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.
Sophie joins Richardsons in interior design role
Bradford-based office design firm Richardsons has appointed Sophie Powell as a new graduate interior designer.
Thornton-based Sophie will be supporting the company on day-to-day activities including space planning, interior design, creating technical visuals and offering customers design solutions at varying budgets.
Sophie said: “I was looking for an interior design job and keen to stay local to Bradford, so I was thrilled to come across the opportunity at Richardsons.
“It’s such a positive workplace, I’ve already gained so much experience from the team around me and had the opportunity to visit client sites, create design plans and learn about all of the different pieces of the puzzle that come together when we’re creating a space that is entirely tailored to the client’s needs. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into more projects and supporting the team at all the different stages of design.
“Everyone here embodies going above and beyond whether that’s sourcing a niche fabric from a specific manufacturer or working historic or nostalgic artefacts into modern design spaces – it’s a really exciting company to have started my interior design career with.”
Richardsons has designed spaces for organisations including Bradford Grammar School, Professional Security, Slimming World and Emerald Group, working closely with clients to manage design, fit out and furniture supply, creating welcoming, practical areas.
MD Steven Richardson said: “Sophie has already proven to be a wonderful asset to the team, bringing with her impressive design skills and a real aptitude for creative design proposals and ideas.
“We’re always keen to hire local talent and having Sophie join the team at such a pivotal time in the industry has been an incredible asset, as we continue to grow and develop our offerings. The common workplace has changed in so many ways over the last few years that it’s imperative we innovate alongside it and growing the team is an integral part of that.”
Wastewise signs ten-year contract with council to turn garden waste into compost
Hull-based Wastewise has signed a ten-year contract worth about £4.5m with North Lincolnshire council to collect about 17,500 tonnes of garden waste a year and convert it into compost.
This is the eleventh municipal contract signed by the company, and will involve kerbside collection and processing activities run in partnership with Biowise, Down to Earth Recycling Ltd and Brier Hills Recycling Ltd. Anything that can’t be converted will be sent for energy generation.
Cllr Neil Poole, the council’s cabinet member for environmental operations, said: “This is another step forward in our plans to eradicate landfill waste.
“This new partnership is with a company that shares our vision for a cleaner, greener future for everyone in North Lincolnshire.
“This is all part of the bigger picture of A Green Future for North Lincolnshire, where everyone can make a difference, from companies like Wastewise to residents swapping their own bins for composters.”
Bob Wilkes, MD of Wastewise, said: “We look forward to working with North Lincolnshire Council in helping them achieve their waste management goals.
“The long-term contract will ensure that, together, we create clear, efficient processes to ensure an effective waste service for residents where as little as possible is wasted.”
