York Minster submits plans to create internationally renowned Centre of Excellence
Plans to establish the York Minster Precinct as a world class campus facility for research, education and training in ancient craft skills have taken a major step forward.
The Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management will bring benefits including continuing the craft of stonemasonry and encouraging global learning and knowledge sharing, as well as being a shining example of best practice in managing complex heritage estates.
The plans, designed by acclaimed architectural practice Tonkin Liu, have been submitted to City of York Council for the development of two sites – The Heritage Quad and The Works and Technology Hub.
The £5m fully funded project is being co-ordinated by the York Minster Fund.
The scheme will provide new facilities for craftspeople, including York Minster’s stonemasons, and house and deliver training in modern techniques and processes to apprentices and students in York and further afield, working with cutting edge digital facilities alongside the ancient craft skills for which the Stoneyard is renowned.
Existing buildings within the Precinct will be sustainably reordered, repurposed and renewed to provide new workspace and associated facilities, enable greater engagement and interaction with the public around key crafts and trades and allow improved links with education.
The vision for the Centre of Excellence is a key element of the York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan which sets out a policy-led approach to creating a sustainable future for the Minster and its seven hectare estate.
Alex McCallion, Director of Works and Precinct at York Minster, said: “It takes a multidisciplinary team of skilled heritage craftspeople and experts in their field to maintain and care for the ongoing cycle of repair, restoration, conservation and development of York Minster, its ancient buildings and monuments. Our existing Stoneyard houses the complete range of craft and trade skills that are vital to achieve this.
“Yet despite this, the facilities available to our skilled workforce are constrained and inadequate, set against a backdrop of declining craft skills. We also recognise the need to keep pace with innovations and modern processes such as digital technology, data scanning and Computer Aided Design (CAD).
“The creation of a Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management will therefore not only enable the preservation and development of the ancient craft skills that have sustained the Minster over the centuries but will also secure the long-term environmental, financial and heritage sustainability of it for future generations to enjoy as we do today.
“It will position York Minster as leading the charge for the preservation of ancient craft skills on the international stage, facilitating knowledge sharing and exchange programmes with partner cathedrals worldwide, including Washington, Milan and Trondheim and will also have immediate economic and tourism benefits for York and the wider region.”
The Revd Canon Michael Smith, Acting Dean of York, added: “Delivery of the York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan, of which the Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management is a major part, will signal the biggest programme of planned works at York Minster and within the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood in 150 years.
“It is the first time an approach of this type has been used to map the future care of a cathedral and we believe it will positively inspire others to follow as we become an exemplar for how heritage estates address climate change. It is a plan for the city of York and something we should all be proud of.
“We are incredibly excited about seeing our Centre of Excellence plans, alongside other ongoing projects including the refectory restaurant and College Green improvement works, become a reality over the coming months.”
Richard Shaw, Chairman of York Minster Fund (YMF), said: “The Centre of Excellence is the culmination of a YMF funded, three year research and development project, which benchmarked the Minster against other heritage sites around the world. It aims to bring together the best of the best in a single location, both now and into the future. We see our investment in the project as the best way of securing skills, jobs and heritage restoration at the Minster for decades to come.”
A key element of the project will be the resurfacing of the existing 1970s cobbled road leading to the new Heritage Quad, which is currently uneven and hazardous.
A planning decision is expected in late summer and, if approved, York Minster aims to successfully deliver the project in early 2024.
University of Hull leading £1.25m project with Siemens Gamesa to advance wind turbine blade production
Funding worth over £1m will see the University of Hull help Siemens Gamesa tackle a key challenge in the construction of offshore wind turbine blades.
Turbine blades are made using a resin which is injected into a complex mould. However, due to the length of wind turbine blades – currently over 80m and getting bigger – it can be difficult to know whether resin has dispersed evenly through the blade.
If resin is not sufficiently dispersed, the blade cannot be installed and the cost implications can be substantial.
A team at the University of Hull are now working with Siemens Gamesa to address this challenge using fibre-optic sensors embedded along the length of the blade. If successful, it could have significant cost and efficiency benefits for the offshore wind sector.
Professor Jim Gilbert, Professor of Engineering at the University of Hull, said: “We are delighted to have secured this significant new funding, which will enable the continuation of a successful partnership with Siemens Gamesa.
