Humber Freeport reviews a year of action
Twelve months on from the launch of Humber Freeport, collaboration between industry, academia and the public sector is said to have helped the region align on its unique proposition.
Major investments from global businesses have been committed to the Humber Freeport tax sites in Hull and Goole. These are expected to create more than 700 skilled jobs, in sectors ranging from advanced manufacturing and technology to ports and green energy.
Humber Freeport has positioned itself at the heart of the region’s industrial strategy, shaping skills development and innovation and helping to drive a place narrative capitalising on the Humber’s world-class expertise in decarbonisation and clean energy.
A year ago, Humber Freeport Chair Simon Bird welcomed delegates to Associated British Ports’ historic Pump House in Hull for the Freeport launch, when he set out the vital role of freeport status as a catalyst for growth. Hesaid: “When freeports were established, the Humber was identified as the region with the most powerful proposition, and which could benefit significantly from freeport designation.
“Fast forward to today and we are seeing that potential being realised. The investments secured in our tax sites will be transformational for the Humber, both in terms of direct employment and through growth in the broader supply chain.
“It’s important we build on this impressive momentum. We’ve got off to a very strong start – now we must seize the opportunity to supercharge our region’s economy.”
Connecting many of the key investments pledged so far is the drive to decarbonise the Humber’s energy-intensive industrial cluster.
Humber Freeport will continue to work with the Government to help deliver on its green agenda, driving clean and sustainable growth. Humber Freeport is also building on the region’s existing strengths in advanced manufacturing, logistics, chemicals and port-related industries.
Much of the early investment in Humber Freeport sites has been made within the Hull East tax site. Those investments include Equinor selecting Saltend Chemicals Park for the low carbon hydrogen production plant and Pensana for its rare earth processing facility. Meld Energy for green hydrogen plant, also at Saltend, is also moving forward.
Other key projects have also been announced at the chemicals park – a clean gas plant by Standard Gas Technologies and plans by OXCCU for a demonstration plant to convert carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into sustainable aviation fuel.
Within the wider Hull East tax site, plans have also been approved for the £200m Yorkshire Energy Park, a technology campus which could support more than 4,000 jobs.
Patrick Pogue, Group Director, Growth and Innovation at px Group, owner and operator of Saltend Chemicals Park, said: “We’re seeing significant investment at Saltend by companies focused on green energy and low carbon technology.
“The incentives created by freeport status offer a very important additional attraction and give the Humber a major advantage in the international competition for major inward investments.
“Humber Freeport is a powerful weapon in the region’s armoury and acts as a catalyst for growth and skilled job creation.”
Institute’s relicensing signals support for STEM employers for next ten years
Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology has become the first Institute of Technology in the country to be relicensed by the Department for Education.
The relicensing, which will see YHIoT continue its work for another 10 years, demonstrates the government’s commitment to IoTs and supporting the growth of STEM industries.
It will allow YHIoT to continue working collaboratively with STEM learners, education providers and employers in the region to create opportunities for students and employers, as well as support regional economic growth.
YHIoT is a partnership of local education providers including York College & University Centre, Selby College, Askham Bryan College, Bishop Burton College, Craven College, East Riding College, Scarborough TEC, the University of Hull and York St John University.
It also works with regional and national employers including VISR Dynamics, GB Recruitment and Network Rail.
Lindsay West, founder of VISR Dynamics, said: “I’m delighted that YHIoT can now move forward with excitement, and the relicensing means we can build on the foundations of the past five years.
“It’s critical that employers and educators work together to build a strong network to maximise the potential of students, providing them with the relevant skills and knowledge to attain their career aspirations. YHIoT collectively empowers us to strategise, map out and deliver this goal.
“As a business owner, I understand the rapidly changing requirements of business due to the speed of the implementation of technology and digital processes – especially spatial computing and AI.
“It’s very exciting that we have been gifted the opportunity to work with YHIoT and help build the workforce of the future, for the workplace of the future.”
