Hat-trick of deals completed at The Bourse in Leeds

Tess Egginton
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Hat-trick of deals completed at The Bourse in Leeds
A hat-trick of deals has been completed at The Bourse, an office and retail complex in Leeds city centre. IT healthcare services provider Synanetics, E-commerce and marketing agency Ayko and dental practice Smmmile have all taken space in Equity House, one of the three self-contained buildings which comprise the 50,000 sq ft Bourse. Synanetics have taken 966 sq ft of quality office on a five-year lease; Ayko have taken 1,476 sq ft, also on a five-year lease; while Smmmile is occupying 2,360 sq ft on a ten-year lease. The rent is £21.50 per sq ft. The Bourse is a landmark building on Boar Lane less than 100 yards from Leeds Station and features 50,000 sq ft of space over three buildings, overlooking a central courtyard. Each of the buildings, Equity House, Sterling House and Bond House, has its own designated entrance with an NCP multi-storey car park to the rear. The Bourse has undergone a comprehensive multi-million pound refurbishment to provide Grade A offices of the highest standard. Victoria Harris, senior surveyor with Knight Frank in Leeds, who advised landlords Paloma Capital on the Synanetics and Ayko deals, said: “We are delighted companies of the calibre and reputation of Synanetics and Ayko, together with Smmmile, have taken quality space at the Bourse. These three deals underline the Bourse’s reputation as one of the finest office buildings in central Leeds. “Meanwhile there is another deal currently with lawyers, which will see Bond House fully let. As a result of this, Sterling House’s 2,701 sq ft ground floor will be comprehensively refurbished. “There are currently office suites from 627 sq ft to 2,701 sq ft available to lease at the Bourse. Given the high-quality of the space in this special building, together with its magnificent location, these offices should prove very popular, especially to up-and-coming creative firms which are starting to thrive in Leeds. “The extensive renovation works have transformed The Bourse into a welcoming and attractive environment. Meanwhile the vibrancy of the immediate area, with the new bars and restaurants, as well as the brilliant Trinity Leeds shopping centre, gives occupiers exactly what they want. The Bourse is a hidden gem in the centre of the city.” James Hyett, the CEO of Ayko, said: “The location of the Bourse is perfect for commuting, surrounded by options to park and a stone’s throw from the train station. The buildings’ appearance aligns to the image we wish to project as an established agency in the city centre, it’s equally welcoming for our SME clients, multi and international alike.” The joint marketing agents with Knight Frank for the Bourse are Carter Towler. Carter Towler director Clem McDowell concluded: “To have secured lettings so promptly on these three office suites is quite remarkable. It is testament to the quality of the extensive refurbishment scheme and the excellent lease deals offered. We wish all three companies the very best, I’m sure they will flourish at the Bourse.”

Major expansion for Leeds-headquartered Northern Accountants

Tess Egginton
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Major expansion for Leeds-headquartered Northern Accountants

Leeds-headquartered Northern Accountants has announced two major growth plans in Liverpool and Hull, as the business edges closer to £2m GRF.

The team has completed the acquisition of Birkenhead-based TAC Accountants – a property and construction specialist with 167 clients – for an undisclosed sum. Currently turning over £250,000 per annum, TAC will retain all of its team, including founder Ben Thexton, who is now a director of the new-look firm.

With an already high propensity of construction and landlord customers, plus a strong relationship with the construction industry, Northern Accountants will leverage the acquisition as a springboard for further expansion in Merseyside.

“We don’t currently have any clients in Liverpool, but as a business we have a personal affinity to the area, and we perform well in TAC’s key sectors,” commented Northern Accountant’s founder and Managing Director, Phil Ellerby. “So, when Ben started talking to us about the sale of his company – as part of his three-year plan – conversations quickly gathered pace.

“He now has the brand and infrastructure around him – supported by our HQ team in Leeds – to grow the business in Liverpool. As a practice, Northern Accountants is renowned for the level of service delivered to clients – in fact, we’ve won multiple national awards for the transformational change we’ve implemented – and with Ben’s help, we want to become a leading name in this city too.”

At the completely opposite end of the M62, Northern Accountant’s expansion is continuing in Hull, with the appointment of new director Ricky Field. Having originally met Phil at college over two decades ago, Ricky joins from cbaSadofskys Chartered Accountants, where he has worked for 23 years and became a partner in 2009.

