Rob Burrow’s family make lasting impression on centre being built in his name
The family of rugby league legend Rob Burrow have made their mark on the first of a series of concrete paving slabs to be used at the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease being built at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds.
Macy, 12, Maya, nine, and Jackson, five, made their handprints in concrete along with their mum Lindsey and their grandparents.
Marking the next milestone in the new centre, the Burrow family created the first in a series of concrete paving slabs, which will be used throughout the centre’s landscaping, whilst the concrete foundations were poured on site. A series of paving slabs with prints from others involved in the creation of the site, including Dr Agam Jung and specialist nurse Claire Lang, will form the Hands of Hope Walk and sit in the gardens, a key part of the new site.
Craige Richardson, Director of Estates & Facilities for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says: “It’s exciting to mark this milestone in the new centre build and it was a really touching moment to be able to do this with Rob’s family. The type of building and construction that we opted for means that people are going to pretty quickly see the centre take shape, and that feels like we’re moving ever closer to getting it open and working for our MND patients.
“I’m grateful to everyone involved in the build for making this moment possible. It means the family will always have a connection to the place their father inspired and helped make a reality.”
A full construction schedule is in place, with the frame expected in November and the centre open by summer 2025. Leeds Hospitals Charity continues to fundraise for the centre, now just £400,000 short of their £6.8m target.
Paul Watkins, Director of Fundraising at Leeds Hospitals Charity says: “It has been great to involve the Burrow family in the new centre in this way, they have been a crucial part of this appeal from the start and, alongside Rob, have been dedicated to fundraising and to raising awareness of MND. It’s really exciting to share the progress of the build with the public; it won’t be long now before there is a shell in place for people to really appreciate what the centre will look like and the positive impact it will have on patients.”
Leeds Beckett helping to boost growth of Leeds-based national programme management consultancy
Leadership and marketing experts at Leeds Beckett University have formed a new partnership with Mercury3 Consult, a programme management consultancy primarily specialising in the rail sector, to support the company’s growth into new services and markets.
The project is a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK. Academics based in Leeds Business School will lead the project to embed in-house, sustainable, skills and expertise within Mercury3 – allowing them to develop new strategic opportunities.
Dr Karen Vollum-Dix, Senior Lecturer with the Leadership, Governance and People Management subject group at Leeds Business School, explained: “Mercury3 Consult are an ambitious and successful business that want to grow to include the delivery of products as well as services, and to reach new clients and markets.
“This KTP will directly address the need for a wider, strategic approach to marketing and re-positioning of the company. We will embed strategic insight within the business, and the skills to measure, analyse and address new opportunities, and increase brand awareness.”
Mercury3 Consult is a specialised programme management consultancy, based in Leeds city centre, with offices in Middlesborough and team members helping to deliver programmes of work nationally.
Mercury3’s relationship with Leeds Beckett University began when one of its three owning directors, Trevor Marshall, took part in the Government-funded Help to Grow: Management programme and discussed the company’s ongoing growth ambitions with the Leeds Business School tutors.
Trevor Marshall said: “Mercury3 is built around the provision of high-quality knowledge and expertise in our team. We want to recruit and retain new talent, and support the development of our team, to grow the business and ensure our knowledge and skills are captured and shared.
“This project will embed a new business model that reflects our diverse and evolving team, whilst also addressing one of our key strategic aims to improve our coordination and efficiency between functions of the business and across our sites.”
The work will be managed by a KTP Associate – a skilled graduate who will be recruited as a full-time member of Mercury3, with the full support of the Leeds Beckett academic team. Alongside Dr Vollum-Dix will be a team of experts in Leeds Business School, including Dr David Andrews – Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Help to Grow tutor and business coach.
NFU President takes farmers’ concerns to Number 10
The NFU has repeatedly called for government policies to deliver transparency in markets, food labelling, public procurement and food messaging, including the need to develop core production standards that apply to agri-food imports. He said the government could “send a really strong message” to the industry by taking action on this. “With the right support in place, farming can be a key partner to deliver the Government’s missions around economic growth.”
Harvest concerns, bovine TB, the agriculture budget and fairness in the supply chain were high on the agenda at his meeting with advisers across business, Defra and DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero).
Topping out ceremony marks completion of military’s medical centre at Catterick
A topping out ceremony for the 12,000m2 Catterick Integrated Care Campus has taken place to mark completion of the building’s steel frame.
Tilbury Douglas started work earlier this year on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and has now completed the supporting structure. The next stage is to attach external cladding and curtain walls before installing the roof. The building should be wind and weather-proof in early 2025 when work will begin on the interior of the building.
David Salmond, DIO’s Major Projects and Programmes lead for UK Strategic Command, said: “We’re pleased to reach this significant construction milestone for this groundbreaking new facility. The success of the project to date is thanks to the working relationships built between the MOD, NHS, AECOM and Tilbury Douglas, and we look forward to those relationships continuing to bear fruit as we focus on the next stage of construction.”