Footfall rises at revamped Leeds market
Footfall figures at the revamped Leeds Kirkgate Market show it has received more than 2.9m visits in the first six months of this year – six per cent up on the same period in 2023.
There were 506,451 visits recorded in March alone, while the totals for May and June stood at 498,786 and 493,047 respectively.
Businesses are also heading to the market in numbers, with a beauty salon, a bookshop and a Syrian food store among the eight new indoor arrivals since the start of the year.
A further seven businesses – selling everything from suitcases to Vietnamese groceries – are in the process of agreeing deals for indoor units.
There has also been an eight per cent increase in outdoor stall occupation compared to this time last year.
Recent improvements at the market include the completion of the first phase of a £10m refurbishment of its 19th-century ‘blockshops’ area.
Work is now well under way on the second phase of the Leeds City Council scheme, with the latest batch of new-look units expected to be ready to let early next year.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said: “Our significant investments in Leeds Kirkgate Market have been designed to ensure it has a future to match its long and proud past.
“It’s really pleasing, therefore, to see visitor numbers on the up-and-up as the latest phase of improvement work continues. The unprecedented number of enquiries that are being received from businesses wanting to move into the market is also very encouraging.
“Thanks to all those who continue to support this much-loved shopping spot, and to the market team for their tireless efforts during its transformation.”
Grants awarded to boost accessibility of West Yorkshire cultural venues
Disabled artists and audiences are set to benefit from new investment to make creative and cultural venues in West Yorkshire more accessible.
The initiative is part of the £2.3 million ‘You Can Make It Here’ programme, launched by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, to support and grow the region’s creative sector.
Eight organisations have been awarded a share of £60,000 through the accessibility strand of the programme, run by Wakefield-based disabled-led organisation, We Are Unlimited.
Helping to boost economic growth by broadening the sector’s reach and activity, the investment will allow venues and event providers to improve and install facilities such as AI captioning technology, live streaming tools, ramps and rails, with one of the projects set to purchase wheelchair accessible pottery wheels and equipment.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “We’ve got a world-class cultural offer here in West Yorkshire, and I want everyone to have the chance to experience it.
“The investment we’re announcing today will make a real difference for people with disabilities, as well as for our venues who will be able to welcome more artists and audiences.
“This is just the start of our ‘You Can Make It Here’ support scheme, which will help us to grow our creative sector and build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
The need for this investment was clear, with the available fund oversubscribed by 790% – 63 creative and cultural venues across the region applied to make almost £474,000 worth of improvements.
The eight successful projects were selected by a panel of disabled creative professionals from all five West Yorkshire districts, who used their own experiences to determine which improvements would have the greatest impact for disabled artists and audiences.
One of the panellists commented: “A real highlight for me has been witnessing the collective ambition for a more accessible cultural scene across West Yorkshire.
“One person may have submitted an application, but several contributed, numerous residents’ opinions were featured, accessibility professionals were consulted and the feedback from those with lived experience is being acted upon.
“I feel hopeful that with this community commitment for change, the future impact of improved access will be even larger.”
The capital grants have been awarded as part of a £150,000 scheme, which includes accessibility training, support and guidance to help cultural organisations learn the basics of disability equality, and how to better support people with disabilities.
Further ‘You Can Make It Here’ initiatives in the pipeline include opportunities for young people to boost their skills and progress into creative roles, while businesses and freelancers will benefit from investment, export advice and training to unleash their potential.
The eight projects to receive capital grants through the ‘You Can Make It Here’ accessibility scheme are:
- Castles in the Sky in Bradford – £7,100 to add rails, improved ramps and furniture to their venue, as well as buying air purifiers, live streaming tools and mobile equipment for off-site events, including audio description headsets, ear defenders and fidget toys.
- Marsden Community Trust in Kirklees – £2515.87 to install an automatic door opener and purchase 3 portable hearing loop systems for their community-run building.
