the most likely to recognise the benefits of introducing new technologies, with almost three quarters (71%) highlighting it as an important area for investment, compared to just 63% of privately held businesses nationwide.
Cited amongst the key reasons for such investment were a clear desire to improve customer service (52%) and decision-making (52%). Indeed, firms in the region are 10 percentage points more likely than the national average to be investing in customer relationship management (CRM) tech.
However, securing and developing the necessary skills for businesses to capitalise on growth and digitalisation opportunities continues to represent a challenge. More than a third (37%) of firms in Yorkshire and the Humber were said to be finding it difficult to recruit people with the right skills.
Firms in the region were also found to be more likely than the national average to be struggling with retaining newly recruited staff (32% vs the national average of 25%).
Phil Murden, Leeds Office Senior Partner at KPMG UK, said: “Having weathered many storms in recent years, it’s down to the true resilience of Yorkshire and Humberside’s private business community that confidence is so high.
“Regional business leaders’ clear focus on customer proposition, improving products and services, and better understanding business performance, will continue to help them to deliver growth. Also identifying where new technologies can support key strategic goals is the smart way to future-proof and stay ahead of competitors.
“Guiding the region’s business community through unprecedented digital opportunity and disruption will require businesses to get their hands on the right skills. Taking the plunge and investing in talent is key.”
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.Here we speak to Rob Shaw, CEO at HUB.
As CEO of an integrated marketing agency, I liaise with clients across various sectors
utilising diverse advertising channels. Looking towards 2025, my focus is on the implications of the recent budget which remains to be fully realised.
One key element involves rising employment costs, including increases in employer NI
contributions and changes to employment rights – both of which I believe will slow the rate of new jobs in 2025.
Subsequently, I believe retailers will double down on e-commerce advertising which does not have such a direct impact on headcount as high-street retail. Retailers have significantly pushed their online activities and sales campaigns in Q4, and I expect this to continue into 2025.
Another area we monitor closely is the evolution of TV advertising, and HUB has long
collaborated with ITV, Channel 4, Sky and others to secure advertising space that delivers
results for our clients. With the growth of streaming platforms, and the evolution of ITVX and programmatic advertising from Sky, TV advertising is becoming more accessible to brands with smaller budgets thanks to the ability to target tightly defined audiences.
We are seeing more companies take their first steps into TV advertising on these platforms
as part of a wider marketing campaign to great effect, and I expect this to continue for years to come.
While 2024 presented commercial challenges for many businesses, we remain optimistic for
2025. Companies with the right products or services leveraging the most suitable marketing channels will always find themselves well-positioned to succeed.
The once in a generation £300m development plan for the former RAF Scampton air base, in collaboration with development partner Scampton Holdings Ltd, is back on the table after West Lindsey District Council officially submitted an expression of interest to acquire the site.
The regeneration opportunity was paused when the Home Office intervened using emergency powers, to use the site for asylum accommodation. However, on 5th September this year they confirmed they would not proceed with its asylum accommodation plans on the site.
The Home Office declared the site as surplus to their operational requirements and listed the site on the government’s Electronic Property Information System.
This triggered a 40-day expression of interest period, during which time any public sector organisations could set out their case for acquisition. The deadline for submission of expressions of interest was 12 December.
Peter Hewitt, Chairman of Scampton Holdings Limited welcomed the news and said: “This is a chance to reignite our plans that prioritise economic growth, historical preservation, and community needs. We are committed to doing what we can and continue to work hard with the Council to ensure a bright future for RAF Scampton.”
Cllr Trevor Young, Leader of West Lindsey District Council confirmed the council officially submitted its expression of interest in acquiring the site.
He said: “With the site now officially surplus to Home Office requirements, the council sees an opportunity to revisit and advance our development goals in partnership with key stakeholders. Subject to Home Office decision making, this will enable us to continue our journey to secure the significant investment and regeneration of this key, strategic site
“RAF Scampton is a site of immense historical and economic importance, and we remain committed to unlocking its full potential for the benefit of our community.