The building will host medical services for military personnel based at Catterick Garrison, as well as some primary and community NHS services for members of the public and military families.
The building is the first MOD-NHS integration of this scale, providing benefits to both parties and residents of Catterick and wider Richmondshire through shared learning and experience.
Representatives from the MOD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Defence Medical Services , the NHS, contractor Tilbury Douglas, and Technical Support Provider Aecom attended the event and were briefed on the progress of the project.
The building is expected to be completed in early 2026, with medical services moving in later in the year.
Bassingham-based firm joins Uptech in Kings Lynn
Lincolnshire IT firm Jalapeno Business Services has joined Kings Lynn-based UptechLtd, signalling a change in name for the Bassingham-based company.
Mark Brown, owner and director of Jalapeno Business Services, said: “This partnership allows us to provide our clients with even more comprehensive and robust IT solutions, backed by Uptech’s decades of experience and success.
“Our clients will benefit greatly from the additional resources and expertise now available to them.”
James Fowler, Business Development Manager at Uptech Ltd, said: “This merger marks a significant milestone, promising enriched service offerings and greater innovation.
“Jalapeno’s clients will benefit from Uptech’s extensive knowledge base, cutting-edge technology solutions and industry-leading expertise.”
Despite the change in branding, all Jalapeno’s current employees will stay on board, continuing to operate from the same office locations. This continuity will ensure that the company’s clients will receive consistent and familiar support while gaining access to the expanded capabilities that Uptech brings to the table.
Duncan & Toplis acquires North London business
Accountants and business advisers Duncan & Toplis has acquired Haines Watts North London.
This move will see Haines Watts North London rebranded as Duncan & Toplis, with all team members remaining in their roles. Amilios Costa, Managing Partner, will continue to lead the team in this exciting next phase of their growth journey.
Damon Brain, CEO of Duncan & Toplis said: “It was clear from the first meeting that Amilios and his team share our focus on culture and growth for the right reasons. He brings incredible expertise, energy and experience and will be instrumental in supporting growth in the region. I’m delighted to welcome our new team members and help them deliver on their own ambitions, as part of Duncan & Toplis.
Amilios Costa said: “Joining forces with Duncan & Toplis represents a fantastic opportunity for both our clients and our team. The amazing combination of deep-rooted history and a profound ambition to grow in the right way is a huge cultural synergy. It means we can offer a wider range of services and even greater support to our clients, as well as provide our team with new opportunities to progress their careers at a company with serious growth ambitions.
Duncan & Toplis, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, is on course for the biggest period of growth in its history after securing private equity investment in 2023. The company’s strategy is primarily focused on strong organic growth, supplemented by a number of highly strategic acquisitions that broaden the service offering to clients and expand the business geographically into new key locations.
Guitar case specialist marks 20th year in business
Hull-based international guitar case manufacturer Scott Dixon Inc. is celebrating its 20th anniversary and the 70th birthday of founder John Dixon.
The brand, which launched in 2004, is market leader in lightweight aluminium flight cases and is very much focused on the touring music industry.
The Scott Dixon signature product is the Triple Row Guitar case, a lightweight case that safely holds three guitars – and is used by bands worldwide.
MD Dave Hutty, who heads up the management team, including his wife Tracy along with John & Lee Dixon, said: “In the last year alone, our cases have been sent to The Pretenders, Niall Horan and Seal, to name just a few. We also produced some bespoke cases to support Bruce Dickinson’s recent Mandrake Project Tour.”
Having survived the global pandemic on the touring music industry, the team is now working hard on several new products to expand its range both within the music industry as well as looking at other markets where a lightweight case will make a great impact. Dave continued:
“It’s a very exciting time to be a part of this company – and myself and the team are looking forward to the next twenty years of developing new and exciting products. We can make a case for pretty much anything!”
Founder John Dixon said: “It’s great to have Dave and Tracy on board, along with my son Lee. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next twenty years brings.”
Work to start on 187 new homes in Doncaster
Work is set to start on 187 new homes in the Cantley area of Doncaster.
Housebuilder Persimmon received planning approval from Doncaster Council for the new houses to be built on land south of Doncaster Road allocated for housing in Doncaster’s Local Plan. Everingham Place, as the new development will be known, will provide homebuyers with a range of house sizes and types ranging from one-bedroom terraced, to four-bed detached. All homes will be fitted with EV chargers and built to new building regulations, ensuring improved energy efficiency and helping to reduce energy bills for homeowners. The development will have significant areas of public open space, including an on-site play area and a trim-trail. 43 of the new homes will be made available through shared ownership and affordable rent schemes. Over £1 million will be provided by Persimmon to fund additional school places at two local schools. Joel Frank, Land Director at Persimmon Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted to have received planning approval and are looking forward to getting on site later this year. “Everingham Place will provide much needed high quality new homes, with a range of properties to suit all local homebuyers.”IT and architect firms relocate to iconic period building in Leeds
A global provider of imaging IT solutions and a national commercial architect’s firm have accelerated their growth plans by relocating to the Calls Landing building in Leeds.
