Respected figure within Yorkshire’s farming sector awarded MBE
Geoff Brown, a respected figure within Yorkshire’s farming sector and as Managing Director of Ripon Farm Services, has been made an MBE for services to the rural economy.
Geoff co-founded Ripon Farm Services 41 years ago along with Mr Morris Hymas and Mr William Houseman and has seen the company go from strength to strength since then.
He said: “I feel very honoured to be accepting an MBE in the King’s first birthday honours list. The MBE is in recognition of a lifetime of service to the rural economy, thanks to all who have played a part. Never did I think I would be accepting an MBE. I am incredibly delighted and humbled.”
Richard Simpson, commercial director of Ripon Farm Services, added: “We are all hugely proud of Geoff. He is the beating heart of our company and this is an honour which is richly deserved.”
It was in 1961 that 16-year-old Geoff Brown started his first job as an apprentice with car and agricultural dealer Glovers of Ripon.
Looking back on his 62 years in the farm machinery industry, Geoff reflected: “I’ve seen many changes, both in the world in general and in farming in particular, but the values that I’ve followed throughout my career – hard work and commitment to the best customer service – have remained the same. Many of our customers are also long-standing friends.
“I’ve taken great pride in the success of Ripon Farm Services, I’ve watched the company grow from a small concern to one of the biggest employers in the Ripon area, with over 300 staff and annual revenues in excess of £160 million.
“This gives me tremendous pleasure, but I would stress that the success of Ripon Farm Services is down to the loyal and committed staff we have employed over the years. They have been the bedrock of this company and their dedication and expertise is second to none.”
In 2019, at the Great Yorkshire Show, Geoff was presented with a Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) award for outstanding contribution to agriculture. As well as several other awards throughout the years. Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon. Oliver Dowden MP said: “This year’s honours list is a testament to ordinary people who have demonstrated extraordinary community spirit and I pay tribute to all those who have been recognised today.”
Manufacturing output declines for fifth month running
Manufacturers’ order books remained weak in June, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey.
Output of UK manufacturing firms fell marginally in the three months to June, for the fifth successive month, though at a slower pace than in April and May and in line with expectations. Output volumes are expected to rise slightly in the three months to September.
Total order books were reported to be below normal, to a broadly similar extent to May. Export order books were also seen as below normal, but deteriorated slightly, leaving them in their weakest position since February 2021.
The survey, based on the responses of 233 manufacturing firms found:
- Output volumes fell marginally in the three months to June (weighted balance of -6%, from -10% in the three months to May). Output is expected to rise slightly in the three months to September (+4%), with expectations mildly positive again after briefly turning negative last month.
- Output fell in 12 out of 17 sub-sectors in the three months to June. The largest contributions to the fall came from the mechanical engineering and food, drink & tobacco sub-sectors.
- Total order books were reported as below “normal” in June, to a broadly similar extent to May (-15% from -17%). This leaves them standing marginally below the long-run average (-13%).
- Export order books were also seen as below normal and deteriorated marginally from last month (-29% from -26%). This was also weaker than the long-run average (-18%) and leaves export order books in their weakest position since February 2021.
- Expectations for average selling price inflation in the three months ahead fell slightly in June (+19%, from +21%), the sixth consecutive monthly fall, to stand at their softest since February 2021. Although selling price inflation expectations were comfortably below the multi-decade high seen in 2022 (+80% in March 2022), they remained well above the long-run average (+7%).
- Stocks of finished goods were seen as comfortably above “adequate” in June (+15% from +10% in May) and remained broadly in line with the long-run average (+12%).
Planning inspector gives nod to new Barton-Upon-Humber residential development
Plans for a new residential development to the south of Barton-upon-Humber are set to move forward after the planning inspectorate ruled in favour of the scheme.
Banks Property put forward proposals in autumn 2021 for the development of a 26.3 hectare site to the east of the A15 and south of Horkstow Road which was to include up to 390 homes, as well as a community orchard, wildflower meadows and new allotments.
The family firm’s planning application was rejected by North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee last summer, with Banks then submitting an appeal against this decision to the planning inspectorate, which has now been allowed.