“While the past two years have brought challenges, we are determined to pursue our original vision and ensure the site is used in a way that respects its legacy and supports sustainable growth.”
The council’s plans aim to honour RAF Scampton’s heritage and create business, aerospace, space and education opportunities to stimulate the local economy. The opportunity at RAF Scampton is included in the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, which has been named the Best Plan in the East Midlands by the Royal Town Planning Institute.
The council has submitted an expression of interest which sets out the case for site acquisition and how the site can support the mission for inclusive, sustainable, growth and regeneration. The Council will continue to engage with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to ensure a collaborative approach to its future. Further updates will be provided once the outcome of the expression of interest is known.
Biffa has been awarded the City of Lincoln Council’s £5.5m-a-year waste/recycling and street cleansing contract, starting on 1 September 2026 and running for at least eight years.
This redesigned, respecified, and repackaged contract reflects the council’s commitment to delivering improved efficiency, enhanced sustainability, and high standards of service for Lincoln’s community.
The waste/recycling service includes comprehensive collection of residual waste, dry recycling, garden waste, and clinical waste.
The street cleansing service includes street sweeping, litter collection, fly-tipping removal, clearing abandoned vehicles, and graffiti cleaning.
The new contract will also include improved environmental credentials, including the use of electric vans and solar panels at the depot.
The tender process attracted significant interest from leading industry players, ensuring a strong competition. Biffa’s bid was selected based on a combination of factors to assess the value for money that each tenderer provided.
The award has been made in good time to permit opportunity for specialist vehicle procurement, and opportunity to plan for the delivery of the various changes required by the new contract format.
This new partnership emphasises sustainability, aligning with the council’s vision for a cleaner, greener Lincoln. Key investment in new vehicles and modern IT, will ensure the city’s services continue to develop positively while reducing the environmental impact.
Cllr Bob Bushell at City of Lincoln Council, said: “This new contract represents a significant step forward in how we manage waste and ensure our city’s cleanliness.
“As a council, we’ve incorporated innovative and environmentally friendly measures to meet the evolving needs of our community and to address our upcoming Vision 2030’s priority, ‘Let’s address the challenge of climate change’.
“City of Lincoln Council is proud to have secured a contract that balances quality, cost, and environmental responsibility for the benefit of Lincoln residents and visitors alike.”
Innovative technology behind Siemens Mobility’s British battery trains has been rolled out in the East Brandenburg network in Germany.
More than 30 of the company’s Mireo Plus B trains are being phased in on the Berlin Brandenburg metropolitan region, and are said to be the latest proof of the technology that underpins the Desiro Verve project in Britain, which would be assembled at Siemens Mobility’s new Train Manufacturing Facility in Goole.
Sambit Banerjee, Joint CEO at Siemens Mobility UK & Ireland, said: “It’s fantastic to see the innovative technology that will underpin our British Desiro Verve trains already being put into action. The completion of these latest journeys demonstrates that the technology for our British battery trains is here, is working and is ready to transform rail travel.
“The Desiro Verve would be assembled at our state-of-the-art Goole Rail Village in Yorkshire and offers an integrated solution to replace Britain’s aging diesel trains without having to electrify hundreds of miles of track, saving the country £3.5 billion over 35 years and providing a practical path to decarbonising British railways.”
In June, Siemens Mobility identified how the Desiro Verve could save Britain’s railways £3.5 billion over 35 years compared with using diesel-battery-electric ‘tri-mode’ trains. This would support the Government’s aim of removing diesel-only trains from Britain’s railways by 2040.
The British trains would be powered by overhead wires on already electrified routes, then switch to battery power where there are no wires. That means only small sections of the routes and/or particular stations have to be electrified with overhead line equipment, making it much quicker and less disruptive to replace diesel trains compared to full electrification.
More than 900 people attended the 26th Doncaster Business Awards ceremony organised by the Chamber of Commerce.
Dan Fell, the Chamber Chief Exec said: “A dependable highlight in the calendar, the Awards always showcases our city’s business community at its finest. And while the competition is fierce year after year, I must confess to being absolutely bowled over by the calibre of 2024’s various nominees & winners.
