Unity Homes and Enterprise makes new board appointments
Four new members have joined the board of BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise, which manages almost 1,400 affordable properties for around 5,000 tenants in Leeds and Kirklees.
Mahara Haque has worked as a community development specialist for more than a decade and has a wide range of board experience including with housing associations and in the NHS.
Moreen Pascal has had a career in business support services, local government and the voluntary and community sectors mainly in London and Hertfordshire, where her focus has been on social justice initiatives in the community, leadership performance and workforce development.
Nasim Qureshi has been the chief executive officer at Inspired Neighbourhoods Group for 14 years, and brings considerable experience in the housing, health and social care and enterprise sectors.
Abdul Ravat has previously served on the board of Unity’s not for profit subsidiary company, Unity Enterprise, and has accumulated three decades of experience in housing and regeneration.
Abdul Hamied, Unity Homes and Enterprise interim chair, said: “I am excited to welcome our four new members who will each bring their own unique skillsets and experiences to the board table together with a shared commitment to Unity’s social purpose.
“We are proud of the work we do, not just as a provider of first class affordable homes but also in supporting local entrepreneurial activity and providing bridges to employment and training.
“Unity has exciting plans in place and in development which my new colleagues will have key roles in advancing in the months and years ahead.”
Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise chief executive, said: “One of Unity’s great strengths as a community-based organisation is our eagerness to listen to different voices and implement innovative ideas in the quest to improve people’s lives.
“The new board members will make significant strategic contributions to what we do and how we do it for the betterment of local neighbourhoods.
“They are excellent appointments and, on behalf of the senior management team, I look forward to working closely with them all.”
Climate tech firm receives support package from UK’s national innovation agency
Climate tech firm Pirta is receiving a package of support from the UK’s national innovation agency to accelerate the development of its revolutionary cooling paint.
Yorkshire-based Pirta is on a mission to combat climate change through the development of passive cooling technology. Founders Howard and Rob Atkin have created a radically innovative solar cooling paint which reflects more than 93% of total solar energy while averaging 99% reflectance in the visible spectrum.
The technology holds immense commercial potential across many sectors — including construction, shipping, logistics, agriculture and energy industries — looking to slash emissions from energy dependent cooling systems.
Following rigorous testing at the University of Leeds and Mahatma Gandhi University in India – involving more than 1,000 samples – Pirta is now ramping up activity with backing from Innovate UK EDGE, a key part of the UK innovation agency’s deep investment in pioneering businesses.
Pirta R&D director Rob Atkin said Innovate UK EDGE is playing an instrumental role opening up a global innovation ecosystem, and supporting it with finance mechanisms, strategic planning and internationalisation.
“We’ve received terrific support from Innovate UK EDGE for the last 18 months,” said Mr Atkin. “The collaboration enabled one of our major breakthroughs, after being introduced to the renowned CPI (Centre for Process Innovation) in Redcar.
“The CPI was set up by the UK Government to reposition the Northeast UK on the world stage for Research and Development. Essentially, it helps companies develop, prove, prototype and scale-up new products and processes by providing access to facilities, expertise and networks of public and private funders.
“Through this connection, we carried out foundational work, including a feasibility study exploring ideal materials and improved processes to take our product to market. This provided a springboard to our rigorous testing programme in the UK and India.”
Innovate UK EDGE has further introduced Pirta to a series of organisations including construction firm LNT Group, the Smith Institute, Energy Systems Catapult, Global Centre for Rail Excellence and Civil Water Management – while opening the floor to present their business case at the regional partner meeting for Innovate UK, the parent organisation for Innovate UK EDGE.
Earlier this year Pirta was also hand-selected by Innovate UK to join a special programme accelerating tech solutions capable of supporting Singapore’s net zero ambitions. The Harrogate firm joined 15 other British firms at the Global Business Innovation Programme (GBIP) Net Zero Singapore 2023. This included pitching sessions and high-level meetings with government officials, key industry players, NGOs and academia.
Senior innovation & growth specialist for Innovate UK EDGE, Chantelle Brandon Reeves said: “Pirta is an ideal case study perfectly illustrating the sort of innovative start-ups we want to support.
“It offers a creative solution to help tackle some of the greatest challenges of our time including the heat crisis, climate change, the energy transition and the race to net zero. As a technology it has huge scale-up potential across multiple industries and market segments worldwide.
“Throughout our coaching, we have seen Pirta growing from strength to strength. When our support tools are met with ambition and dedication we are able to maximise growth potential.
“For instance, we have had particular success helping Pirta with strategic planning through the use of our business model canvas tool, which compelled senior management to delve into vital elements of business such as cost structure, roles and responsibilities, sales channels, and strategic partners.
“It has also concentrated focus on the business’s vision, operational approach, and value creation for stakeholders. Together, we have broken down priorities into manageable segments to produce clear strategic pathways for growth.”
