Wind farm specialist Ørsted has signed a contract with Greek company Hellenic Cables for supply of more than 160 miles (262km) of cables for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.
BGES Group expands by opening office in the Midlands
BGES Group, with offices in Sheffield and London, is to add a Midlands base to its operations in response to a growing number of clients and opportunities in the area.
BGES delivers a range of technologies and solutions to help buildings become smarter, healthier, and more energy efficient – a key focus area for companies with net zero target.
Heading up the new team is Rob Ordish, who joined BGES Group in 2020 and is now promoted to Midlands Regional Manager. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the building controls industry, including nine years at Birmingham-based Demma Controls. He is leading the BGES team on several service contracts and projects in the region, including NHS Trusts, commercial, retail and pharmaceutical buildings.
The company believes its local presence will deliver several key benefits to customers, including a more “hands on” approach to client projects. Rob Ordish comments, “In a world of increasingly remote working practices, in our industry there is no substitute for boots on the ground at client sites. It’s crucial for our field service work, allows us to get to the heart of customer challenges and streamlines the delivery of projects. Put simply, our Midlands hub will allow us to deliver our best work to local clients – we’re really excited by that.”
A dedicated Midlands team also reduces the emissions produced by travel to and from local sites; helping BGES to meet its carbon reduction targets. In turn, the move supports customers’ efforts to reduce their own supply chain emissions.
Lincolnshire businesses’ support for teachers could lead to national scheme
Lincolnshire businesses are to welcome in seventy teachers to share experience of business and industry and improve young people’s career opportunities.
Branston, Catch UK, CITB, CorrBoard, eComOne, Inzpire Ltd, Orsted, Plum Products, Ruddocks, Seafox Management Consultants, Serco, SRC UK, and Tong Engineering will host visits by 26 teachers, with the objective of bringing skills and workplace experience into the classroom and enrich the curriculum.
It’s part of the Teacher Encounters programme delivered by the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Careers & Enterprise Company, offering half-day experiences to help teachers to develop a stronger knowledge of their subject area through real world industry experience.
The scheme is part of a new national pilot programme bringing together 1,000 teachers and 200 businesses across England, allowing them to enrich teaching practice and share knowledge about skills gaps and labour market information with students and parents.
Lee Douglas, Strategic Hub Lead of the Careers Hub at the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “We have delivered the Teacher Encounters project in collaboration with award-winning businesses, world leaders in their sectors which are operating at the cutting edge of innovation and technology.
“It is crucial that teachers can have meaningful experiences with employers in Greater Lincolnshire. These experiences are designed to inspire teachers, enabling them to make vital links to their curriculum area of expertise and pass vital careers related information to their students.”
Oli de Botton, Chief Executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “Teachers are powerful sources of careers inspiration for young people – through the conversations they have and the curriculum they teach.
“One of the ways we can support them is by bridging the worlds of business and education and giving teachers meaningful encounters with employers.
“Done well, these encounters can inspire teachers, students and employers. Teachers can see at first hand how local businesses work, including the routes in like apprenticeships. Students can benefit when teachers bring this insight into their lessons, linking learning to workplace skills. And employers can learn more about the workforce of the future.
“This pilot is an opportunity to bring careers education further into the mainstream of school and college life and build on the enthusiasm we know is there from business to better support schools and from teachers to support their students to take their best next step.”
Interest rates rise to 5%
The Bank of England has increased interest rates by 0.5 percentage points to 5% – the highest level since 2008 and 13th consecutive rate rise.
The bigger than predicted hike comes as inflation remains at historically high levels, with new figures for May remaining unchanged at 8.7%, after falling in April, and staying much higher than the Bank’s 2% target.
Inflation had been expected to decline to 8.4% year on year, leading to a further interest rate rise from the Bank of England to bring it under control.
The sharp increase will come as a blow to many businesses struggling with rising bills and the highest borrowing costs in 15 years.
Responding to the news, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) national chair Martin McTague said: “The Bank of England (BoE) is risking economic slowdown across our small business community, with a jarring 0.5% increase in interest rates. We are standing at a crossroads. Inflation and interest rates are unrelenting.
“An increase in interest rates comes as no surprise – it’s a tried-and-trusted lever to pull in such times – but the size of the increase will hurt, and rate rises are not a magic wand in reducing inflation. This was driven by the highest core CPI rate in 30 years, but it has significant repercussions for everyone, not least for the 1.5million on variable mortgages.
“While higher interest rates are a tool to control inflation, the weight of escalating costs means consumers have less disposable income to circulate in the economy. When the money in their pockets is worth less, the upshot is reduced sales for businesses.
“It’s like adding another heavy load to an already full plate. Banks have a responsibility to show understanding and patience, especially to those who took variable-rate Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans (CBILS) and are now faced with higher costs. Instead of treating loans as just another expense, we need to think of them as a lifeline to keep small businesses trading during these challenging times.
“High street retailers, start-ups, local bakeries, and tech innovators alike are all feeling the pinch. As the weight on the small business and self-employed community grows heavier, we must strike a delicate balance. Our entrepreneurs need room to breathe, room to innovate and crucially room to grow.
“To help consumers and businesses, the Government could raise the VAT threshold from £85,000 to £100,000. This move could cushion some of the hardest blows of inflation, preventing tax increases from exacerbating the impact of price hikes on businesses and in turn, their customers.
“Meanwhile, energy suppliers should allow firms to ‘blend and extend’ their contracts so they can take advantage of lower wholesale prices. Late payments should also be a top priority, as unpaid invoices can stifle growth and stability.