“The judges have selected some truly incredible organisations and entrepreneurs, all of whom are a credit to Doncaster. Indeed, the astounding entrepreneurialism, fierce tenacity, bold innovation, inspiring behaviour, and general excellence on display last night was quite something to behold.
“It was therefore an immense privilege to be in the room with everyone celebrating all of the exemplary success stories that are unfolding right here on our doorstep and it instilled with me great confidence about where Doncaster is heading in the future. With that said, I would like to thank everyone who made this inspiring evening possible, from our hosts at Doncaster racecourse right through to our amazing roster of finalists, our generous sponsors and, of course, the fantastic team I am privileged to lead at the Chamber.”
A special lifetime achievement prize was given to Richard Sprenger, Founder and Chair of the market-leading Highfield. President of Doncaster Chamber, Fabian Braithwaite, said: “It was a privilege to present this accolade to Richard, who has done so much to put our city on the map and whose individual contributions cannot be understated. Indeed, over the course of his storied career, Richard has been a distinguished pilar of the community and a great ambassador for South Yorkshire on the international stage.”
The winners were
Lifetime Achievement Award – Sponsored by DN Colleges Group
Richard Sprenger, Chairman of Highfield – Winner
People’s Choice Award
Exceed Learning Partnership – Winner
Campaign of the Year – Sponsored by MultiWebMarketingYorkshire Wildlife Park – Winner
Self-Employed Person of the Year – Sponsored by Yorkshire Wildlife ParkQuinlan Couture Bridal – Winner
Partnership of the Year – Sponsored by Polypipe Building ProductsClub Doncaster Foundation – Winner
Green Business of the Year – Sponsored by The University of Sheffield and South Yorkshire Sustainability CentreEnviro Electronics – Winner
Micro Business of the Year – Sponsored by Aggregates R UsBerjen – Winner
Local Impact of the Year – Sponsored by Westfield Health
First Bus – Winner
Charity of the Year – Sponsored by Eco-Power GroupFlourish Enterprises – Winner
Medium Business of the Year – Sponsored by King Asia FoodsUrban Burgers Group LTD – Winner
New Business of the Year – Sponsored by Launchpad
Stride Yorkshire – Winner
Innovation of the Year – Sponsored by Haith GroupAutomated Analytics – Winner
Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub
Liam Thorton – Certex – Winner
Small Business of the Year – Sponsored by Sheffield Hallam UniversityBST Detectable Products – Winner
Employer of the Year – Sponsored by Orb RecruitmentDolphin ICT – Winner
Education Provider of the Year – Sponsored by KeepmoatTrinity Academy – Winner
Customer Service of the Year – Sponsored by HandelsbankenFireplace Studio – Winner
Large Business of the Year – Sponsored by TwentyFour IT ServicesHighfield Group – Winner
The UK has become a fully-fledged member the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, potentially boosting the UK economy by up to £2 billion a year.
CPTPP is a major trade bloc whose members – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and now the UK – have a combined GDP of £12 trillion.
Membership means that businesses will face lower tariffs and fewer barriers when selling to economies across three continents, with the financial services, manufacturing and food and drink sectors in particular set to benefit.
CPTPP is designed to expand over time, further growing the economic and strategic benefits of the agreement. Costa Rica was recently announced as the next country to go through the process of joining, and other economies such as Indonesia – the largest economy in Southeast Asia, with a GDP of over £1 trillion and home to around 280 million people in 2023 – have already expressed an eagerness to join the bloc.
CEO of HSBC UK Ian Stuart said: “Being part of the CPTPP signals that the UK is open for business with some of the world’s most exciting growth markets. Since the announcement of the UK’s accession in July 2023, we have seen an increase in payments between the CPTPP markets and the UK, and we expect this growth to continue.
“As the world’s leading trade bank, with deep roots across many CPTPP countries, we are well-positioned to connect UK businesses with growth opportunities in markets such as Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Australia.”