- Music and Arts Production Leeds (MAP Charity) in Leeds – £10,000 for a new, permanent ramp as well as accessible, gender-neutral toilets to prepare their building to welcome the public to events and workshops.
- Pavilion in Leeds – £2,018 to invest in AI captioning technology, a microphone, webcam and screen for regular, online open-access forum meetings that host West Yorkshire artists at all stages of their careers.
- The Art House in Wakefield – £8,906 to invest in two electronic, automated single doors to improve independent access for a range of disabled artists and audience members who have expressed the need.
- The Arvon Foundation in Calderdale – £7,700 to install an accessible toilet in their new, remodelled writing barn; a flexible, creative community hub, enabling Arvon to deliver a programme of events designed for and with the local community.
- The Clay Mill in Kirklees – £9,800 to purchase wheelchair accessible pottery wheels and equipment, as well as creating a quiet space with silent wheel and clear signage.
- Transform Festival in Leeds – £10,000 to purchase captioning equipment for Transform’s biennial international festivals which will be shared via an access-focussed resource-sharing network for artists and organisations in West Yorkshire.
Farmer-led sustainability initiative secures funding to back trade
A farmer-led cooperative has secured the funding needed to launch trading opportunities for sustainably-minded farmers in North Lincolnshire.
Law firm Wilkin Chapman has joined agricultural machinery supplier Peacock & Binnington as the first sponsors of the Northern Lincolnshire Environmental Farmers Group, which aims to deliver positive environmental change, funded through natural capital trading.
The organisation aims to increase biodiversity in North Lincolnshire, improve water quality, achieve net carbon farming by 2040 and generate new trading opportunities for farmers.
The Northern Lincolnshire EFG is the 10th group of its kind to be established across the UK since 2020, with the EFG network now including 433 farmers, covering around 3% of England’s farmed area and a trading pipeline worth in the order of £10 million.
The Northern Lincolnshire group – covering areas surrounding Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Immingham, Louth, Crowle and Epworth – has been set up by local farmers Andrew Jackson, from Pink Pig Farm, and William Sowerby, from Farming Forward. The group is now appealing for more members in the area.
William Sowerby said: “Northern Lincolnshire was the first EFG group to be established outside the South of England. There was some early demand to replicate the EFG model in the area and so a steering group was pulled together to drive the model.
“The group has been sitting regularly since July 2023 and we have over 40 farmers expressing an interest so far. With its proximity to the industrial Humber bank, we see some key potential opportunities for EFG farmers to support growth in the area through cleaner water projects, as well as biodiversity and carbon mitigation for new industrial developments.”
Catherine Harris, head of the agriculture sector at Wilkin Chapman, said: “When farmers work together, they can have a great deal of power. While there are groups that represent farming as a whole, the EFG is a rapidly growing voice for farmers who are particularly mindful of their sustainability, as well as their financial success.
“Farming plays a major role in the care of our ecosystem and I know environmental custodianship is very important to a great many farmers, so we hope that supporting the establishment and growth of this EFG will help farmers to work together to achieve this.”
Plans submitted to reopen lower concourse at Bradford Interchange and create new public space
Plans to reopen part of the lower concourse at Bradford Interchange and create a new public space have been submitted by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The works are part of a commitment from the Combined Authority to invest in the broader Bradford Interchange site to support rail passengers while a longer-term solution for the bus station is found.
In-depth surveys which will help determine the extent of the structural issues at the bus station are still ongoing. An update report will be brought to the Combined Authority in late September.
The exterior plaza at the Interchange entrance will be significantly improved, with new paving, planting, public art and seating in place of the taxi rank.
The existing toilets will also be reopened and the charging barriers removed, making the facilities free of charge.
The taxi rank and drop-off bays will move to Bridge Street as part of the previously agreed wider improvements being made to the city centre.