A well-known name in this city, Ricky will work closely with two existing Hull-based Northern Accountants colleagues, as they take new office space at The Beverley Enterprise Centre.

“The accountancy service provision in Hull is more reactive, than it is proactive,” explained Phil. “Consequently, there’s a huge gap in the market for a practice that helps clients run their finance functions in the best, most efficient way possible, to fuel company growth. While Hull doesn’t represent a new geographical location for us, Ricky’s appointment will really bolster our growth plans here. Plus, I’m a Hull lad myself, so there’s something particularly special about developing our presence in my hometown.”

Back in Leeds, Northern Accountants has doubled its footprint with the purchase of a second office space on Howley Park Business Village. The firm now has an extra 1,600 sq ft of space – much-needed following the appointment of six new HQ hires in the last two months.

The expansion takes the firm – which was established in 2008 – to £1.8m GRF, with 20 employees and 530 customers in total.

Major town centre regeneration scheme commencing in Huddersfield

Tess Egginton
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Major town centre regeneration scheme commencing in Huddersfield

Planning has been secured to kick-off a major regeneration project to be known as Trinity One, on a highly prominent gateway site in Huddersfield town centre.

The former Kirklees College site occupies approx. 6 acres of prime land fronting the ring road. The site is also home to the Grade II listed original Huddersfield Royal Infirmary which is to be retained at the heart of the scheme.

The dilapidated 1960’s college buildings are to be demolished and cleared and as part of the plans, Lidl GB will facilitate a modern, larger store featuring 127 car spaces, alongside 229 new build/conversion apartments and a HQ Office building. Lidl intends to eventually relocate its existing store on Castlegate.

The setting and importance of the Grade II listed building have been the focus of how the scheme is to be delivered, and the approved plans clarify how this will look and feel at the heart of such a major mixed-use scheme.

Contractors are appointed to commence work imminently, starting with demolition of the non-listed buildings in late summer 2022. The opening up and clearance of such an important and prominent site will offer a major boost to the town centre, and the removal of a longstanding eyesore.

Contracts have been exchanged with Lidl GB, but the Office and Residential proposals for the balance of the site will be offered to market in September.

Paul Fox, director of Leeds-based property consultancy, Fox Lloyd Jones is acting as development manager for Private Clients and said: “It’s a very exciting time now that proposals for this important gateway site are approved and committed, allowing us to expedite the long overdue redevelopment of this key strategic site.”

He added: “The commitment to knock down the outlying and non-listed buildings will really help to present the site in a better light given its visibility and prominence and in addition to the food store it presents a great opportunity for a modern town centre living or retirement scheme, alongside other possible uses in the listed building phase.

“These major regeneration schemes take time to deliver, and we are excited to think we are now so close to starting the demolition phase, which will transform the location and further add to the Town Centre offer and streetscape.”

A spokesperson for Lidl GB commented: “We are thrilled to confirm plans to bring a new store to Huddersfield, marking another milestone in our ambitious store expansion programme. We have invested significantly in the area over the last few years, both in terms of investing in our existing portfolio and through our planned new stores, and we are excited to be able to offer a greater selection of our quality products and incredible value to even more shoppers.

“We are firmly committed to helping boost the local economy by creating new jobs and working with local suppliers in the construction of the new store.”

Manufacturing output falls

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Manufacturing output falls
UK manufacturing output fell for the first time since February 2021 in the three months to August, with no growth expected in the three months ahead. That’s according to the latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey from the CBI and Accenture. Manufacturers also reported order books falling below “normal” levels, and expectations for selling price inflation picking up.  The survey, based on responses from 257 manufacturers, found:
  • Manufacturing output volumes fell in the three months to August (balance of -7%, from +6% in three months to July), marking the first time since February 2021 that output has declined. Output is expected to be broadly flat in the next three months (-2%), making a significant worsening of expectations from just a few months ago.
  • Output increased in 10 out of 17 sectors in the three months to August. The fall in headline growth reported this quarter was largely driven by food, drink & tobacco, mechanical engineering and paper, printing & media.
  • Total order books were reported as below “normal” for the first time since April 2021 (-7% from +8% in July). Export orders were also seen as below par, to the same extent as last month (-12% from -12%). 
  • Stocks of finished goods were seen as broadly adequate in August, after being seen as less than adequate in the previous quarter (+2% from -7% in July).
  • Expectations for average selling price inflation have picked up (+57% from +48%) and remain well above the long-run average (+6%).
Alpesh Paleja, CBI lead economist, said: “From rising prices to bottlenecks in supply chains, manufacturers continue to operate against a background of high input costs and significant operational delays. When coupled with an oncoming economic downturn, it’s not surprising to see orders and activity ebb away as we move through the year. “With expectations for future growth subdued, steps will need to be taken to shore-up confidence in the short to medium term – particularly supporting vulnerable firms and consumers with energy price rises. “Against a backdrop of weaker activity, a permanent replacement for the super-deduction and bold action on business rate reform remain the best ways to support capital investment plans.”