Elland-based green energy business FeTu has won one of applied physics’ most prestigious
accolades, the Institute of Physics Business Innovation Award.
The award recognises the company’s work in developing technology converts low-
temperature waste heat into electricity, and building it into a viable commercial enterprise
with a product that the IOP judges described as a “revolutionary heat engine”.
FeTu technology enables industrial firms to recover their waste heat and convert it to electricity, vastly reducing both energy costs and carbon emissions.
Founded in 2016 by Yorkshire-born designer Jon Fenton, FeTu has grown to a team of 15, securing over £12m in sponsorship, investment and grants. In October the firm established a new manufacturing arm in Huddersfield to enable the commercial roll-out of its clean-energy technology with a pan-European pilot programme. A group of blue-chip food production firms, data centres and industrial manufacturers are rigorously trialling the product this winter.
Mr Fenton said: “It is a real honour to receive this award. FeTu is a beautiful example of British ingenuity, overcoming the impossible to enable access to abundant green energy sources that already exist.
“Our ability to generate electricity from heat sources as low as 40°C is a critical development for the UK to recover £4bn in industrial waste heat into free, green electricity.”
Lincolshire County Councillors are to offer more financial support to family farms and to write to Government to express concern about the impact of recent government announcements on family farms and businesses in Lincolnshire.
The money will come from council reserves to support the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network and the Business Growth Hub.
Council Leader Martin Hill said:“We have a proud agricultural heritage and landscape in Lincolnshire and our farms contribute strongly to the nation’s food needs.
“With so many agricultural and food manufacturing businesses, we’re concerned about the impact of some of the recent government announcements.
“Today, we pledged to do all within our powers to protect our farming community, including urgently writing to the government to explain the impacts on removing Inheritance Tax Relief on farmland and restrictions on Business Asset relief.
“The removal of these, combined with employer National Insurance increases, will have a devastating impact on small farms and businesses which are the heartbeat of our county. On top of the other pressures facing the industry, including through new environmental legislation, many may not survive in the future.
“With this and plans for massive amounts of industrial infrastructure including pylons, huge solar farms and onshore wind turbines with no direct benefits to our residents on top of increased house building, it is no surprise that rural counties like Lincolnshire are feeling under threat.
“The future of our own finances is also uncertain with the recent announcement of the £9.4m Rural Services Delivery Grant removal by government. However, we have committed to increasing our financial support to the Lincolnshire Rural Services Network who help farmers with a whole range of issues, and to Business Lincolnshire to provide more specialist Growth Hub advice to small rural businesses.”
HBD, the property investment and development arm of Henry Boot, has formed a UK focused industrial and logistics platform in joint venture with Feldberg Capital, the specialist in rapidly scaling sustainability-focused real estate ventures in high-growth sectors.
The platform will be known as Origin, with seed assets including the first phase of SPARK, a major employment scheme in Walsall.
With a GDV of £53m, the 13-acre first phase of SPARK has full planning consent and comprises two units totalling 270,000 sq ft. Work will begin on the construction of the first phase in February 2025.
Origin, subject to market conditions, intends to deliver circa £1bn of high-quality industrial and logistics schemes across the UK over the next seven years. Alongside SPARK, two further HBD schemes will be among the seed assets; ARK, a new £19m GDV development at Markham Vale in Derbyshire, and INTER a £27m GDV development in Welwyn Garden City.
All three initial sites have the potential to deliver around 450,000 sq ft of prime industrial and logistics space, with the construction of each to commence in H1 2025 for delivery from H2 2025. All developments will target market leading ESG credentials, including BREEAM Excellent and EPC A.
The venture will draw on both HBD’s development pipeline as well as acquiring sites from third parties for further pre-let and speculative industrial and logistics development.
Ed Hutchinson, Managing Director of HBD, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce the launch of Origin which will strategically help HBD to expand its industrial and logistics pipeline across the UK.
“The first phase of SPARK is one of the seed assets within the new venture, with the first two units expected to start on site early next year. Feldberg Capital share our commitment to ESG and sustainable development and SPARK is no exception, with net zero carbon, BREEAM Excellent units ready to occupy from H2 2025.”
