Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has praised the dramatic transformation of the iconic Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley from an old textile mill into a business, artistic and community hub. Spending an afternoon at Sunny Bank Mills, one of the most historic family-owned mills in Yorkshire, Mr Sunak spoke to over 20 business owners and tenants in an informal and relaxed question-and-answer session. He was welcomed by John and William Gaunt, the joint Managing Directors of the award-winning mill complex. The Prime Minister said: “It has been fantastic to meet local artisans and entrepreneurs at Sunny Bank Mills and to see the transformation of this former textile mill into a thriving hub for businesses. “Last week the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced tax cuts that will benefit over one million small businesses like those I have met at Sunny Bank Mills. By backing British businesses and taking long-term decisions to grow the economy, we will see entrepreneurial areas in and around Leeds, such as Sunny Bank Mills, continue to thrive.” While visiting Sunny Bank Mills, Mr Sunak also stressed the importance of devolution and making sure that local people were in control of their own destiny, while revealing that businesses could expect to see cuts to their rates in the next year. “It is vital to back the incredible people and businesses of Leeds. I have been talking to some of them at Sunny Bank Mills, together with Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew and they are incredibly entrepreneurial people.” The Prime Minister also made some jewellery when he visited the Sunny Bank Mills jeweller Emma White, who was a finalist in the popular BBC-2 show All That Glitters: Britain’s Next Jewellery Star. Emma said: “It was very interesting to meet the Prime Minister when he visited my jewellery studio in the Twisting building at Sunny Bank Mills. “After a brief chat about my multi-faceted business, he had a go at punching a silver star and hammering a texture on to a silver bangle. We discussed the positive impact of creative pursuits and I asked him if he’d bought his wife a Christmas present yet.” John Gaunt said: “The fact that Sunny Bank Mills attracted a visit from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is a real milestone in the successful regeneration of the mills, as well as being an incredibly exciting moment for us all. “It is a reflection of how far we have come, and all the hard work we have all put in, not just William and I, but our staff team and mill community, the local community and all those who have supported us.” William Gaunt added: “It was a great pleasure to welcome The Prime Minister to Sunny Bank Mills and to get him in front of our business owners to hear about their challenges. He was also able to see what a wonderful community makes up Sunny Bank Mills, bursting with creativity and energy.” During the past 11 years Sunny Bank Mills has been transformed into a modern office and mixed-use creative complex for the 21st century, creating 500 sustainable new jobs, with more than 100 companies on site. Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew said: “I was absolutely delighted that the Prime Minister visited Sunny Bank Mills to see for himself the wonderful transformation of an old textile mill into a fabulous business centre and community asset. “What has happened here is inspirational and has had a massive impact on the economy and the life of Farsley. Huge congratulations are due to William and John Gaunt for overseeing the renaissance of the mill complex.”

From the end of November, Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) will commence major upgrades at Huddersfield station. The work, which is part of a multi-billion-pound railway programme, will see the waiting rooms and toilet area, previously referred to as the old tearoom, removed. Whilst these upgrades are required, preserving the rich heritage of this Grade I-listed station is vital. To enable this, engineers will carefully dismantle the waiting room, before taking it off site to be stored. It will later be reinstated as part of the new platforms 3 and 4 layout. Whilst the waiting room area is out of use, a temporary toilet block will be installed at the Manchester end of platform 4. These toilet facilities will include a fully accessible toilet, with baby changing facilities. Paul Sumner, Senior Sponsor on the Transpennine Route Upgrade, said: “Huddersfield Station is an iconic building and an intrinsic part of West Yorkshire heritage, so whilst this series of improvements are necessary, the restoration and retention of its historic features is of paramount importance. “That’s why – after an extensive in-depth planning process – the Transpennine Route Upgrade will bring the station up to modern standards in terms of functionality, without harming it’s cultural and traditional significance.” From early January, engineers will start the restoration of the existing trainshed roof, which is one of only a few remaining ‘Euston roof’ examples on the operational railway today. During this time, the long stay car park will be closed to allow a site compound to be installed. Chris Nutton, Major Projects Director for TransPennine Express, said: “Huddersfield station will undergo major changes over the next few years, which will enable faster and more frequent trains to call there and provide better facilities for the millions of passengers who use the station every year. “We would like to thank our customers in advance for their understanding and patience as we work together with colleagues from Network Rail to transform Huddersfield into a station fit for the 21st century.” The upcoming station improvement work is part of a wider, more long-term goal of transforming Huddersfield Station with a new layout, longer platforms, a new footbridge and a refurbished roof structure, with restored lantern. Over three million passengers travelled through Huddersfield Station last year, with that number set to steadily increase. The upgrades at Huddersfield Station will take Transpennine Route Upgrade one step closer to their vision of creating a cleaner, greener, and more reliable railway system that will bring improved connectivity and travel experiences to passengers travelling across the Pennines.

