Leeds’ economy set to outpace UK growth, but wider Yorkshire lags

April Lara
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Leeds’ economy set to outpace UK growth, but wider Yorkshire lags

According to EY’s latest Regional Economic Forecast, Leeds’ economy is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.7% between 2025 and 2028, slightly above the UK forecast of 1.6%. The city’s employment growth is also projected to surpass the national average, with a 0.8% annual increase. By 2028, Leeds’ economy is expected to be £2.5 billion larger than in 2024.

In contrast, Yorkshire and the Humber’s overall economic growth is forecast at 1.5% per year, trailing the national average. Employment growth in the region is also expected to be slower at 0.6% per year, compared to the UK’s 0.7%.

North Yorkshire is set to perform better, with projected economic and employment growth rates of 1.7% and 0.8% per year, respectively, driven by its expanding technology and construction sectors.

Across the region, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and real estate are expected to be key economic contributors. However, rising energy and labour costs continue to pressure the manufacturing sector.

Sheffield, Wakefield, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are projected to be the region’s joint-second fastest-growing economies, each with a 1.5% annual growth rate. Barnsley and Doncaster are forecast at 1.4%, while York, Calderdale, Hull, Middlesbrough, and Bradford are expected to grow at 1.3%. Kirklees (1.2%) and Rotherham (1.1%) are forecast to have the slowest growth rates.

Yorkshire and the Humber business leaders are urged to focus on high-growth sectors, emerging technology, and the energy transition to attract investment and boost regional performance.

Lincolnshire councillors debate unitary authority restructure

April Lara
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Lincolnshire councillors debate unitary authority restructure

Lincolnshire councillors are considering major local government reforms as they prepare to submit proposals on restructuring the county into unitary authorities. The government has requested interim proposals by 21 March, aiming for authorities with at least 500,000 residents while minimising service disruption.

Lincolnshire County Council has outlined two main options. One plan would merge North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire into a single northern authority, with the rest of the county forming another council. The second option proposes combining North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, West Lindsey, and East Lindsey into one authority, while Lincoln, North Kesteven, South Kesteven, Boston, and South Holland would form another.

Cost projections differ between the options. The first would cost £27 million to implement, with expected savings of £250 million over 10 years. The second option carries a higher setup cost of £42 million but is projected to save £246 million over the same period.

Opposition councillors introduced a third option: splitting Lincolnshire into three unitary authorities to create a more balanced population distribution. Some councillors argue that this alternative could be more efficient and should be explored further.

The government makes the final decision, but the Lincolnshire County Council’s full meeting on 22 March will determine which proposals are formally submitted.

Final stages for Gainsborough regeneration projects

April Lara
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Final stages for Gainsborough regeneration projects

The Whitton Gardens and Baltic Mill regeneration projects in Gainsborough are nearing completion, with work expected to finish this spring.

At Whitton Gardens, the former riverside WC block is being converted into a café. Belton Construction teams are replacing the roof, installing internal walls, and beginning electrical work. The project is on track for completion in May, and West Lindsey District Council is working with property advisors Bruton Knowles to secure an independent operator for the café.

The Baltic Mill site is being redeveloped into a green public space by the riverside. Once construction is finished, the area will remain fenced off until May to allow newly planted greenery to take root.

Local council leaders have praised the progress, highlighting the projects’ role in enhancing community spaces and supporting local businesses.

Network Space secures approval for 30-acre commercial site near Wakefield

April Lara
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Network Space secures approval for 30-acre commercial site near Wakefield

Network Space Developments (NSD) has obtained detailed planning permission for a 30-acre warehousing and distribution scheme on Newmarket Lane, Wakefield, near Junction 30 of the M62.

The 152,000 sq. ft. development will include 12 flexible storage and office units, a new access road, car parking, service yards, landscaping, and supporting infrastructure. The site is positioned within an established industrial and logistics hub with major operators such as Amazon, Newcold, and Phoenix Healthcare.

The broader Newmarket Lane commercial area spans approximately 200 acres, with potential for up to 1 million sq. ft of development. Currently employing around 1,500 people, the area is expected to generate 1,500 jobs upon full build-out. Planning consultancy Spawforths advised NSD on the scheme.

Bradford Council receives £127m government bailout to stabilise finances

April Lara
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Bradford Council receives £127m government bailout to stabilise finances

Bradford Council has been granted £127 million in emergency financial support from the UK government to address its ongoing budget crisis. It is one of 30 local authorities receiving “exceptional” assistance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The council has faced severe financial strain for two years and narrowly avoided bankruptcy last March following an emergency government intervention. The council is prohibited from selling community and heritage assets as part of the funding agreement.