David Turner, Managing Partner at Feldberg Capital, said: “Having held back from the industrial and logistics market while assets looked overpriced, we believe now is a highly attractive entry point, with land values having come down over the last 24 months and entry yields being at more sustainable levels.
“The positive tail winds within the sector remain, driven by structural trends including the continued growth of e-commerce and more firms serving the UK market looking to ‘onshore’ their production here in the face of a shifting regulatory and geopolitical backdrop.
“Our aim is for Origin to become a market leader in the mid-box space. We’re excited to be working together with HBD, using our tried-and-tested ESG framework to deliver the next generation of units for modern, environmentally responsible occupiers, and driving strong risk-adjusted returns for our investors in the process.”
Origin is immediately well capitalised and will own and develop next generation, ESG compliant industrial and logistics assets, predominantly in the mid box market, across the UK. The venture will be seeded with an initial portfolio of three sites from HBD’s pipeline with a combined GDV of c.£100m (HBD share: £25m).
HBD has a 25% share of the joint venture, while Feldberg Capital will hold a 75% share. HBD will be the development manager, receiving a fee for doing so, and Feldberg Capital will act as investment manager.
Shoosmiths and Linklaters advised Feldberg Capital and HBD was advised by Pinsent Masons.
Production Park in West Yorkshire is making its most significant investment so far with a major expansion of its facilities. By 2025, the campus will grow to 145,000 square feet of state-of-the-art studio space, solidifying its position as the largest production studio campus in the North of England.
This expansion reflects the increasing demand for cutting-edge production spaces. The newly acquired space will include four additional production studios tailored for live music and film, as well as expanded facilities for education and collaboration with supply chain partners.
Production Park’s expanded facilities will enhance its ability to host live music rehearsals, TV, film, and commercial productions, as well as specialised education programmes. The Academy of Live Technology, housed within the park, will benefit from a larger campus to deliver innovative training programs, preparing the next generation of professionals in live entertainment and creative industries.
Additionally, the new space will provide room for supply chain partners, encouraging closer collaboration and boosting the efficiency of the live events ecosystem.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “This expansion solidifies Production Park’s reputation as the leading live experience production hub in the North of England, and one of the best and the biggest in Europe.
“As a major player in driving the success of our creative industries, this game-changing investment will pave the way for even greater innovation and collaboration, attracting world-class TV, film and live productions to our great region to create jobs and grow the economy.
“With this expansion, Production Park will boost the opportunities for creative talent to thrive in West Yorkshire for generations to come, helping us create a stronger, brighter region.”
Councillor Michael Graham, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth, said: “Production Park’s reputation in the industry is second to none in Europe. And it’s fantastic to have a locally based business at the very top of its game.
“Expanding its facilities can bring even more business into our district, which means more jobs and investment locally.
“I was delighted to agree the £3.2m funding that will keep Production Park going from strength to strength. And continue to grow Wakefield and West Yorkshire’s reputation as the home of world class creative industries.”
Lee Brooks, CEO of Production Park, said: “Production Park’s expansion represents a transformative step forward for our business and the creative industries.
“By increasing our studios offering to 145,000 square feet, we’re not only enhancing the scale and scope of services we provide but also firmly positioning Production Park as the largest multi purpose production campus in the North of England.
“This investment ensures we can meet the growing global demand for world-class production facilities while fostering closer collaboration within our ecosystem of live events, music, and TV & film production. It’s a testament to our vision of delivering unmatched value to our clients and partners.”
The phased expansion will begin in early 2025, with the first new studios for live music and film production expected to open in the second quarter of the year.
Palatine Growth Credit’s Growth Credit Fund has completed a deal to provide growth capital to tech businesses Talion, a BAE Systems spin-out.
Headquartered in Wakefield, Talion provides defence industry-grade cyber security services to large corporates around the world.
Employing security, information and event management (SIEM) technology and a designated Security Operations Centre (SOC), it offers end-to-end cyber services including threat detection and response, dark web tracing and sensitive data storage.