Plans revealed for 5,000-seater stadium in Sheffield
Sheffield FC, The World’s First football club, and Sheffield Eagles, the city’s professional rugby league club, have revealed detailed plans for a new 5,000-seater stadium as part of a joint venture between the clubs.
The new stadium, which will be based at the former Sheffield Transport Sports Club site at Meadowhead, will encompass professional football and rugby league facilities as well as a cricket pavilion, a football museum and an indoor community sports hall.
It is planned that the site will become an international visitor attraction for football and rugby league fans alike and provide an insight into the history and heritage of both clubs.
The comprehensive stadium development scheme will offer access to high-quality sporting events, educational opportunities, recreational facilities, social amenities, business prospects, and an array of community programmes.
Sheffield FC, which was formed in 1857, has submitted a planning pre-application to Sheffield City Council with a full application set to be submitted in January.
Sheffield FC chairman Richard Tims said: “Welcome to a new era of Sheffield FC, the world’s first football club.
“We are pleased to announce our vision for the future: a new stadium back in the Steel City, a joint venture with Sheffield Eagles and a world-class facility, which will benefit the whole community.
“Following years of discussions, we are finally starting to see our plans really gathering pace and have a fantastic project team who are totally committed to making our supporters’ dreams turn into reality.
“This will be somewhere to which the football’s three billion fans can make a pilgrimage and pay homage to the city which gave the world the beautiful game as well as a venue for the local community to utilise and enjoy a variety of sports.
“It doesn’t matter whether you support Sheffield United or Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield FC or Sheffield Eagles this is about being proud of the region’s sporting heritage and making it a hub for sporting excellence and community engagement in Sheffield and the South Yorkshire region.
“Our target is for the project to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season. We need everyone to get behind this and once and for all put Sheffield sport well and truly on the map.”
Sheffield Eagles director of rugby, Mark Aston said: “Sheffield Eagles are very excited to be part of this joint venture with Sheffield FC and to be at the heart of this world-class development, which at the heart will have a stadium that meets the Super League criteria to assist us in our aim to return to the top flight.
“Sheffield Eagles have grown immensely in the last three years thanks to the work of the Eagles Foundation and the planned facilities will also be a home for our Women’s, Wheelchair, Learning Disability and Physical Disability teams. It will also allow us to further develop homegrown talent and provide a base for our already large community programme.
“The development will bring very valuable sporting facilities to the Sheffield sports scene and open up several opportunities for sports outside of football and rugby league to be involved and provide enjoyment as both spectators and participants.
“With Sheffield FC being the world’s first football club and Sheffield Eagles about to celebrate its 40th anniversary, both clubs have an enormous amount of heritage to bring together and I am pleased that the plans will see that history captured under one roof.
“With league positions making up only 20 per cent of the RFL’s Club Grading Scoring matrix, the development of facilities and the ability to improve our commercial footing and build a solid base for the community aspects of our operation are an absolute priority for us. This development gives us an opportunity to drastically improve our grading and we hope that the entire city can get behind and share in the initiative!”
Logistics warehouse specialist readies Wakefield site for 490,000 sq ft facility
Delin Property, the European logistics warehouse specialist, has started readying a 22.8-acre site in Wakefield Europort business park for the development of a 490,000 square foot cross dock facility.
Duncan Jarvis, Delin Property’s head of portfolio & asset managament, said: “Switch Wakefield is a signature project for us, showcasing all our strengths in value creation as an owner, developer and manager of logistics warehouses.
“The building will provide a best in class facility in Yorkshire’s premier logistics location. We’re very excited about a project that will be one of the largest for the industrial sector in Northern England.”
Contractors are demolishing the existing 375,000 sq ft building, previously occupied by
DHL, and clearing the Whitwood Common Lane site. Reserved matters planning permission
is in place for the construction of a cross-docked logistics unit of 490,000 sq ft.
Switch Wakefield will be constructed to Net Zero Carbon standards, a BREEAM “Excellent”
rating and an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate with 2.5 MVA power supply. The
warehouse will have up to 56 dock level doors, eight level doors, and truck yards of 50
metres and 35 metres.
Internally, the building will provide 15 metres clear height, and 22,500 sq ft of office space. The new facility will also provide parking for 62 trucks and 384 spaces for cars, including 79 EV charging spaces, as well as 110 covered cycle spaces.
CPP, Colliers and Knight Frank are the leasing agents for Switch Wakefield. The
development manager is Firethorn Trust.
More affordable housing announced for York
100% affordable, energy-efficient homes are to be delivered across York by the council and social housing partners.
Affordable housing is to be increased to 100% on the council’s Ordnance Lane Passivhaus site in Fishergate which the number of affordable homes can be doubled from around 50 to 100. 100% affordable homes have also been agreed for the site of the former Willow House on Walmgate homes where around 40 new energy-efficient homes are planned alongside improvements to the neighbourhood.