“As the offshore wind energy sector continues to accelerate, finding solutions to challenges such as this will be essential to ensure the UK can meet its ambitious Net Zero targets.
“This project builds on the University of Hull’s reputation as an expert in low-carbon energy, technology and sustainability, and also as a key stakeholder in the Humber region.”
Fibre-optic sensors installed along the length of the turbine blade will make it possible to know what is happening inside the mould as resin is injected – something which is very difficult using conventional sensors.
The sensors will be able to monitor the temperature of the resin, how it is flowing along the blade, and whether it is curing at the rate it is expected to.
Led by the University, the project is supported by the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).
With a total research value of £1.25m, £1m of funding has been provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
It is a continuation of a successful wider project called Prosperity Partnership – which also brings in Durham University and Ørsted.
Within the University of Hull, the project involves teams from the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Aura and the Energy & Environment Institute.
Professor Gilbert said: “This project builds on the substantial investment the university has made in Aura, cements the relationship with a key industry partner and establishes a new link with the AMRC in Sheffield.
“Collaboration, which is a key part of Aura’s ethos, is fundamental to the success of this bid: it brings people together across the University of Hull but also strengthens the long-term relationships developed with industry and academic partners.”
One of the reasons fibre-optic sensors are so important is they must be able to withstand the lightning strikes and storms offshore wind turbines encounter while operational.
The project – titled ‘Heterogeneous Fibre Optic Sensor Arrays to Monitor Composite Manufacture’ – is led by Professor James Gilbert of the Department of Engineering and Aura, along with Dr Howard Snelling in Physics and Mathematics and Dr Rob Dorrell in the Energy and Environment Institute.
It also involves colleagues at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with support from Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy in the UK and Denmark.
The work will extend research started as part of the £7.6m EPSRC/industry funded Prosperity Partnership: A New Partnership in Offshore Wind and will apply the approach to improve the quality of complex composite structures such as wind turbine blades.
Drax plans seminars for firms wanting to win carbon contracts
Renewable energy company Drax is teaming up with Worley, its engineering, procurement and construction partner, business development organisation NOF, and the West & North Yorkshire and Hull & Humber Chambers of Commerce to deliver events to provide British businesses with tips about how they could win hundreds of millions of pounds worth of contracts to deliver carbon removal technology, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.
The May events will be held in Yorkshire & The Humber and the North East, and build on the success of a ‘virtual’ supplier event last September 2021, when around 400 UK businesses attended.
Drax has previously said that it aims to source 80% of construction materials and services from British firms and build a robust UK supply chain for BECCS, ahead of construction getting underway as soon as 2024, with the creation of around 10,000 jobs.
Graham Backhouse, Drax’s Commercial Director for the BECCS project, said: “We want to put British businesses at the heart of our plans to deliver BECCS, allowing them to benefit from hundreds of millions of pounds worth of new contracts.
“Negative emissions technologies like BECCS will play a vital role in enabling the UK to reach its net zero goals, as well as creating exciting opportunities for Britain to lead the world in a vital technology, creating a new sector of the economy, as well as export opportunities.
“Our programme of events is a great opportunity for businesses to get involved and learn more about the project – we encourage companies of all sizes across the region to come along and find out more about how they might benefit from the contracts available.”
Bradley Andrews, President at Worley, said: “We’re supporting the investment and scale up of the UK supply chain to maximise local business participation working alongside Drax, NOF and Worley’s e-procurement partner, Requis.
“Requis provides a digitally enabled platform where qualified suppliers can register their materials and services in line with what’s required for the project scope, driving opportunity for the UK supply market.”
Drax aims to deliver the world’s largest carbon capture in power project this decade, making a signification contribution to the UK’s decarbonisation targets.
Businesses can find out more about Drax’s plans and how to register with Requis to attend the nationwide supplier event series by visiting this link.
Steady consumer spending sustains retail sales growth in March
The retail sector has continued its strong start to 2022 by recording its thirteenth consecutive month of like-for-like sales, new figures by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP reveal.
According to BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker, total like-for-like sales, combined in-store and online, increased by +60.9% in March from a base of +42.5% for the equivalent month in 2021.
Total non-store like-for-like sales fell by -10.8%, marking three months of decline for non-store like-for-like sales. This is in stark contrast to March 2021, when non-store like-for-like sales reached +157.2% during the third national lockdown.
