Council expresses interest in potential acquisition of RAF Scampton

Stuart Pearcey
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Council expresses interest in potential acquisition of RAF Scampton
West Lindsey District Council has submitted an expression of interest in the potential acquisition of RAF Scampton. Councillors made the decision as the Ministry of Defence’s disposal strategy allows all public sector bodies the opportunity to express an interest in acquiring the site before assets are listed on the open market. Cllr Anne Welburn, Chair of Corporate Policy and Resources Committee said: “We see that the successful redevelopment of the site of RAF Scampton could contribute significantly to the ‘Levelling Up’ of economic and social outcomes across West Lindsey, Lincolnshire and beyond. “The importance of this site both in terms of heritage and social history cannot be overstated. It is hoped that by registering our interest in the site we can take a leading role in ensuring a positive outcome and we look forward to working with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and the Ministry of Defence as we go forwards.
“As a District Council we are seeking to safeguard the future of RAF Scampton. This expression of interest will enable us to do this. It does not commit the Council to anything apart from helping us to ‘explore all options’ available.” The closure of RAF Scampton was announced by the Ministry of Defence in 2018 as part of cost cutting measures.

Destination Lincolnshire launches business survey to support tourism and hospitality

Stuart Pearcey
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Destination Lincolnshire launches business survey to support tourism and hospitality
Destination Lincolnshire has started an extensive research programme to accelerate recovery and growth across Greater Lincolnshire. The organisation is urging businesses to support research to understand the best and most effective ways to support Lincolnshire’s tourism and hospitality businesses, and to grow and develop the regions visitor economy.  It is vital that Destinations Lincolnshire’s work is informed by robust evidence, and the most important piece of this evidence base is feedback directly from businesses such as yours. By completing the survey, you will help the organisation to understand the benefits, challenges, and opportunities tourism brings to your business, Lincolnshire and the surrounding areas and how we can work together to:
  • Recover from the pandemic shaping Lincolnshire into a world class visitor destination.
  • Create more value; get visitors to stay longer, explore further, and spend more.
  • Reduce any negative impact from tourism on the area.
The survey will take about 10-12 minutes to complete. The link to begin the survey is here: https://www.cvent.com/d/j8q9ks A spokesman for Destination Lincolnshire said: “Please rest assured that all details shared within this survey will be anonymised and will not be attributable to yourself or your business.  As a thank you for completing the survey, you will be entered into a prize draw to win a partnership package to the value of £250. T&Cs apply. “The intelligence will inform strategy development, accelerate data-led decision making and lay the foundations for impactful collaboration across the county. The research will be fundamental in contributing to Lincolnshire’s progress across the visitor economy and inward investment opportunities – and echoes national best practice outlines by Visit England and DCMS in the National Tourism Recovery Plan released last year.”

Egg producers fear supermarkets are squeezing them out of business

Stuart Pearcey
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Egg producers fear supermarkets are squeezing them out of business
British free range and organic egg farmers are said to be considering a mass exodus from the industry after major supermarkets refused to help them cover spiralling feed and energy costs. New data shows scores of farms are considering stopping production at the end of their current flock – a decision which could remove hundreds of millions of eggs from retail shelves every year. Egg producers have been hit with huge hikes in production costs. Feeding hens is now 50% more expensive and energy prices have risen 40%. Spending on fuel has grown by 30%, while labour and packaging also costs more than it did six months ago. But despite warnings and pleas for help from the British Free Range Egg Producers Association, the UK’s biggest supermarkets have yet to increase the price of free range and organic eggs to a level where many farms can break even. BFREPA surveyed egg producers last week and found that 51% of farmers are seriously considering stopping production until the price they are paid improves. A further 18% said they will make their decisions at the end of their current flock. More than 70% said they would leave egg production within a year if a price rise wasn’t forthcoming. Robert Gooch, CEO of BFREPA, said: “There are clear and obvious cost increases being heaped upon farmers, and retailers simply aren’t sufficiently adjusting the retail price. Any increases being made are too little and too slow. They are suffocating businesses. “This is nothing more than supermarkets putting cheap food marketing tactics above the needs of the primary producer. “We’ve asked every major retailer to increase the price of free range eggs by at least 40p per dozen – organic eggs need an increase closer to 80p per dozen. Only two retailers had the decency to acknowledge our request, and not one has done enough to meet the additional costs of producing eggs during this crisis. “Many of my members are losing money on every egg laid, and our data shows that even those who are making a small profit do not see a long-term future. The appetite for eggs from the public is extraordinary, but I’m afraid we will see shortages of British free range and organic eggs on the shelves before long.” BFREPA says it has asked Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, and Waitrose for help – without success – and that they are the only ones in the supply chain who can make a difference.