Passenger access to the rail station will be upgraded, including opening up the escalator and a lift, as well as providing a refreshed waiting area and visual improvements to the space.
The project draws on some of the £22 million of funding that was previously set aside for improvements to the Interchange prior to it being closed for safety reasons in January.
The Combined Authority’s planning application will be considered by a Bradford Council planning committee in the coming weeks.
Elsewhere in the city centre, Bradford Council is continuing to transform the former NCP car park area, Hall Ings and Norfolk Gardens into a new public space.
The existing trees to the rear of the former car park will be retained and the area which was once a concrete carpark will be planted with a mix of trees, shrubs, grasses and perennial planting.
The new green area will also have bee and invertebrate habitat as well as bird boxes. New benches will be installed, and elements of play will be incorporated with a stepping stones area and balancing log.
The council will also be making improvements to the Bridge Street ramp at the side of the interchange to access the rail station, including new surfacing, handrails and lighting, as well as incorporating new mural painting to create a more inviting entrance to the city centre.
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “Bradford’s residents, passengers and visitors deserve a fitting gateway to the city.
“We know the closure of the Interchange has presented real challenges, but these works will help create a welcoming and attractive entry point for people visiting the city centre.”
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “The closure of the bus station at the Interchange has presented a lot of challenges to our planned works in the area, but we’ve worked closely with the Combined Authority on these plans, which will greatly improve the railway station of the Interchange as a gateway to the city.
“We want to get this done as soon as possible so that those using the rail station and the buses on Bridge Street have access to toilets and also more pleasant area to wait.”
New Lincolnshire business event planned for October
A new Lincolnshire business event is being launched to offer entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their businesses and grow local connections.
Held at the EPIC Centre at the Lincolnshire Showground on Wednesday 16th October, the Lincolnshire Business Showcase will see innovation meet opportunity as businesses come together to network and discover innovative products.
Attendees will also be able to expand their knowledge through insightful workshops focused on current industry trends.
Businesses across the county – from startups to seasoned enterprises – are invited to exhibit at the event, offering them a full day to showcase their business, network with a diverse audience and raise brand awareness.
Sophia Phillips, Sales and Events Manager at the Lincolnshire Showground, said: “We’re very excited to be hosting the first-ever Lincolnshire Business Showcase at the EPIC Centre. It offers businesses across the county the perfect opportunity to grow their brand and connect directly with potential clients and partners.
“We expect exhibitor spaces to fill up quickly, so we encourage businesses from all sectors not to miss this incredible opportunity to connect, learn and grow.
“The best part of the Lincolnshire Business Showcase is that it’s free for non-exhibitors to explore local businesses, take part in hands-on workshops, and gain insights to help make informed decisions.
“We’re very much looking forward to the first-ever Lincolnshire Business Showcase and can’t wait to see everybody there!”
Council seeks opportunity to make more Grimsby town centre grants to businesses
North East Lincolnshire Council is on the lookout to offer more capital grants for business ventures and community-based organisations to reactivate empty properties in Grimsby town centre.
The aim of the scheme is to bring forward smaller projects which will enhance the major regeneration works that are currently taking place, including a repurposed Riverhead Square, major works at St James House to create a small business hub, an NHS Community Diagnostics Hub, the Horizon Youth Zone, and a new cinema and leisure development.
The fund can cover projects that fit with at least one of the following six town centre priorities identified in the Masterplan:
- Introduce more diverse uses to the town centre
- Reconnect the town centre and the community with the waterfront
- Promote and support community ownership and participation
- Identify development opportunities within the town centre, including low-carbon initiatives
- Prioritise health and wellbeing activity in the town centre
- Enhance employment, skills and entrepreneurial opportunities
Since its inception many businesses and organisations have benefitted from a range of grants. Anne Bickerstaffe of Christian Action Resource Enterprise has been thrilled with the funding, which helped to secure the group a building. She said: “CARE is so grateful to the Activation & Community Engagement Fund for supporting our project, which has levered in other national funding to support the project, as many funders have asked us about local support. This newly renovated building will be a lasting legacy for Grimsby, creating and safeguarding jobs, as well as building pride in the community. It will ensure our charity’s sustainability, meaning we can serve the residents of Grimsby for many decades to come”.