In November, the council approved £40 million in budget cuts, impacting services such as street cleaning and library operations. Three recycling centres were permanently closed last April to reduce costs. A council tax increase of nearly 15% was finalised last month.

Despite the bailout, the council must save an additional £40 million next year and £50 million annually for the following four years. The government stated that the funding is for councils in “immediate need” and will be accompanied by oversight to ensure financial stability.

Financial planning solutions provider acquires Huddersfield firm

Tess Egginton
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Financial planning solutions provider acquires Huddersfield firm

Benchmark Capital, a provider of financial planning solutions and part of the Schroders Group, is to acquire Robertson Baxter.

Robertson Baxter is a directly authorised firm of four advisers with £200 million of client assets, based near Huddersfield.

Benchmark has supported Robertson Baxter with platform and investment solutions for several years.

Ed Dymott, CEO, Benchmark, said: “Over the past 17 years Greg Robertson and Stephen Baxter have built a successful practice and Benchmark has supported their growth by providing technology, platform and investment solutions.

“We’re delighted that they recognise Benchmark’s strong proposition, client focus, and capital strength as being the right long-term home for their staff and clients.

“Benchmark continues to demonstrate strong growth, having increased our number of advisers last year.

“The acquisition of Robertson Baxter represents a continuation of our strategy to support financial planning businesses at every stage of their journey from starting up, running efficiently, growing successfully and succession planning for business owners. The acquisition underscores the strength of our differentiated proposition.

“Robertson Baxter will, over the next two years, integrate fully into Benchmark, moving under Benchmark’s regulatory authorisation. We continue to see very strong interest in directly authorised firms looking to networks to help streamline their business and better navigate the regulatory landscape.

“Our Schroders UK Financial Adviser Survey shows that regulation continues to be a primary concern with the number of advisers ranking it their number one concern rising from 49% in 2023 to 57% in 2024. With close to 200 firms already in our networks we expect to see this shift continue.”

Greg Robertson, CEO, Robertson Baxter, said: “Having worked with Benchmark for several years we knew they were the right partner to support our business growth and secure a long-term home for our staff and our clients, as well as a smooth exit strategy for me and Stephen.

“We’ve already benefitted from Benchmark’s on-going investment into developing their proprietary technology and we’re pleased to be joining their network too; to leverage their broader practice management support to help us service more clients, more efficiently than ever before.”

Communicate Technology acquires Blaze Networks driving growth to £17m turnover in 2025

Tess Egginton
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Communicate Technology acquires Blaze Networks driving growth to £17m turnover in 2025
Communicate, a Rockpool-backed provider of cybersecurity and IT network solutions, has acquired Blaze Networks, a security-focused managed service provider with deep expertise in SD-WAN and advanced networking solutions. This marks Communicate’s fifth acquisition and its second since securing private equity investment from Rockpool in June 2024. With this deal, Communicate, based in Teesside and Leeds, is on track to grow its turnover from £6 million at the time of Rockpool’s investment in June last year to a projected £17 million in 2025. The acquisition enhances Communicate’s ability to deliver a fully integrated suite of services – including SD-WAN, SASE, cloud, backup, and disaster recovery – enabling customers to benefit from a more resilient, secure, and scalable IT infrastructure. Macclesfield-based Blaze Networks will continue to operate under managing director Ben Brassington. Blaze’s technical capabilities in designing and implementing multi-site, software-defined networking solutions will play a key role in expanding Communicate’s service portfolio, supporting organisations that require high-performance, secure connectivity across distributed environments. Tony Snaith, CEO of Communicate Technology, said: “Bringing Blaze Networks into the Communicate group significantly strengthens our ability to offer cutting-edge, secure IT solutions. “Their expertise in SD-WAN and SASE complements our existing capabilities, allowing us to provide businesses with seamless, scalable, and highly secure network architectures. This acquisition is not only about expanding our service offering – it’s about creating real value for customers and fostering professional growth for our team as we continue to scale.” Ben Brassington, managing director of Blaze Networks, added: “Joining Communicate presents a fantastic opportunity for Blaze Networks to accelerate its growth while continuing to deliver the high-quality solutions our customers rely on. “By integrating with Communicate, we can offer an even more comprehensive service, while also providing our team with exciting new career development opportunities. Having re-invested in the group, I am fully committed to this next phase of expansion.” Communicate and Rockpool were advised by Cooper Parry (financial and tax), Roxburgh Milkins (legal) and Taylor Wessing (legal). Blaze Networks was advised by KBS Corporate Finance (M&A), K3 Law (legal) and K3 Advantage (tax). Rockpool provided additional funding to support the acquisition, with investment director Tom Coey and investment manager Toby Hurdle leading the transaction.