Other plots ready for development are at the former 68 Centre in Heworth and the former Woolnough House care home site. These will be offered to registered social landlords to deliver 100% affordable housing which aim to meet the emerging Future Homes Standard.
To influence the development of the type and number of affordable homes in the city and region, City of York Council has joined the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership and is working alongside the co-owners of York Central.
Also tackling homelessness, the report details how 10 homes will be bought using the Local Authority Housing Fund to support former rough sleepers into living independently, and to house Afghan refugees.
Cllr Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities at City of York Council, said: “The average home in York currently costs 10.9 times the average earnings, rents have risen 10% in the last year and energy costs continue to rise.
“To tackle this, a core commitment of the new Council Plan ‘One City, for all’, is to increase the supply of good quality, affordable housing with high energy efficiency and low emissions.
“Creating 100% affordable homes meets that commitment. Now, on our Ordnance Lane site alone, we’re doubling the high-quality Passivhaus housing which will be affordable to rent, buy and run, from around 50 to 100 homes.”
Four get jobs with Andrew Jackson Solicitors
Andrew Jackson Solicitors has appointed four newly-qualified solicitors, who have taken up roles across the firm following successful completion of their training contracts.
With several years’ experience advising clients across a broad range of commercial property transactions, senior solicitor Yasmin Fenton, along with Emily Vint, remain in the real estate and property department. Rebecca Forder has worked in the shipping and transport department for several years and will continue to act on behalf of UK, European and international banks on ship finance transactions, including mortgages and flag registrations, as well as assisting the team on large scale shipping and transport projects. Jon Croft remains in his corporate role, advising clients across a range of due diligence procedures for company acquisitions and disposals, in addition to the preparation of ancillary documentation and advising on company formations. Managing partner Mark Pearson-Kendall said: “Yasmin, Emily, Rebecca and Jon have already developed strong client relationships and have shown their commitment to providing them with trusted, commercial legal advice. “I know they will continue to make a valuable contribution to Andrew Jackson and we are delighted to offer them these roles.”Finalists look forward to awards announcement
The Big Sky Beer Festival hosted by Wold Newton-based Wold Top Brewery has reached the final of the Event of the Year award in the Yorkshire Post Tourism Awards.
Director Kate Balchin said:”The Big Sky Beer Festival has gone from strength to strength over the years and is a great platform to showcase great beer from all over the UK plus local musicians and food producers. We’re very excited to have won a place in the final and look forward to the dinner next month.”
The Big Sky Beer Festival faces competition from HERD, ‘A Night Under the Stars’ – Yorkshire Children’s Charity and Grantley Hall, Harrogate Autumn Flower Show and JORVIK Viking Festival. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at New Dock, Leeds on 4th December. The judges include Wayne Topley, MD of the Cedar Court Hotels Group and Chef Consultant, Steph Moon.
Wold Top was founded in 2003 and is located on the Mellor family farm at Hunmanby Grange. The team use home-grown barley and water from the farm’s borehole to produce a range of award-winning cask, keg and bottled beers that are available throughout Yorkshire and nationwide.
Keep backing British farming, NFU tells Government in renewed call to action
The NFU has called for government to deliver on its promises to back British farming by ensuring fairness in food supply chains.
The Farm to Fork Summit was the result of months of campaigning on the part of the NFU, following a series of pledges made by the Prime Minister.
Key among the announcements made at the summit were commitments to hold reviews into the horticulture and egg supply chains. The latter of these was launched at the end of October.
NFU President Minette Batters says food security should always remain a top priority for any government and adding that a perfect storm of challenges currently facing farmers including, crippling input costs, volatile supply chains and extreme weather events, set against a backdrop of changes to farm support and agricultural policy.
She met the newly appointed Defra Secretary of State Steve Barclay the day after the Prime Minister’s cabinet reshuffle. Following the meeting she said: “I pressed the need for urgent action on the vitally important sector reviews taking place.
“They must have a tangible impact on the relationship with farmers and the supply chain. Currently farmers and growers bear the brunt of the risks and cost within the food supply chain and this is unsustainable for all involved.
“This reality is playing out in real time with a fractured sugar supply chain – an acute example of the burden put on primary producers.”
At the beginning of the month, British Sugar sent out a document to all growers which asserted to contain details of the 2024/25 Sugar Beet Contract Offer.
The NFU Sugar Board believes that this aggressive action – in circumventing NFU Sugar – was undertaken in the hope that individual growers will accept a contract that gives them significantly less value than they should receive given anticipated market conditions.
“It has been six months since I sat down at the Farm to Fork summit with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and I appreciate the positive steps that have been made,” Minette added.
“We called for a national food security summit and a government commitment to work towards 60% self-sufficiency, both of which have happened, as well as the new agri-food attachés to help sell more British food abroad.