Others have used the funding to provide a base of operations, such as Monica Chatterton from Our Big Picture. In 2022, Our Big Picture was awarded funding, which then enabled them to secure an additional £175,000 match funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to buy a Listed Heritage building in the centre of Grimsby.
She said: “This blended funding supported the establishment of North East Lincolnshire’s first Arts & Heritage Community Hub. The NLHF funding supported 2 years running costs which included four staff members. The Activation Fund was key to the continued development of Grimsby’s Arts & Cultural creative community.”
Business Enterprise Fund helps get 600 new firms off the ground
Specialist finance provider The Business Enterprise Fund has added £86m to the regional economy following an investment of £21.5m in SMEs, according to its latest social impact report.
The report for the year ended in March shows that the fund, operating in Yorkshire, the Humber, Sunderland and Manchester, helped to launch 599 new UK businesses, completed 976 client deals and created or safeguarded 4,470 UK-wide jobs.
Specialising in providing flexible finance to businesses who are improving the social and financial wellbeing of their communities, BEF is a delivery partner for the government’s Start Up Loans Programme and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II’s Smaller Loans Fund via the British Business Bank.
Simon Jackson, Director of Investments at BEF said: “It’s known that 90% of CDFI customers were first denied by another lender – and yet our social impact reveals the immensely positive impact these businesses have on their surrounding communities. That could be in terms of providing employment, collaboration or creating services and spaces that serve people’s needs.”
Stephen Waud, Chief Exec at the BEF, aded: “We’re incredibly proud to have dedicated nearly 12,000 hours of investor time in supporting these businesses; we’re in a fortunate position where we’re able to serve entrepreneurs and business owners where traditional or challenger banks simply can’t.
“Our priorities lie in helping women, minorities and those who struggle mainstream funding. We started in Bradford 20 years ago and we’re now working with the lowest 35% most deprived communities across the North of England. The proof is, if we support SMEs and micro-businesses in these areas, we’ll see true social and economic transformation.”
Flood control planter goes live in Northallerton
A specially-designed planter that captures, uses, and stores rainwater before slowly releasing it into drains has premiered at one of TransPennine Express’ North Yorkshire stations.
The planter at Northallerton station captures water runoff from guttering before it can enter drains, helping to reduce the risk of local drainage networks being overwhelmed during storms, leading to flooding or pollution.
As well as storing water, the planter also provides multiple habitats including native wildflower planting, a bee hotel and deadwood zones, acting as a refuge and habitat for pollinators and other insects.
Steve Gilder, Environment Delivery Lead at TPE, said: “This is so much more than just a planter – it will provide so many benefits at Northallerton station, from increasing biodiversity and housing wildlife to reusing and attenuating rainwater, and combatting flooding.
“At TPE, we are committed to having a positive impact on the environment – and this is one of the many schemes you can expect to see on stations across our network that does just that.”
Made by ecology and horticulture specialists BioScapes, the planter will be trialled for six months, with the possibility of more being installed across the train operator’s network if successful.
Terry Smithson, Head of Nature Based Solutions at BioScapes, said:“It’s great to work with TransPennine Express as they enhance the area for biodiversity as well as enhancing the customer experience.
“There are new requirements on water companies, local authorities and lead local flood authorities to clean our waters and the SuDS system that we’ve installed here will take water off the roof and filter it through a specially developed soil.
“The plants will help to clean that water as well, so that when it comes out of the bottom of the unit, back into the drains, it’s much cleaner and much better for our waterways.”
TPE aims to lead and enable sustainable tourism and transport across the North of England and into Scotland through its commitment to sustainability.