ABP to pump £32m into port equipment on the Humber

Stuart Pearcey
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ABP to pump £32m into port equipment on the Humber

Associated British Ports is to invest £32m in port equipment in the Humber to maintain customer demand as part of a wider Group investment.

A five-year strategy is being rolled out which involves new cranes, the full refurbishment of existing cranes and investing in landside equipment. The plan has involved looking at the eco-friendliness of new plant and equipment ensuring that ABP continues to invest in environmentally friendly and sustainable equipment. The ongoing strategy in the Humber has been split between investment in mobile harbour cranes and hydraulic cranes – the first of which the Mantsinen 300M, the world’s largest hydraulic crane, is due at the port of Immingham late April. Simon Bird, Regional Director for the Humber ports said: “This significant investment shows the confidence we have to continue to grow and invest to ensure the Humber ports are future-proofed when it comes to the latest technology in cranes and cargo handling equipment. “Our strategy is about ensuring we have a versatile mix of cranes to cargo mix and that we can provide additional capacity to meet growing volumes of cargo. As a port operator we remain resilient and give our customers what they need, and they want to know what we have is reliable and efficient.” The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the rollout of the strategy, but now orders are being placed and equipment is arriving. The first delivery in December 2021 were four Konecranes Reach Stackers which run on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) costing £1.6 million This will be followed by the Mantsinen 300m Hybrilift hydraulic crane plus various attachments costing nearly £3 million in spring. A team from the Port of Immingham consisting of operations and engineers visited the Mantsinen factory in Finland last month to check on its build progress. It also gave them an opportunity to test the new crane simulator and see how it handles. The incoming plant and machinery will replace older infrastructure, while existing cranes will undergo a million-pound major refurbishment. Those being refurbished include the Butterley cranes built in the1990s for the width of the locks in the ports of Immingham and Hull. It has not yet been decided what some of the future cranage and attachments will be, giving ABP time to engage with the port community and ensure cranes are fit for purpose. It will include mobile harbour cranes and material handlers, with some more Reach Stackers and forklifts being ordered. Bulks, break bulks and project cargo are all being catered for, to ensure offloading and delivery are covered. This includes a spend of £16m on maintenance capex on cargo handling landslide within Immingham Container Terminal (ICT) and Hull Container Terminal (HCT), and the stocking of spare parts as part of the port’s resilience.

Dan gets new role at 360 Accountants

Stuart Pearcey
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Dan gets new role at 360 Accountants
Hull and York-based 360 Chartered Accountants has appointed Dan Collings as its new Personal Tax Manager. He joined the award-winning firm’s personal tax department two and a half years ago.  His promotion to personal tax manager is testament to his hard work and dedication. Sophie Holmes, 360’s Client Services Director, said: “Dan continues to be a huge asset to 360 and we couldn’t be more delighted to reward his contribution to the business with this promotion.  Since he joined us, he has focused on his professional development and has developed an enviable client portfolio. “It’s a difficult time for businesses right now and we have every confidence that Dan is the perfect choice to help, guide and advise our clients on all tax matters.“ 360’s team of tax specialists, based in Hull, East Yorkshire and York, offers a wide range of tax services, including self-assessment, VAT, compliance, tax planning, asset protection and the use of trusts as well as being able to help clients with HMRC investigations. Dan said:“360 is an exciting and dynamic firm to work for and that’s clearly reflected in our continued growth and success.  For me personally, I am grateful for the help and support I have been given and I am really looking forward to my new role as tax manager.  I would also welcome the opportunity to chat to clients, both old and new, about the tax services we can offer.”