The business was originally established as BAE Systems’ Cyber Security Unit, set-up at the request of the UK Government to provide critical infrastructure protection for the 2012 Olympic games. In 2020, Talion was formed through a management buy-out led by Keven Knight and Mike Brown. It has grown to annual revenues of £7.5 million.
Palatine are providing the business with £3 million of growth credit to support Talion’s organic growth and team expansion. The business also has VC backing from Mercia Asset Management.
Ryan Sorby, Partner and Head of North at Palatine Growth Credit, said: “Talion has an exceptional product which provides a best-in-class, end-to-end cyber security for a high-profile and distinguished client base.
“Cyber security is a competitive and growing market and Talion is a genuine front runner focussing on continuous product innovation and exceptional client service.
“We’re thrilled to have completed Palatine Growth Credit’s first deal in West Yorkshire.”
Mike Brown, CEO at Talion, said: “Talion is thrilled to have Palatine’s support as we look to increase our headcount further and accelerate our growth within the cyber security industry.”
Palatine received legal support from Anna Robson and the team at Shoosmiths.
Lincoln-based Lindum Group has been granted outline planning permission for a commercial development at Overfield Park in Newark.
The consent allows up to 130,000 sq ft of industrial, storage, distribution, R&D and office space, where it is expected up to 120 new jobs will be created.
Overfield Park is a 21-acre site off Godfrey Drive, at the intersection of the A1, A17 and A46, which presents an ideal opportunity to create high quality business units with national transport connectivity.
Newark and Sherwood District Council’s planning committee approved the development, with detailed design for individual units, including sustainable build features such as solar panels, low carbon materials and EV charging points, to be submitted during the detailed design stage.
Travel plans will also feature in future reserved matters planning applications, to help promote and secure sustainable travel provision for site occupants.
Dean Bower, Senior Development Manager, Lindum Group, said: “This is another big milestone at Overfield Park, adding to the previously developed Farol dealership, Wirtgen UK head office and Starbucks restaurant.
“New build development of this bespoke nature is limited in the area and this planning permission will allow further high-quality complimentary development to be delivered in the next 12-18 months to meet occupier demands.”
Lincolnshire’s Streets Chartered Accountants has established Streets Dyke Ruscoe Limited following the merger of the well-established Shropshire and Worcestershire practice of Dyke Ruscoe Chartered Certified Accountants with Streets.
This latest merger sees Streets establish a greater footprint in the West Midlands, close to the Welsh border.
When asked about the merger Carl Davies, Director of Streets Dyke Ruscoe, based in its Ludlow office, said: “Dyke Ruscoe was established around the late 1920’s and has since this time been a local presence in Ludlow, Tenbury Wells and Craven Arms.
“As part of our own succession and growth strategy we have for some time been considering options for the future. Whilst we operate within the West Midlands and the Welsh Marches area, we recognised the opportunity to grow the practice into Wales and across the West Midlands. In part, the barrier to our growth, has been our size and structure, we therefore had to become part of something bigger.
“We are therefore delighted to have merged with Streets, whilst we considered a number of options, we believe that we have found our perfect partner. The Streets philosophy and outlook is similar to ours and they were keen to retain our sense of being a part of the local community and standing something that has been established over the years.
“It was also important for us to continue to be able to provide our services in a relatively unchanged environment with the same great team engaging with our clients.
“In an increasingly competitive market and with growing client needs we are, through joining up with Streets, pleased to be able to offer a greater breadth of services, including more specialisms like personal and corporate tax advice, banking and finance along with other services we have historically had to outsource.
“We are also especially pleased to announce that following the merger we are now able to service the needs of clients who require an audit as these can now be looked after Streets dedicated audit team and practice which acts nationally for groups, large companies, subsidiaries and charities.
“It truly does seem to be a partnership of like-minded people with similar principles to face not only the future and challenges together, but also the great opportunities that exist. Together we can achieve growth not only for ourselves, but for our staff, existing and prospective clients.