Water company names firm to develop almost 30 solar power sites in Yorkshire

Stuart Pearcey
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Water company names firm to develop almost 30 solar power sites in Yorkshire
Yorkshire Water has chosen investment and asset manager Downing LLP to develop, design, build and operate 28 solar sites across the county. The first phase, an investment worth around £25 million, will generate a total capacity of about 21MW. This represents Downing’s second successful tender award from a UK regulated utility company. Yorkshire Water provides water and sewerage services to over five million people and 100,000 businesses in the Yorkshire region. The construction of the solar panel arrays will contribute directly to Yorkshire Water’s 2030 net zero pledge, as all electricity generated will be consumed on site by Yorkshire Water. Downing partnered with net zero consultancy Ikigai, who acted as a strategic adviser and behind the meter co-development partner to Downing throughout the tender process, that began in 2020. Daniel Oxley, Yorkshire Water commercial programme manager, said: “This project is a significant step in reaching our aims of carbon net zero by 2030. Due to changes in the treatment process at our sites over recent years, many have been left with surplus operational land which can be used for the generation of renewable energy. “These have been identified and will become home to new solar panel arrays. Once completed, the first deployment of solar panels will generate 4% of our annual power needs, increasing our renewable energy use, reducing our exposure to energy price volatility and reducing the operational costs of our sites, which will provide better value for money for our customers.” Sean Moore, Investment Director at Downing, said: “Assisting a national utility company with its goal of reaching net zero by 2030 is a superb example of Downing’s commitment to responsible investing.”

Drax expects to complete purchase of Canadian pellet plant in Q3 this year

Stuart Pearcey
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Drax expects to complete purchase of Canadian pellet plant in Q3 this year
Drax Group expects to finish its purchase of a Canadian wood pellet plant in the third quarter of this year. Drax is working with the Princeton Standard Pellet Corporation to acquire its 90,000 tonne pa pellet plant in Princeton Canada. The plant, which has been operating since 1995, can produce 90,000 tonnes of wood pellets a year, primarily from sawmill residues. Around half of the output from the plant is currently contracted to Drax. The plant is close to the Group’s Armstrong and Lavington plants and the port of Vancouver, and employs 32, who are expected to join Drax. Following completion of the acquisition the plant is expected to contribute to the Group’s strategy to increase pellet production to 8m tonnes pa by 2030. Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said: “We look forward to welcoming the Princeton pellet plant team to Drax Group as we continue to build our global pellet production and sales business, supporting UK security of supply and increasing pellet sales to third parties in Asia and Europe as they displace fossil fuels from energy systems. Drax’s strategy to become a world leader in sustainable biomass, supports international decarbonisation goals and puts Drax at the heart of the global, green energy transition.”

United Living Property Services awarded £3.2m contract to renovate social housing in Grantham