£6m in levelling-up cash should boost North Lincolnshire businesses

Stuart Pearcey
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£6m in levelling-up cash should boost North Lincolnshire businesses
North Lincolnshire businesses are expected to benefit from a share in £6m of levelling-up funding being injected into North Lincolnshire. The Government cash has been allocated to increase community pride, enable local businesses to grow and ensure people have the right skills to take advantage of any new jobs. It is part of the Levelling-Up agenda and is just some of £2.6bn being spent nationally between now and 2025 through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – which is designed to replace the funding which previously came through EU regional economic development programmes. Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is further evidence of levelling up here in North Lincolnshire – the Government is backing our plans to keep people safe and well, enable our communities to flourish and the local economy to grow and will mean we have more people completing high-quality skills training. “We will be revealing more detail in the coming week as we launch a variety of schemes which will be designed to make our communities stronger.” Announcing the cash, Secretary of State for Levelling Up Rt Hon Michael Gove MP said: “The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will help to unleash the creativity and talent of communities that have for too long been overlooked and undervalued. “By targeting this funding at areas of the country that need it the most, we will help spread opportunity and level up in every part of the United Kingdom.” It comes as the prospectus for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund was launched – which will see areas that need it most draw up plans to deliver on their local priorities, based on a conditional allocation of funding over the next three years. This could include regenerating rundown high streets, fighting anti-social behaviour and crime, or helping more people into decent jobs – helping to further rejuvenate communities, create new jobs, and reverse geographical disparities in the UK. Around £1m of the money in North Lincolnshire will see people given extra help to get into work by improving their numeracy skills. It is designed to support people with no or low-level maths skills get back into work by offering personal tutoring, digital training, and flexible courses to improve confidence and numeracy skills. Cllr Waltham added: “The courses will help people improve their ability to understand and use maths in daily life, home, and work. Whether that be improving household finances, helping children with homework, making more sense of the facts in the media, or improving numeracy skills specific to a line of work. “People who improve their numeracy skills are more likely to be in employment, have higher wages, and better wellbeing – it will unlock the door to progress to higher levels of training to secure a skilled job.”

Leeds brownfield land to be transformed into 1,400-home scheme

Tess Egginton
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Leeds brownfield land to be transformed into 1,400-home scheme
A major new residential development with more than 500 affordable homes will be built on brownfield land west of Leeds city centre, after plans were approved by the council. Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group, has been given the green light to transform the vacant 13-acre riverside plot on Kirkstall Road and deliver a landmark 1,437-home scheme offering a range of housing options to local people. The not-for-profit developer acquired the site in 2020 and will provide a total of 503 affordable homes – representing over a third of all the new homes built and exceeding the minimum requirements set in the city.  As few as 100 homes at the site needed to be affordable under local policy rules but Latimer has increased its provision to deliver over 500. These homes will be a mix of social rent and shared ownership for local people, with the others being sold privately. The wider Kirkstall Road scheme will provide one, two and three-bedroom apartments set across 11 blocks ranging from eight to 17 storeys in height.  There will also be 13 three-bedroom townhouses with private gardens and a dedicated new student accommodation block – featuring 355 rooms for those studying at one of the city’s four universities.  The finished development will transform the River Aire’s frontage and breathe new life into the ‘green corridor’ along Kirkstall Road.  Latimer’s masterplan – designed by architects Broadway Malyan – will deliver a brand-new riverside park, a river crossing and a range of creative and commercial areas to host art, cafes, a food hall, independent shops and public workspaces.  The proposals, approved by Leeds City Council’s planning committee, also include a supplementary social project to tackle local homelessness in and around the city. In partnership with charity St George’s Crypt and the council, Latimer will provide nine secure temporary accommodation units on the site for rough sleepers for around three years while the development is built. Nearly half of the 13-acre site’s footprint will be green space while landscaped areas, including 250 new trees, will be designed to encourage social interaction and communal ‘grow your own’ planting zones. The homes themselves will feature photovoltaic solar panels and will not use fossil fuels. There will be over 1,100 secure cycle parking spaces as well as electric car charging points for residents. New pedestrian walkways, a bridge and cycle paths will improve local connections – reducing the site’s carbon footprint and helping to keep cars off the nearby streets.  Richard Cook, group development director at Clarion Housing Group, said: “We are delighted to get the green light to transform a key strategic site for Leeds which has remained undeveloped for more than 30 years. Our project will kickstart development on the Kirkstall Road corridor, creating an exemplar and sustainable mixed-use community for the city. “We want this development to set the benchmark for new housing in Leeds, including a substantial number of affordable homes for those who need them most.” Luke Walter, director of Architecture at Broadway Malyan, said: “We were thrilled to work with Latimer on this project, creating an exemplar residential scheme on a key urban site for Leeds.       “We were keen to maximise the assets the site offers in our masterplan – the River Aire, proximity to the City Centre, great transport links – and to capture the site’s history as an important aspect of the design process to maintain its authenticity and make real change to the area.” Work on the new development is expected to create around 270 site jobs during each year of the build programme, as well additional opportunities for young people. Over 100 apprenticeships and work placements are likely to be available throughout construction. Work on the Kirkstall Road site, which will deliver an estimated £300m in social value to the city economy, will begin in summer 2022 with an expected completion date of 2029.