As well as including a range of different sizes and types of homes, including affordable housing and bungalows, the project also includes new footpaths, wetland areas, wildlife habitats, local road links, a children’s play park, an outdoor exercise area and more than 15 hectares of additional public open space, which equates to close to 60 percent of the total site area.
Funding will also be allocated towards a regular full day bus service that will serve the site and south of the town, in order to provide a sustainable connection to the wider community and to enable onward journeys by bus and rail.
John Ruddick, senior property development manager at Banks Property, says: “We have always believed that this would be an excellent site on which to create a sustainable new community in Barton-upon-Humber, and we are naturally very pleased that the planning inspector has also recognised the strengths and suitability of our proposals.
“This development will contribute to meeting the growing need to increase the local supply of homes and will enable more people who want to move to or stay in the area to do just that.
“It will offer a range of different property sizes and designs, including up to 20 bungalows and 78 affordable homes, while the construction of these new homes will directly support 80 new jobs, as well as indirectly supporting a further 100 jobs and providing significant contract opportunities for local suppliers.
“More than half the site will be open green space, including wildflower meadows, a community orchard, community allotments and woodland planting, while the amenity of a village-style green and formal play provision will lead to a local biodiversity net gain of more than twice the expected standard.
“We will now look to move this project forward as quickly as we can, and will provide further updates to the local community as progress is made.”
Doncaster waste management firm snapped up by global group
Reconomy Group, a global circular economy specialist providing sustainability technology, data and services to a broad range of industries, has acquired Ecofficiency Limited.
Ecofficiency is a Doncaster-based provider of waste and materials management solutions with the transaction strengthening Reconomy Group’s position across the UK’s construction, infrastructure and house-building waste management sectors.
The acquisition of Ecofficiency’s specialist soil sampling and remediation services – designed to reduce the bulk volume of waste by segregating hazardous materials and retaining recycled soils on site – further enhances the breadth and depth of services that Reconomy Group offers its clients.
Expanding into this specialism aligns with the Group’s mission to achieve a more circular economy where finite resources are preserved while simultaneously creating value for businesses and supporting economic growth.
The Ecofficiency transaction follows the 2023 acquisitions of Denmark-based green-tech business Combineering in February and UK Waste Solutions Limited, a major independent outsourced waste provider in the UK in May.
Guy Wakeley, Chief Executive of Reconomy Group, said: “Reconomy is delivering on our strategy of strong growth, organically and through global acquisitions that strengthen and differentiate our offering. Ecofficiency enhances our remediation capabilities and will be a fantastic addition to Reconomy as we relentlessly pursue our joint ambition of a more circular, sustainable economy.”
Michael Benton, Managing Director of the Recycle Division at Reconomy Group, said: “Ecofficiency brings expertise and specialist skills that will be of vast benefit to our customers. Materials management and reuse are crucial in preserving our resources. There is a strong cultural fit between the two businesses with our shared customer focus and belief in delivering added value and minimising environmental damage.”
Simon Raven, Managing Director of Ecofficiency, said: “We are delighted to be joining Reconomy Group, a market leader in the waste management and sustainability sector. Together, we are in a great position to continue innovating as we drive the circular economy forwards and help businesses become more sustainable.”
Land deal makes way for major mixed-use scheme in North Lincolnshire
Plans for a major sustainable mixed-use scheme in North Lincolnshire, which is set to include thousands of new homes alongside potential for high-value employment, community and leisure space, have moved a step closer with the acquisition of a major development site.
Regeneration and multi-sector property development specialist Hargreaves Land has exchanged contracts with site receivers Watling Real Estate for the conditional purchase of a 550-acre plot of land at the Lincolnshire Lakes site in Gunness, near Scunthorpe.
There, over 1,150 new homes will be created over the next 15 years as part of a major master-developer partnership that will also see potential for a new Advanced Manufacturing Park to be brought forwards on part of the site, offering commercial occupiers easy access to the nearby M181 motorway.
A 65-acre section of the site has been given a strategic allocation in North Lincolnshire’s emerging Local Plan to accommodate potential for the development of a carbon-neutral Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), which could in the future provide new commercial space to accommodate a range of emerging businesses, alongside research and development institutions, including those within the clean energy sector.
New construction jobs will be created when enabling infrastructure work by Hargreaves gets underway, followed by thousands more in the future as new businesses are created at Lincolnshire Lakes and existing employers relocate to the site to support their own growth and expansion plans.