Tess Egginton
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United Living Property Services awarded £3.2m contract to renovate social housing in Grantham
United Living Group, a provider of infrastructure, housing and property services, has been awarded a £3.288m contract for the Earlesfield Estate Capital Works Project by South Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire. The local authority has identified 152 post-war properties with Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) in Grantham, Lincolnshire. A number of the properties to benefit from the works are “Wimpey No Fines” design, a typical post-war construction. In addition to removing the ACM, replacement kitchens and bathrooms will be fitted in 143 of the homes, accompanied by electrical, heating and door upgrades in a similar number. During the works, around 112 households will be temporarily rehomed during the renovations to minimise disruption. A property on the estate will become a dedicated information hub where residents can find out more and keep up to date with progress. United Living Property Services will focus on delivering a high-quality renovation and ensuring it takes residents’ views into account. Simon Will, Managing Director, United Living Property Services, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected to work on this important project with South Kesteven District Council. As a local contractor working in areas such as Wolverhampton and Walsall, the scheme is perfectly positioned to fit in with our local delivery model. “We look forward to working with both the Council and residents to ensure they have a home that is greatly improved at the end of the scheme.” Cllr Robert Reid, South Kesteven District Council cabinet member for housing and property, said: “We are very happy to be working with United Living Group on this major Earlesfield Estate improvement programme. We are committed to providing housing that meets the needs of all residents and I am pleased to see our funding approved by the council so that work can get underway. “South Kesteven District Council has engaged with the tenants on the estate to enable a full understanding of the works to be undertaken and subsequent timeline. I hope they will be reassured by this clear commitment to improving their homes. “It is a project that will deliver numerous benefits and is further evidence of the wider improvements we continue to see in our Housing service.”

Fresh funding energises Allium’s growth

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Fresh funding energises Allium’s growth
A family-owned business in York is pioneering the next generation of combined heat and power technology following a seven-figure investment in a suite of new machinery. Allium Energy, based near Easingwold, began trading as F D Todd & Sons at the end of the First World War – and started banking with Lloyds Bank shortly after. Originally starting out in quarrying and road building, it evolved into skip hire and waste management services under the leadership of Richard Todd, the fourth generation of the family to run the company. Then, in 2017, he sold the waste management business to form Allium, after spotting the potential to diversify into renewable power generation and land restoration. Recognising that a number of the business’s former waste sites were producing gas, Richard set out to learn how to generate renewable energy by capturing the methane generated from decomposing organic matter. These sites are now renewable centres – all waste is processed to recover its power, with compost produced as a biproduct. Both the electricity and heat from the new plant will be used locally. A nearby poultry farm will receive the first draw of power, with the balance being fed into the national grid. The £6million project – supported by a £3million loan from Lloyds Bank – to install a dedicated energy recovery plant is now underway, with the Bank funding supporting investment in a suite of new machinery. On completion, the plant will reduce local CO2 emissions by almost 6,500 tonnes every year, and will generate enough power to supply the equivalent of 813 homes. In addition, it will create four new skilled job opportunities, which will see the Allium team grow from 14 to 18 over the next year. Richard Todd, Managing Director of Allium Energy, said: “In the current climate, factors like demand for new housing and the drive to adopt electric vehicles are placing huge pressure on our grid. Couple this with the fact that energy prices are only set to rise, and it’s critical that we do as much as we can to capitalise on the materials we have at our disposal to create renewable, clean, sustainable sources of power. “This was the inspiration for the evolution of F D Todd & Sons into Allium Energy – there was huge potential sat, quite literally, waiting to be transformed into energy that can contribute to meeting local demand. “The set-up we are creating here is fully scalable, and we hope it can be used as a blueprint for developers and other big users of energy looking to find more sustainable, localised power and heat solutions.” Carolyn English, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said: “This kind of innovation is exactly what the UK needs to help us meet our net zero goals, and take big steps towards becoming a truly circular economy, thinking creatively about how to use waste products. “We’re excited to see how Allium’s proposition develops over the coming months as they pioneer the use of locally generated energy.”

Government backs farming tech with £600m over next three years

Stuart Pearcey
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Government backs farming tech with £600m over next three years
Artificial Intelligence technology to optimise welfare in pigs, agri-robots to help speed up vegetable harvests and automation to increase fruit crop yields are just some of research and development projects to receive funding through the Farming Innovation Programme, it has been announced. The latest tranche of £16.5m is part of Defra expectations that it’ll spend around £600m on grants and other support for farmers to invest in productivity, animal health and welfare, innovation, research and development over the next three years. Farming Innovation Minister Steve Double said: “We want to help unlock greater potential in our already brilliant farming and horticulture sector. Today’s first round of projects demonstrate how – with the right funding and support – there are great productivity and environmental sustainability gains to be made.