Both fashion and lifestyle categories saw substantial increases in their total like-for-like sales, however, homewares saw its first fall since April 2020. The first week of the month saw growth of +48.31% from a base of +4.53% for the same week the previous year, and the second and third weeks of the month saw increases of +60.87% and +94.31% respectively. In the final week of March, total like-for-like sales rose by +76.13%, from a +131.54% base for the same week in 2021, when the government’s ‘Stay at Home’ order officially ended.
Sector Results
The fashion sector saw the biggest growth, with total like-for-like sales increasing by +87.0% for the month, from a base of +57.5% for the same time last year. Fashion was the only category to record positive non-store results in March, which contributed to positive total LFLs for fashion for the thirteenth consecutive month. Total like-for-like sales in the lifestyle sector increased by +71.4% in March, from a base of +14.7% for the equivalent month last year. However, the sector saw a significant fall in non-store like-for-like sales, falling from the highs recorded in lockdown last year. Homewares total like-for-like sales fell by -9.6% in March, from a base of +112.6% in the same month last year. This is the first time that the category has recorded a drop in sales since April 2020, recording negative LFLs in every week of March. Sophie Michael, Head of Retail and Wholesale at BDO LLP, said: “Our results in March have highlighted that consumer spending remains high despite impending increases to the cost-of-living this month. However, there are also concerning signs that some of this spending is being supported by record levels of household borrowing, which has increased lately even as consumer confidence plummets. There may be good reason to expect some pull-back in discretionary spending over coming months, though the impact will inevitably vary across different areas of retail. “Rising energy, operational and supply costs also pose a serious challenge for retailers, many of whom may look into raising prices and/or re-examining their supply chains, as they seek to mitigate these issues and make cutbacks where possible. While the cost-of-living crisis was largely still on the horizon in March, retailers have been planning ahead and have made allowances for higher levels of inflation. However, the forecasts only appear to be increasing so the question is whether costs will rise faster than initially anticipated and cause further disruption. “This myriad of issues will no doubt require retailers to reconsider their plans as the consumer purse comes under increasing pressure.”Business Lincolnshire launch new Next Level Scale Up Programme
The Growth Hub invites 12 high-growth businesses to apply for the first cohort of the new Next Level Scale Up Programme.
The Next Level Scale Up Programme is fully funded and provides high-quality, practical education and business support to leaders of high-growth SME businesses based in Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland, to help them fully achieve their growth plans through coaching and leadership development.
Business Lincolnshire has reinvented its support programme for high-growth, scale up businesses for 2022. Qualifying businesses can now take advantage of exclusive leadership development workshops and one-to-one coaching, delivered by best-selling author and high-growth business coach Stuart Ross and Scaling Up business coach Leon Mundey.
The businesses chosen will also take part in a dedicated Growth Sprint workshop event to accelerate business growth, led by Sean Sankey, which will support businesses to share strategies through the Google Design Sprint methodology. In addition to this, participating businesses will also receive an annual licence for the Zellar Sustainability Platform software, enabling businesses to measure, manage and share their sustainability journey in one place.
Councillor Thomas Dyer, executive support councillor for economy at the county council, said: “The new Next Level Scale Up Programme really stands out as a major opportunity for ambitious county businesses. The Zellar Platform focuses on making sustainability accessible, which we know is such a priority across the board. This will really help those who are developing their business and working towards net zero, in our area.
“This programme even continues to support you once you graduate. Businesses will get to join the alumni network and take advantage of the exclusive content. We can’t wait to see what the next cohort of businesses take away from this programme.”
You can now find out more information and enquire for the new Next Level Scale Up Programme on the Business Lincolnshire website here.
Work gets underway on new DPD distribution centre set to create 125 York jobs
Building work is underway on a major new distribution facility in York for national parcel carrier, DPD, which will create 125 new jobs.
Development company, Northminster Properties, has appointed Lindum, York, which is on site as main contractor for the 59,250 sq ft purpose-built distribution facility on a 6.9-acre site at Northminster Business Park.
DPD is relocating with 81 jobs after outgrowing its current base on Clifton Moor to meet the growing demand created by online shopping, a move accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new depot will enable DPD to serve York city centre with only electric vehicles.