Lincolnshire Lakes is expected to be one of the largest residential development schemes in the region and forms part of a wider strategic regeneration project set to transform the overall area, which will also include delivery of a new primary school, district centre and extensive areas of public open space.
The scheme will be masterplanned by Hargreaves to accord with the placemaking principles of a sustainable twenty-minute neighbourhood, with new opportunities created for active travel alongside large areas of blue infrastructure and biodiversity corridors.
Hargreaves Land is committed to bringing forward the wholescale regeneration of the site, moving ahead in a deal that will see it working closely with North Lincolnshire Council to secure outline planning consent within two years on its initial phases of development.
David Travis, development director at Hargreaves Land, said the deal marks another step forward in creating much needed quality new homes and amenities for the area.
“Lincolnshire Lakes is a very exciting investment for Hargreaves Land, reflecting our track record and continued focus in successfully delivering large-scale placemaking schemes throughout the UK.
“This includes our involvement in the on-going development of Unity, another large-scale mixed-use development in South Yorkshire which has a lot of similar constraints, where we are working with joint venture partner Waystone Developments to ensure project success.
“This deal represents a significant milestone for our overall growth as a business, and we look forward to delivering sustainable development on site over the next few years.”
Zoe Shearman, development surveyor at Hargreaves Land, added: “This moment represents the culmination of several months of hard work by our internal team and external consultants, and we now look forwards to progressing planning and marketing workstreams on the site as proactively as possible, with a view to facilitating our first phases of serviced residential plot disposals to housebuilders in the near future.”
Andrew Foster, joint Managing Director at Watling Real Estate, said: “On behalf of Watling Real Estate, we are delighted to enter into a 15-year joint venture with Hargreaves Land to bring forward this development for the benefit of all stakeholders.
“This is a very innovative solution to progress development for a challenged site, and Watling Real Estate thanks Hargreaves Land and North Lincolnshire Council for their support, assistance and flexibility in working within the parameters of a Receivership.”
Freeths law firm acted on behalf of Hargreaves Land for the acquisition while Pinsent Mason represented the receivers.
Devolution for East Riding and Hull takes new step
The leaders of East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Hull City Council have agreed to hold talks with the government to look at the option of an elected mayor as part of a new devolution deal.
A combined authority deal would involve the two councils working together on strategic issues such as economic investment and transport, but the delivery of day-to-day services would remain the responsibility of each individual authority.
The option to include a mayor as part of a devolution deal would potentially see the East Riding and Hull, representing East Yorkshire, secure more funding from central government and would give each authority and the public more say in where the money was best spent to benefit residents.
The proposal for a mayoral authority is a move away from the county deal on the table, which would involve the switching of power between the two authorities annually, with no elected mayor.
The two authorities are the last in Yorkshire without a deal and the new leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Councillor Anne Handley, said: “We need to start delivering the best possible deal for the people of the East Riding and Hull and that means getting more money and more powers to improve the lives of local people.
“And that sentiment is shared too with Councillor Mike Ross, the leader of Hull City Council, and both our elected members and officers are now exploring what we can achieve with a mayoral authority.
“No deal is yet on the table as it’s very early days but conversations will continue between the two authorities as we’re both committed to delivering the very best for our residents.”
Councillor Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: “It is widely accepted that there has been little, if any, progress in getting a devolution deal for the city which sets Hull back compared to many other cities of the same size across the country.
“The government is clear that to get the best possible deal on offer, the mayoral model is their preferred approach.
“While there is still a lot of work to do, agreeing to consider what Hull and the East Riding can get out of a mayoral deal does at least move the discussion on.
“Ultimately the best interests of Hull will be a paramount in the consideration of any deal.”
Thomas Martin, chairman of the business engagement board that represented the interests of coastal, rural organisations in the area, was supportive of the new proposals.
He said: “Progressing a devolution deal is absolutely the right thing to do, but firstly I need to acknowledge the courage of our two local authority leaders, who in stepping forward together have parked individual politics, as both recognise this opportunity for our region as a whole.
“Both leaders understand that we simply cannot stay isolated forever – the world is already moving on around us and as other parts of the UK take jobs, investments and economic strategies that should be developed right here in East Yorkshire.”