“But I have urged the new Secretary of State to ensure Defra’s supply chain reviews within the dairy, horticulture and poultry sectors deliver much-needed improvements to the operation, fairness and transparency for all farmers and growers, so we can continue what we do best – provide high-quality, climate-friendly food for the nation.”
Siemens tests London Underground trains that will be built in Goole
New trains for London Underground’s Piccadilly Line are undergoing extensive testing by Siemens Mobility in Europe, both on the test track and in the climate chamber, in readiness for the company’s Goole factory to start building them.
Siemens Mobility is building 94 Piccadilly line trains for TfL, with around half to be assembled at the new train manufacturing facility in Goole, where work will start next year. Up to £200m is being invested in developing the rail village, which will create up to 700 skilled jobs, as well as up to 1,700 in the supply chain and 250 during construction. Some of the parts for the new trains will also come from local suppliers in Yorkshire, including LPA Lighting Systems who will provide the LED interior lighting.
The first-newly built state-of-the-art test train is at the Test and Validation Centre in Germany, where it is being put through its paces on the test track during dynamic testing to demonstrate acceleration and braking functionality along with noise and vibration trials. Intensive testing is taking place in the build up to the first train arriving in London next summer for further testing and integration before the new trains start entering service in London in 2025.
Meanwhile, a three-car formation of the Piccadilly line carriages has been put through testing in a special climate chamber to ensure the trains will be able to endure extreme weather conditions. Tests focused on the effects of extreme ambient temperatures from -15°C to 40°C, solar load of 600W/m2, ice and high wind speeds of up to 100km/h to check the train can still operate in extreme weather conditions. Monitors were used to understand what passengers would experience, measuring humidity and temperatures in the carriages.
The Piccadilly line trains are based on Siemens Mobility’s Inspiro family of metro trains and offer passengers an improved customer experience with walk-through, air-conditioned carriages and improved accessibility. The new metro trains will increase capacity by around 10 per cent and are also lighter than existing designs which will mean the trains are more energy efficient as well as providing a smoother ride for passengers. All trains will be fitted with CCTV in the carriages.
Sambit Banerjee, Joint CEO for Siemens Mobility UKI, said: “It is quite something to see the first of the new state-of-the-art Piccadilly line trains being tested. Although we are still in the early stage of testing, we are learning a lot about this test train and its future performance. As well as testing on the track, we have also been using our climate chamber to ensure the trains can operate safely in extreme weather conditions. These vital tests mark an important milestone for the project.”
Make UK welcomes news of Government financial boost of SME in manufacturing
The CEO of manufacturers’ organisation Make UK has welcomed news of a financial fillip for SMEs across the country with the government announcement of £4.5 billion in funding for British manufacturing to increase investment in eight sectors
He’s Stephen Phipson, who said: “Make UK has long campaigned for Made Smarter to be a fully national scheme so that all SME manufacturers can benefit from the expertise the programme delivers and we are delighted at today’s decision from government to commit to a national rollout.
“Made Smarter has already transformed thousands of companies in the North East, North West, West Midlands and Yorkshire & the Humber and now it can help turbo-charge industrial digitalisation in SMEs across the whole of the country.
“The end-to-end specialist support the programme delivers has successfully helped smaller businesses dramatically boost productivity, improve energy efficiency, drive growth, upskill roles and deliver new jobs in digital skills to create workforces of the future which will allow Britain’s smaller manufacturers to continue to grow and remain globally competitive.”
The funding will be available from 2025 for five years, providing industry with longer term certainty about their investments.
Over £2 billion has been earmarked for the automotive industry and £975 million for aerospace, supporting the manufacturing, supply chain and development of zero emission vehicles, and investment in energy efficient and zero-carbon aircraft equipment.
Alongside this, the government has committed to £960 million for a Green Industries Growth Accelerator to support clean energy manufacturing, and £520 million for life sciences manufacturing to build resilience for future health emergencies and capitalise on the UK’s world-leading research and development.
With the entire manufacturing sector making up over 43% of all UK exports and employing around 2.6 million people, this funding is targeted at the UK’s strongest, world leading sectors; including where the industry is undergoing fundamental changes to remain at the forefront of the global transition to net zero, like the move to zero emission vehicles in the automotive industry.
The Green Industries Growth Accelerator investment will support the expansion of strong, home-grown, clean energy supply chains across the UK, including carbon capture, utilisation and storage, electricity networks, hydrogen, nuclear and offshore wind. This will enable the UK to seize growth opportunities through the transition to net zero, building on our world-leading decarbonisation track record and strong deployment offer.
The funding forms part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to grow the economy, and his focus on making decisions for the long-term, ensuring this funding doesn’t just focus on the most successful sectors today but looks ahead to how to keep pace internationally and build the UK’s expertise for the industries of the future.