Harworth’s new retail development at flagship Waverley site in South Yorkshire reaches practical completion

Tess Egginton
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Harworth’s new retail development at flagship Waverley site in South Yorkshire reaches practical completion
Harworth’s brand new retail development at its flagship site at Waverley in South Yorkshire has reached practical completion with just over 80 per cent of units under offer or let. The urban shopping and leisure development on Highfield Spring, part of Harworth’s complete redevelopment of the former mining site, totals 11 retail units and a medical centre and will serve the current community of more than 2,500 residents and around 1,700 homes, expected to rise to 8,000 people and more than 3,000 homes by 2029. Three units of 1,420 sq ft remain to let, with advanced interest in one, attracted by the chance to secure new retail space in the centre of one of Sheffield’s newest urban areas, with the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and its 2,000 employees also close by, as well as 100 other businesses. Expected to open in early summer after fit out, the retail parade has already drawn in a mix of national and local independent retail and food and beverage occupiers, including Tesco. Kitty Hendrick, from the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, which is marketing the site, said: “Olive Lane is a really positive story, not only for the Waverley community but for the region. “We are now just over 80 per cent under offer / let and the units have only just reached Practical Completion, which proves that there is strong demand for retail units in the region, and limited availability. “We have secured a mix of national and local independent retail and F&B occupiers, including Tesco, and look forward to seeing the scheme up and running once tenants have fitted out. “There will be something for everyone at Olive Lane and we envisage the scheme to be very popular with high footfall once open.” Michael Jameson, Senior Asset Manager at Harworth, said: “Harworth is delighted to bring Olive Lane to life, a development which will become the new mixed use heart of the Waverley Community. “Creating places where people want to live and work is at the heart of what Harworth do and we’re confident that Waverley and Olive Lane delivers on that aim. We hope local residents and workers will enjoy all the amenities the high street has to offer, and are sure the scheme will be a huge success and really bring the community together.”

Yorkshire developer celebrates hat-trick of completions

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire developer celebrates hat-trick of completions
Northern developer Almscliffe-Dhesi (AD) has completed three major retail projects in the North-East and North Lincolnshire. AD’s developments at Peterlee, Crook and Scunthorpe, all of which are home to national retail occupiers, are now open for business. At the same time, work has started on site at AD’s retail development at Faverdale in north-west Darlington. AD has transformed the disused and derelict Vauxhall Car dealership off Passfield Way on the outskirts of Peterlee into a new local convenience retail cluster. High-profile tenants at the 13,027 sq ft development include Sainsbury’s, Tanning Shop, Greggs and Domino’s, together with CVS Vets and EVC Electric Vehicle Chargers. This investment is for sale, while a final unit of 1,250 sq ft is available to let. Meanwhile AD, having bought a redundant unit on South Street, Crook, split the 2,240 sq ft unit in two. The occupiers are Domino’s and Banking Hub. Both tenants are now up and trading, with the investment for sale. Work has also been completed at Scunthorpe, where AD’s 7,300 sq ft roadside scheme opposite Central Park includes a Starbucks drive thru, a Central England Co-op and The Tanning Shop, together with EV charging points. The Starbucks unit has been sold to the franchisee K Beverage, while the rest of the development has been bought by a private investor. Neil Creeney, who owns and runs AD with his business partner Bal Singh, said: “It is tremendous news that work has now been completed on these three significant developments. Together we estimate they will create more than 150 jobs.”

Rotherham business raided as police seize £370,000 in counterfeit goods

April Lara
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Rotherham business raided as police seize £370,000 in counterfeit goods

South Yorkshire Police and Trading Standards have seized an estimated £370,000 worth of counterfeit goods from a Rotherham business following a community tip-off.

The raid, carried out on 5 March, uncovered fake vapes, headphones, and electronics. Authorities warned that counterfeit vapes pose health risks and that illegal products undercut legitimate businesses.

The operation was part of ongoing efforts to tackle counterfeit trade and protect local businesses. Police urged the public to continue reporting suspicious activity to aid future investigations.

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