Lindum Group has started work to build 20 one and two-bedroom affordable apartments for rent in Grantham. The new homes will be delivered for SOUth Kesteven District Council, and are being built on derelict brownfield land in the heart of the town. The development is at the northern end of Swinegate, next to Watergate car park and close to Brook Street. It follows public consultation including with Lincolnshire County Council Highways, local heritage and conservation organisations, St Wulfram’s Church and arranging public displays at drop-in sessions in the town. Lindum MD Darren King said: “It is fantastic news that work has started on these new apartments, helping to ease local demand and support local people in providing an affordable place to live. It is important that the new apartments serve the purpose of easing the housing demand, but they also have to fit in with the historic aesthetic of Grantham and benefit the local people and have positive impact on what is a busy and popular area of the town. “Being procured through SCAPE has allowed for us to engage early with SKDC to navigate issues associated with sites with high footfall and complicated access routes. We were able to discuss the issues with the council early on in the project and come up with a plan to mitigate any potential complications and accelerate starting on site. “Affordable living is one of the biggest issues we are facing today and so it is vital we do our bit to help support our local communities and provide quality homes that suit a diverse range of needs.”

Vastint UK, the developer behind Aire Park, the 24-acre mixed-use district on Leeds’ South Bank, has revealed the first images and details of its plans for the iconic Tetley building as it looks to safeguard the landmark for another century. The proposals for the 92-year-old building include the retention of the art deco façade and opening up the basement and ground floor for new food, drink and event spaces alongside 1,212 m² of office space. The new images and plans also reveal roof terraces, a new cellar bar and restaurant, and the retention of many historic features, including the war memorial and Tetley Boardroom. The fully revitalised Tetley Building, which Vastint UK acquired from Carlsberg in 2022, will be the crown jewel and focal point for the Aire Park district, which includes a new 3.5-hectare city centre green park, up to 1,400 news homes and 85,000m² of office space. Vastint UK is welcoming comments from the public until late December with a planning application expected early in 2024. The proposed plans include:

• The basement level being transformed into a bar and restaurant area and opened up to the public for the first time in the building’s history
• The ground floor to feature a new food hall as well as new amenities including Changing Places facilities
• The first-floor plans show an event space and business lounge
• Office space will appear on the second and third floors of the building
• An extension will be added to the eastern façade of the building, which has traditionally always been connected to other buildings within the brewery complex

The building will also be designed to be highly efficient and bring the Tetley Building up to modern sustainability standards. Simon Schofield, Head of Development North at Vastint UK, said: “The Tetley is an iconic building within Leeds and we’re excited to finally reveal our plans for its future. As custodians of this important piece of the city’s history, we have been working hard with our architects Supervene and Enjoy Design, Leeds City Council and others to look not just at how we preserve this beautiful building but continue its evolution and ensure it remains at the heart of both Aire Park and Leeds’ South Bank for another 100 years. “Our plans aim to create a variety of spaces within the building including public amenities such as a Changing Places facility, food and drink opportunities and event spaces, whilst continuing the building’s history of being a place of business, with new office space. “Everyone is excited to work on this project not only because of what it brings to Aire Park, but also because of the important role this building has and will continue to play in the story of Leeds. We’d like to think that Joshua Tetley would be impressed by what has become of the site he purchased for £402 in 1822.” Michael Westlake, director at Supervene Architects, added: “To be given the chance to work on a building which holds such an important place within a city’s cultural history and be able to shape its next chapter is exciting. “We believe these plans will not only breathe new life into the building and open aspects which have never been open to the public before but will also ensure the building can continue to act as a beacon to attract both locals and visitors to the area and the wider Aire Park.” Vastint UK will officially submit its proposals to Leeds City Council in the new year ahead of starting work later in the year with the ambition of the building reopening to the public in 2026.

GMI Construction Group Ltd has secured a £27m contract to expand Leeds City College’s new Mabgate campus. The campus is already home to the college’s School of Events, Enterprise and Employability, as well as studio space for Leeds Conservatoire, which are both members of Luminate Education Group. The project will transform the once derelict site into around 70,000 sq ft of educational space which will enhance the teaching and learning experience. The development will create new learning spaces while contributing to the regeneration of the area and providing much-need community resources. The initial stage of the project, which started last month, includes the partial demolition of existing buildings fronting onto Mabgate, which will make way for the construction of a new five-storey campus for University Centre Leeds and a new building for Leeds City College’s English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) provision, currently the Enfield Centre, which will both operate as educational facilities. As part of the construction of the ESOL building, Leeds-based GMI will also build a new atrium cafeteria, which will be located between the new building and the existing converted warehouse space, which is the hub of the Mabgate Centre, providing eco-friendly open-plan learning spaces and specially designed classrooms. In addition to the construction of the new facilities, GMI will also undertake the refurbishment of the historic building, Studio 24, which is a popular arts and events space located within a former industrial building. Chris Weathers, Group Commercial Director at GMI Construction, said: “We are exceptionally proud to have secured this project to support the expansion of this Leeds City College centre and the regeneration of this part of our home city. “It also represents part of our strategy to further grow our presence in public sector construction. “We have a strong track record of public sector delivery, not only in Yorkshire, but our other regions including the North East, and securing this scheme further demonstrates our capabilities to support significant developments that will have a positive impact on communities.” David Warren, Group Vice Principal of Development at Luminate Education Group, said: “These new developments at Mabgate form part of our commitment to supporting our members to deliver outstanding opportunities for learners. “Both new buildings will replace old buildings in poor condition and we are delighted that significant funding was provided to us by the Department for Education through their capital transformation funding programme. “The University Centre Leeds building will replace its current site at Park Lane, providing students with cutting-edge facilities, while the new space for Leeds City College’s in-demand ESOL provision will allow even more adults and young people to access vital English skills, in this expanded space. “We’re pleased that this next phase of development consolidates our plans to support the regeneration of this up-and-coming part of Leeds, and hopefully attracts further investment in the area.”