The new facility, which will have the latest conveying and sortation technology, opens this autumn and will serve the area from Northallerton to Scarborough; southwards to Hull and westwards to Selby and Wetherby.
The 41 by 117 metre distribution centre will include offices and staff welfare facilities and will be built on an extension to the 18-acre business park, accessed by newly created Cropton Road.
There will also be 30 level-access loading doors and 11 dock-level loading doors with space for 15 HGVs, 145 vans and 165 cars, including seven for disabled drivers, and 44 secure bicycle spaces.
Northminster Properties Managing Director, George Burgess, says: “We are delighted to be on site with Lindum which has seamlessly blended with our experienced design team to ensure a prompt start.
“DPD has demonstrated its commitment to York and Northminster Business Park by signing up to a pre-let. We are delighted to lead on such a prestigious scheme, which is positive news for DPD and its thousands of regional customers; for York as a business centre, by creating jobs at a difficult time for the economy and by improving city centre air.”
Managing Director of Lindum York, Jonathan Sizer, says: “We are very pleased to be working with Northminster. As a local York-based business, it’s great to be in partnership on a project that will generate employment opportunities for people in our community.”
Head of property, DPD group UK, Louise Ferguson, says: “It is great that work has started on site. Northminster is a fantastic location for us in terms of accessing the wider region and being able to serve York with a greener, electric-only service. The team is looking forward to being able to expand in York and make a positive contribution to the city in terms of new jobs and air quality.”
The Northminster design team also includes property and construction consultants, LHL Group, York; HTC Architects, Leeds; civil and structural engineers, Topping Engineers, Harrogate; mechanical and electrical consultants RBS Design.
Commercial agents Gent Visick, Leeds, acted for Northminster Properties, sbh, Hertford, acted for DPD.
Caddick Construction to deliver Bradford’s transformational One City Park office scheme
National urban regeneration business, Muse Developments, in partnership with Bradford Council, has appointed Caddick Construction to deliver the landmark One City Park office scheme, which will continue the transformation of the heart of Bradford city centre.
The 56,403 sq ft sustainable development on the former police HQ site, is the first high-quality, modern office scheme to be delivered in Bradford city centre for more than 20 years. It will offer adaptable floor plans to accommodate agile working practices.
The five-storey development – rated BREEAM ‘Excellent’ – will also feature new public realm areas around the scheme. The building will connect seamlessly to the multi award-winning City Park with new stepped access and attractive seating areas. It is also within walking distance to cultural assets including City Hall, St George’s Hall and new music venue Bradford Live, which is due to open later this year.
More than 300 jobs will be created throughout the construction with a further 450 jobs based in the building once completed. Enabling works are already underway with construction due to start on site later this month, and the building due to complete by summer 2023.
The development will have strong sustainability credentials, including high-performance glazing to the façades to maximise natural light while reducing solar gain; photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps to make sure the building operates on renewable energy.
A roof terrace will serve a dual purpose, helping with the natural cooling of the building as well as promoting the wellbeing of its occupants. All of the car-parking spaces will have electric car charging points, coupled with secure cycle storage and changing facilities on the ground floor to encourage workers to take more sustainable and healthier ways to travel to the office.
Simon Dew, development director at Muse Developments, said: “We’re very excited to announce this important milestone for One City Park and to be working with Bradford Council and Caddick Construction on this flagship scheme. The significance of One City Park can’t be underestimated for Bradford, and we know there’s growing demand from businesses looking to relocate or expand in the city centre.”
Adrian Dobson, Managing Director for Caddick Construction, said: “This is a high-profile scheme in the heart of Bradford that will have a transformational effect on the city centre. Caddick is delighted to have been chosen as construction partner to deliver on such an important project for Muse, Bradford Council and the city as a whole.”
Jason Longhurst, Bradford Council’s strategic director for place, said: “We are delighted that Caddick Construction has been appointed to bring this flagship scheme to life. One City Park will be a huge step forward in our ambition to become a clean growth city district and provide a welcome boost to the city centre economy.”
Administrators appointed to Doncaster mechanical and electrical contractor
Mechanical Facilities Services Limited has entered administration.
Founded in 2008, the company operated as a mechanical and electrical contractor offering bespoke engineering solutions nationwide and through its sister companies in Ireland and Germany.