Drax pumps £90,000 into North Yorkshire projects
Drax Foundation has donated almost £90,000 to three projects near to Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire.
The organisations to benefit are:- North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership for their work with schools and businesses to develop STEM programmes
- The Don Catchment Rivers Trust which offers Community-led conservation and nature-based STEM education for children
- Toranj Tuition, a Hull-based organisation established to stimulate social mobility and to facilitate equal opportunities for adults and children through educational programmes.
Phil wins national award to show he’s one of the best in the business
Beal Homes site manager Phil Evenden has been named as one of the best in the business after winning a prestigious housebuilding industry award.
He’s been Site Manager at Beal’s West Hill II development in Kirk Ella, East Yorkshire, since construction began in early 2021, where he’s overseeing the development of 141 three, four and five-bedroom homes. His leadership of the construction team at West Hill II has now been recognised by industry peers, with a Quality Award in the National House Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Awards. Running for 43 years, the awards are the benchmark for exceptional site managers across the UK. Phil said: “The Pride in the Job Awards were a key focus of our Construction Director Andy Devine when he joined Beal last year and they have been promoted to all of the site managers within the business. “We all share a commitment to providing our customers with homes of exceptional quality and ensuring that quality is consistent across the entire development. It’s great to see that recognised with this award. “For me personally, being a site manager is about the passion and the energy you bring to the role. If you don’t have that passion in what you do, then how is your team going to buy into your vision and ideas? “As Site Manager, it’s also important to me that I’m visible to the team. You can’t do the job properly from an office and problem solving is something I’ve always thrived on.”Hull engineering specialist to create access system for Canadian bridge project
Bridge works specialist Spencer Group has been appointed to create a bespoke access system to inspect the stay cables on a new Canadian bridge.
The new Pattullo Bridge over the Fraser River near Vancouver, is a key connection between the municipalities of Surrey and New Westminster, and is being updated from the original construction completed in 1937. Working on behalf of Fraser Crossing Constructors GP, Hull-based Spencer Group is designing, making, testing and commissioning a semi-permanent access system to enable maintenance engineers to inspect all elements of the bridge’s stay cables. The cradle element, which transports personnel to the desired inspection location, operates similarly to a cable car, moving up and down a track rope on the four lane, toll-free bridge. The cradle will be electrically hoisted up and down the main track rope and will vertically move up and down to enable personnel to inspect the stay cable wires throughout the lifespan of the bridge. Gordon Neilson, Principal Engineer at Spencer Group and a leading industry expert in bridge gantry design, is behind the design for the Pattullo Bridge cable fan access system. The design stage of the access system project is already underway and is set to be complete by early May. Manufacturing and testing will take place in the UK before the whole access system is shipped to Canada for installation. Fraser Crossing Constructors GP will be designing the bridge to interface with the stay cable access system, before it is tested and commissioned by Spencer Group. Steven Bunting, Project Director at Spencer Group, is leading the project said: “We’re really pleased that our track record of addressing unique challenges in the bridges sector and our engineering skills are being recognised and called upon internationally. “Our unique design on this project will be transferable to other cable stay bridges all over the world. It addresses challenges faced with the need to carry out tactile inspections of cables from a dedicated work platform, at difficult to reach locations at significant elevations.” The new bridge will provide a safer crossing for bridge users with modern, wider lanes, separated by a centre barrier, dedicated walking and cycling lanes separated from traffic by a barrier on both sides of the bridge, and better connections to, from and near the bridge. The existing bridge will remain in use until the new bridge is open to traffic in 2024. Once the Pattullo Bridge replacement is open, the existing bridge will be removed.Farmers invited to take part in carbon capture research
The project, which runs from this spring 2023 until 2027, has been awarded funding by Defra, and aims to help UK farmers and growers target Net Zero and build farming resilience through diversifying arable and forage cropping. It will also enable new revenue sources through a carbon marketplace and support enhanced value chains for industries such as textiles and construction.
The research will focus on four cropping options:
- rotational cover crops
- annual fibre crops (industrial hemp and flax)
- perennial food, forage, and feed crops (including cereals and herbal leys)
- perennial biomass crops (miscanthus, willow and poplar).