“Following the merger, we are delighted to announce that Charlotte Beamond has joined the directorship of the company, following the retirement of Peter Reynolds, we wish her every success in fulfilling her role.”
Looking at what the merger means to Streets, the firm’s Managing Partner, Paul Tutin, said: “We are delighted to have Carl Davies along with fellow directors Brydie Prime and Charlotte Beamond and their colleagues join the practice. It is especially pleasing to see and experience the mutual benefits and synergy to be had through firms like ours coming together.
“Whilst this year has seen our significant growth come about through the merger of firms located in Yorkshire, the East of England and the South West we are particularly pleased to have ventured further into the West Midlands. This is in keeping with our strategic intent to be a truly national and even UK practice.
“We continue to find that firms we talk to and that merge with us like our approach which is very different to the private equity led deals, as we seek to build on the success of the existing practice and empower individuals to drive and lead on their future growth and success.”
Streets Law, the firm’s dedicated corporate and commercial law offering led by Managing Director and Solicitor, Adam Aisthorpe, undertook the legal work on behalf of Streets for the merger, including drafting the sale and purchase agreement and dealing with the due diligence process in collaboration with internal colleagues in the tax and audit teams at Streets.
Andy Sloan has joined Gainsborough-based Eminox as Business Unit Director assuming responsibility for its overall performance and success.
In this newly created role, he’ll also be responsible for delivery of new product development, leading the Eminox core engineering and project teams.
He said: “I am very pleased to join Eminox and embark upon the next chapter of my career with such a forward-thinking business which is pivotal in developing technologies for a greener planet. This is fantastic new role, and offers a unique opportunity to lead a dynamic team, drive strategic initiatives, and contribute to the company’s growth and success through stakeholder engagement.”
Andy joins Eminox from Magtec where he has led engineering and project teams alongside more broad base business managerial roles, including commercial developments and project execution in the rail and defence sectors.
Eminox Group MD Jonathan Griffith said: “I have every confidence that Andy will make a huge contribution to our ongoing and future success, and I look forward to working with him to bring more developments for exhaust aftertreatment systems and emissions solutions.”
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.Here we speak to Barry Jackson, Head of North at BGF, the growth capital investors.
An uncertain economic backdrop has created challenging market conditions in 2024 that will undoubtedly stretch into 2025. However, despite the pressures being felt across the region, it’s encouraging to see that businesses with ambitious management teams and robust growth plans have still been able to grow, raise funding, or execute M&A in the last 12 months.
We anticipate this trend to continue in 2025. While the headwinds remain, those Yorkshire businesses that display resilience and ingenuity will find ways to get deals done in 2025 and reach their growth targets. This also goes beyond the Yorkshire borders, with potential across the North. The North West and the North East have also continued to be active on the deals front in the last 12 months. Combined, they will strengthen the prospects of the wider Northern region.
What is encouraging to see is the breadth of Yorkshire deals being executed – not just in key locations, such as Leeds, but across North, South and East Yorkshire. Our portfolio certainly reflects this spread of activity.
What’s particularly pleasing is how active the region’s tech businesses are – from an acquisition perspective, as well as the growth and levels of innovation being achieved. Unsurprisingly, an increasing number of businesses are also using technology to scale. This is a trend that will only accelerate in the coming 12 months and beyond, as companies look to push boundaries and seek operational efficiencies.
This is particularly pertinent when you take into consideration the raft of tax rises announced in October by the new Labour government, including National Insurance Contribution (NIC) increases. While for some businesses, these changes may prompt a renewed focus on ways to improve productivity through investment in tech/AI and automation; for others, the tax rises represent a significant challenge that will need to be navigated in 2025.
While regional companies have had to contend with ongoing pressures in 2024, many have shown a huge amount of tenacity and ambition, digging deep to create long-term value in their business. That value has been realised not just through M&A activity, but as a result of organic growth and a desire to build national and international brands that are firmly rooted in Yorkshire. In the coming 12 months, notwithstanding economic pressures, we expect good businesses to continue to thrive.
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