Sectra Medical and Box Architects will now occupy the second and third floors of the period building overlooking the River Aire, with strategic property advisors, Fox Lloyd Jones and Carter Towler having received a wealth of enquiries for the property since it was first brought to market earlier this year.
Built in the early 1900s as a warehouse to support the adjacent Grade II listed Fletland Mills, Calls Landing will offer its new tenants a modern, creative workspace environment, which still retains its original industrial features. Owned by property investment company King & Co., it is uniquely situated in the heart of the vibrant Calls district of Leeds and offers easy access to both the train and bus stations and other main city centre amenities.
Sectra Medical was founded in Sweden in 1978 and quickly established a reputation as a major innovator within medical IT and cybersecurity, supporting healthcare organisations across the globe. It now operates across 18 countries and has agreed a five-year lease to operate its regional office from Calls Landing, by occupying 2,390 sq ft of space on the second floor.
With offices in Leeds and London, Box Architects will occupy a 1,237 sq ft space on the third floor, having also secured a five-year lease. The firm specialises in commercial projects in sectors ranging from health and education to sports and leisure.
Harry Finney, associate director at Fox Lloyd Jones, said: “With Calls Landing situated in one of the most exciting areas of Leeds city centre and a building which retains all its traditional period features and charm, demand for creative workspaces of this calibre is inevitably high.
“To welcome to the property a global innovator within medical IT and cybersecurity and a nationally renowned architect’s firm, is hugely satisfying. The workspace provides the perfect location for both businesses to thrive and spearhead their growth plans across the region.”
John King, director at King & Co, added: “Calls Landing is an iconic period building steeped in history and has always been a hugely desirable office location for creative and professional service businesses across Leeds.
“With picturesque views overlooking the river and convenient access to all the local amenities in the Calls area and city centre, I’m confident both businesses will feel energised by moving to their new home.”
Clem McDowell, director at Carter Towler, said: “Calls Landing is a terrific example of the wealth of commercial properties across Leeds that are rich in heritage and history but also designed to meet the modern office needs of businesses operating across a range of sectors.
“It’s been a pleasure working closely with King & Co and FLJ to help bring this property to market and we wish Sectra Medical and Box Architects all the best in their new home.”
Planning application submitted for key 43-acre M18 site in Yorkshire
Privately-owned property development company, Premcor Estates (Premcor), has submitted a planning application for its 43-acre, Mode 18 development site at Junction 3 on the M18.
The planning application relates to the redevelopment of the overall site at Rossington, Doncaster, which has the potential to deliver around 450 new jobs.
Planning permission was granted three years ago at the site for the installation of a much-needed Link Road to divert industrial traffic from the surrounding residential areas and construction of this road forms part of the proposed scheme works.
Proposals include for a mix of employment and an element of operational vehicle storage with supporting infrastructure including a gatehouse.
A further planning application will be submitted shortly for land to the western end of the new Link Road for roadside uses, including an electric vehicle charging station and petrol station with shop, as well as providing new restaurant/coffee shop facilities with drive-through lanes.
Premcor director, Rob Lane, said: “We acquired this site off market and have spent the last four years on site assembly. Our work has also included securing agreements for a new Link Road for commercial traffic to the Bankwood Lane Estate to bypass Rossington and the large volume of residential development that has taken place there.
“The Link Road will make a big difference to local residents and Doncaster Council who have been supporting and promoting the link road for the last six years.
“We have ambitious plans for the site which will build on our established links with major occupiers. Potential occupiers have already been secured for the petrol filling station and the EV charging facility as well as two restaurants with drive through provision. We will also be welcoming Yard Storage Solutions, which will provide self-storage and commercial storage facilities, on the remainder of the site.”
Mode 18 is so called because of its location on the M18, close to the A1(M) and M1 Motorways as well as its proximity to the iPort Rail terminal which is just a five-minute drive away.
The two separate planning applications could generate and sustain over 500 new full and part time jobs – the proposed employment development site at the eastern end of the new Link Road will lead to the creation of around 450 jobs, while the commercial / retail uses at the western end of the new Link Road, provide a further 87 new jobs.
Premcor has appointed the Sheffield office of ID Planning to handle the planning application for Mode 18. Director, Jeremy Williams, said: “ID Planning is well known for providing creative and innovative planning solutions for complex development proposals and this has been one such. We are hopeful that we will receive a positive determination as a result of the local support for the Link Road and the general development proposals, which will make a tremendous difference.
“Whilst the Link Road alone will deliver many local benefits, Premcor plans to bring forward a phased commercial development across several sites in need of regeneration and investment. This will support existing local commercial businesses and provide substantial new, modern warehouse space and general industrial floorspace that will also attract inward investment, so there is an appetite to get started on site as soon as possible.”
Architects for Mode 18 are C4 Architects and the Sheffield offices of Knight Frank and BNP Paribas have been advising.