“Our £270 million investment in farming innovation is designed to help take the UK’s world-leading research ideas and turn them into practical solutions to support healthy soils, abundant pollinators and clean water alongside profitable food production.

Katrina Hayter, challenge director for the Transforming Food Production challenge, said: “You only need look at the sheer breadth of projects that have received funding to see there are so many opportunities for innovation across the food sector. From animal health to crop productivity, the introduction of strategic support technology and the precise application of chemicals, it’s exciting to see so many concepts beginning to come to life.

“When brought together, it shows how the whole food system can benefit from new ideas, with knowledge-sharing and collaboration at its core. We are keen to ensure farmers and growers remain at the heart of projects, bringing their valuable real-life experiences to the project consortia to ensure that each innovation stays focused on helping improve the day-to-day challenges faced by those in the food sector. We now look forward to supporting these projects further as they develop.

The Farming Innovation Programme aims to spark new ideas and collaboration across the sector to address long-term challenges such as producing nutritious food more efficiently whilst helping the sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net zero goals. Farmers, growers, foresters, businesses and researchers are being invited to collaborate and submit applications for these two new competitions:
  • A £5.5 million competition for ‘Feasibility projects’ will offer grants for projects worth between £200,000 and £500,000 to support research and development through the difficult testing phase of an idea to see if it is worth investing in further
  • Winners of the ‘Small R&D Partnership’ competition will receive a share of the £11 million grant funding for industrial research projects worth between £1 million and £3 million to further develop new solutions that will ultimately address major on-farm or immediate post farmgate challenges or opportunities such as enhancing productivity and sustainability.
Details of the successful applications from the first round of Small R&D Partnership Projects, Feasibility Projects and Research Starter Projects, that were launched in October 2021 were shared by UKRI today. These include:
  • Farmsense’s use of innovative sensor technology and AI to optimise welfare in pigs;
  • Blue Planet II, a new project which aims to build upon its highly successful autonomous technology to further increase fruit crop yield and quality;
  • A new project from ‘Muddy Machines’, whose agri-robot concepts aim to speed up vegetable harvesting with sustainability and reliability at their core.
 

Forgemasters marks a year since acquisition by MoD

Stuart Pearcey
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Forgemasters marks a year since acquisition by MoD
Sheffield Forgemasters is marking one year since its historic acquisition by the Ministry of Defence. The company, which provides crucial components for the UK defence programme, has embarked on a recapitalisation programme with up to £400 million to be invested over ten years and key changes already taking place across its 64-acre site. The project, to replace defence critical assets, has seen a new 13,000 tonne forging press shipped from Japan, the appointment of Vinci Building on the early stages of a construction contract expected to be worth more than £70 million and planning submissions for a new 144,000 sq ft Forge building. Gareth Barker, COO at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “It doesn’t seem like 12 months have passed since the company was acquired by the MoD, but we have made substantial progress in getting our recapitalisation programme underway in this time. “We have crossed some key milestones, including the safe shipment of the new forging press from Japan, which was a vast logistical challenge, submission of plans for the Forge building to Sheffield City Council and the appointment of Vinci Building to undertake a large body of work in advance of our new forging line being constructed. “We have started demolition works, services diversions and the construction of a new site access road to service the forging line construction and have submitted plans for a new footbridge across Brightside Lane to make it safer for staff and site visitors to cross between the two parts of our site. “Two large Vertical Turning Lathes have already been purchased from Germany and work is underway on foundations to install these within our South Machine Shop to reduce bottlenecks in machining processes for large technical components. “Additionally, we have engaged in many tender processes for new cranes and furnaces for the 13,000 tonne Forging line alongside 17 new machining centres and a support package through life for those machines, which will serve defence production. “From this point, the next 12 months are likely to see a dramatic increase in activity as the project gains physical momentum. “We are now working on a full site analysis to establish exactly how we most effectively use the space that we have on-site and to bring all of our facilities up to the best modern standards to create a truly vibrant and welcoming workplace.” Sheffield Forgemasters’ new Forging line is estimated to reach completion within four years, with work to install state-of-the-art machining centres running in tandem with the project. Gareth added: “This is an unparalleled project within the UK and will create one of the most technically advanced engineering facilities of its kind anywhere in the world. It will secure production of key defence supply and the efficiencies gained will provide increased benefits to our commercial customers.”
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