Property developer gears up to start building more than 300 homes in Warmsworth

Stuart Pearcey
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Property developer gears up to start building more than 300 homes in Warmsworth
Gleeson Homes is about to start building a development of almost 350 homes off Broomhouse Lane in Warmsworth, Doncaster, in a project that will last until 2031. It’s to be called Danum Glade, and Gleeson expects the first residents to move in during summer next year. Gleeson will make several community contributions as part of the scheme, including £153,000 towards off-site affordable housing. Bryan Simpson, divisional managing director of Yorkshire and Midlands at Gleeson said “This is the ideal location for a Gleeson development and we thrive on developing brownfield land, turning often unsightly, unused land into desirable homes. “We are looking forward to working with the local community and we will be looking to employ a workforce that comprises of local labour, including apprentices, and contractors.”

Outline planning consent secured for 4.25 million sq ft of development at Port of Hull

Tess Egginton
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Outline planning consent secured for 4.25 million sq ft of development at Port of Hull
Associated British Ports (ABP) has been granted outline planning consent for more than 4.25 million sq ft of industrial, manufacturing and logistics development at the Port of Hull by East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The 453 acres of prime land includes 212 acres located within the East Hull Humber Freeport Tax Assisted Zone, which offers significant tax incentives for inward investors. Simon Bird, regional director for the Humber, said: “This is one of the premier development sites in the North of England. It’s an exciting opportunity and great to have planning permission so that HIEP can now get up and running. “The site offers huge potential to support business growth. Port-centric manufacturers and distributors would have easy access to import and export commodities while benefiting from the Humber Freeport status.” CBRE and Savills are advising ABP on the development opportunities at Humber International Enterprise Park.

PFF Group appoints new production manager

Tess Egginton
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PFF Group appoints new production manager
Food packaging specialist PFF Group has appointed a new production manager for its Keighley site. Martin Ralph joins the company after a career in senior management in the manufacturing sector. He was previously a senior project manager at Entre-Prises (UK), a manufacturer in artificial climbing walls. Martin said: “I’m excited to be joining PFF Group which represents a new challenge for me. I’m looking forward to bringing my previous industry experience into a new environment and working with the award-winning team at the Keighley site.” Lee Brydon, general manager at PFF Group, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Martin to the PFF family at a time of investment and growth at Keighley. He brings considerable experience which will be invaluable in leading and supporting our production team.” PFF Group also operates a site in Washington, Tyne and Wear, and last year acquired Sedgefield-based Sirap UK, a producer and supplier of thermoformed rigid plastic food packaging to the British market.
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