It traded from a head office in Beckingham, Doncaster as well as from five other leasehold premises across the UK. More recently, the majority of the group’s work had been as an M&E sub-contractor in the building of large warehouse units. It had a turnover in excess of £50million.
The company came under increasing cashflow pressure in the weeks prior to the appointment of Howard Smith and Chris Pole of Interpath Advisory as joint administrators (on 5 April 2022), as a result of a dispute on a large contract.
As no resolution could be reached imminently, the directors made the difficult decision to cease to trade and place the company into administration.
The company had 75 employees upon appointment, of which six have been retained to assist the joint administrators with the wind-down of the business. The remaining 69 employees were made redundant upon appointment of the joint administrators.
The joint administrators are now seeking to realise the company’s assets which include but are not limited to, book debts, a freehold property, vehicles, tooling and office equipment.
Howard Smith, Managing Director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “Our immediate priority is to assist those employees who have been made redundant in making claims to the Redundancy Payments Service. We will also be seeking purchasers for the company’s assets, including its properties, plant, machinery and vehicles.”
Free workshop on becoming a council supplier set for the Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo
Have you ever thought about supplying your local council with goods or services? Would you like to access public sector contract opportunities but are unsure where to start?
Team Lincolnshire and Business Lincolnshire are set to run a free workshop on this very topic at the Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo, taking place on Wednesday 27 April 2022 at The Bentley Hotel, Lincoln.
Running from 10:15 – 11:45, the workshop will demystify the procurement process and explore the potential which public sector contracts could bring to your business.
Team Lincolnshire ambassador Neal Wheatley, director and general manager of RG Carter Lincoln Limited, and Barry Taylor, regional director at Parker Technical Service, will be sharing insightful first-hand experiences on winning a major Lincolnshire County Council contract for the construction of the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone and how supporting the local economy is a core value within the RG Carter Supply Chain Commitment.
Senior commercial and procurement officer at Lincolnshire County Council, Megan Rice, said: “We recognise the frustrations caused and the barriers created through a lack of understanding of the public sector procurement process around why and how decisions are reached.
“This event will guide businesses through what is meant by procurement and why public sector bodies must follow certain processes, as well as providing insights into where to find tender opportunities including new procurement pipelines and how to identify supply chain opportunities.”
Sign up to the workshop here.
Opening at 9am, the free to attend Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo, provides everything required for a great day of networking and business generation. Business Link is a proud partner of the well targeted event, which is aimed at the Construction, Property, Business, Investment, Finance, Professional Services and related B2B markets. As the exhibition closes, it will roll directly into an informal, open buffet style network lunch – tickets for the lunch are just £25 plus vat and can be ordered and paid for directly online. Spaces for the lunch are limited, so order as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. To attend the event, register for free here. To generate opportunities by exhibiting at the event, click here. Purchase tickets to the networking lunch here. To see the full list of who is exhibiting click here. Meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road.West Yorkshire firm swoops for Burton pitched roof systems manufacturer in £535m deal
West Yorkshire-based Marshalls, a supplier of concrete and natural stone products for external landscaping, has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Marley Group in a £535 million deal.
Burton-headquartered Marley is a leader in the manufacture and supply of pitched roof systems to the British construction market.
The acquisition is conditional, amongst other things, on the approval of Marshalls shareholders, and completion of the acquisition is expected to occur in late April / early May.
Martyn Coffey, Chief Executive of Marshalls, said: “The acquisition of Marley represents a significant step towards achieving our strategic goal to become the UK’s leading manufacturer of products for the built environment.
“Marley is a highly profitable business with established market positions across UK RMI and new build housing. Much like Marshalls, its position is underpinned by a track record of product quality and customer service, and we believe Marley will represent a strong cultural fit with our own business.
“We would like to welcome Marley’s management team and colleagues to the Marshalls family and look forward to working with them in the coming years.”
Marley’s management team, led by David Speakman (Chief Executive Officer), Dominic Heaton (Chief Financial Officer), and Paul Reed (Chief Operating Officer), will continue to lead Marley following the acquisition and Marley will operate initially as a standalone division within the Marshalls group.
David Speakman, Chief Executive of Marley, said: “Marley is a robust business with a strong future ahead of it. As part of the Marshalls family, I believe we will be extremely well-positioned to continue our growth strategy to the benefit of our colleagues, customers and partners.”