“Our latest Small Business Index (SBI) survey reveals a stark snapshot of our current economy. We are seeing a divide, where 40% of firms encountered a dip in sales in the first quarter of 2023, while a third managed to increase them.
“This is a testament to the resilience and determination of our small business community – 46% of them said they were optimistic for the upcoming quarter.
“However, rising interest rates are not just numbers on a page, they are lived realities that influence consumer behaviour. The BoE should proceed with caution, mindful of these broad-ranging effects.”
Respected figure within Yorkshire’s farming sector awarded MBE
Geoff Brown, a respected figure within Yorkshire’s farming sector and as Managing Director of Ripon Farm Services, has been made an MBE for services to the rural economy.
Geoff co-founded Ripon Farm Services 41 years ago along with Mr Morris Hymas and Mr William Houseman and has seen the company go from strength to strength since then.
He said: “I feel very honoured to be accepting an MBE in the King’s first birthday honours list. The MBE is in recognition of a lifetime of service to the rural economy, thanks to all who have played a part. Never did I think I would be accepting an MBE. I am incredibly delighted and humbled.”
Richard Simpson, commercial director of Ripon Farm Services, added: “We are all hugely proud of Geoff. He is the beating heart of our company and this is an honour which is richly deserved.”
It was in 1961 that 16-year-old Geoff Brown started his first job as an apprentice with car and agricultural dealer Glovers of Ripon.
Looking back on his 62 years in the farm machinery industry, Geoff reflected: “I’ve seen many changes, both in the world in general and in farming in particular, but the values that I’ve followed throughout my career – hard work and commitment to the best customer service – have remained the same. Many of our customers are also long-standing friends.
“I’ve taken great pride in the success of Ripon Farm Services, I’ve watched the company grow from a small concern to one of the biggest employers in the Ripon area, with over 300 staff and annual revenues in excess of £160 million.
“This gives me tremendous pleasure, but I would stress that the success of Ripon Farm Services is down to the loyal and committed staff we have employed over the years. They have been the bedrock of this company and their dedication and expertise is second to none.”
In 2019, at the Great Yorkshire Show, Geoff was presented with a Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) award for outstanding contribution to agriculture. As well as several other awards throughout the years. Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon. Oliver Dowden MP said: “This year’s honours list is a testament to ordinary people who have demonstrated extraordinary community spirit and I pay tribute to all those who have been recognised today.”
Manufacturing output declines for fifth month running
Manufacturers’ order books remained weak in June, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey.
Output of UK manufacturing firms fell marginally in the three months to June, for the fifth successive month, though at a slower pace than in April and May and in line with expectations. Output volumes are expected to rise slightly in the three months to September.
Total order books were reported to be below normal, to a broadly similar extent to May. Export order books were also seen as below normal, but deteriorated slightly, leaving them in their weakest position since February 2021.
The survey, based on the responses of 233 manufacturing firms found:
- Output volumes fell marginally in the three months to June (weighted balance of -6%, from -10% in the three months to May). Output is expected to rise slightly in the three months to September (+4%), with expectations mildly positive again after briefly turning negative last month.
- Output fell in 12 out of 17 sub-sectors in the three months to June. The largest contributions to the fall came from the mechanical engineering and food, drink & tobacco sub-sectors.
- Total order books were reported as below “normal” in June, to a broadly similar extent to May (-15% from -17%). This leaves them standing marginally below the long-run average (-13%).
- Export order books were also seen as below normal and deteriorated marginally from last month (-29% from -26%). This was also weaker than the long-run average (-18%) and leaves export order books in their weakest position since February 2021.
- Expectations for average selling price inflation in the three months ahead fell slightly in June (+19%, from +21%), the sixth consecutive monthly fall, to stand at their softest since February 2021. Although selling price inflation expectations were comfortably below the multi-decade high seen in 2022 (+80% in March 2022), they remained well above the long-run average (+7%).
- Stocks of finished goods were seen as comfortably above “adequate” in June (+15% from +10% in May) and remained broadly in line with the long-run average (+12%).
Planning inspector gives nod to new Barton-Upon-Humber residential development
Plans for a new residential development to the south of Barton-upon-Humber are set to move forward after the planning inspectorate ruled in favour of the scheme.
Banks Property put forward proposals in autumn 2021 for the development of a 26.3 hectare site to the east of the A15 and south of Horkstow Road which was to include up to 390 homes, as well as a community orchard, wildflower meadows and new allotments.
The family firm’s planning application was rejected by North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee last summer, with Banks then submitting an appeal against this decision to the planning inspectorate, which has now been allowed.
As well as including a range of different sizes and types of homes, including affordable housing and bungalows, the project also includes new footpaths, wetland areas, wildlife habitats, local road links, a children’s play park, an outdoor exercise area and more than 15 hectares of additional public open space, which equates to close to 60 percent of the total site area.
Funding will also be allocated towards a regular full day bus service that will serve the site and south of the town, in order to provide a sustainable connection to the wider community and to enable onward journeys by bus and rail.
John Ruddick, senior property development manager at Banks Property, says: “We have always believed that this would be an excellent site on which to create a sustainable new community in Barton-upon-Humber, and we are naturally very pleased that the planning inspector has also recognised the strengths and suitability of our proposals.
“This development will contribute to meeting the growing need to increase the local supply of homes and will enable more people who want to move to or stay in the area to do just that.
“It will offer a range of different property sizes and designs, including up to 20 bungalows and 78 affordable homes, while the construction of these new homes will directly support 80 new jobs, as well as indirectly supporting a further 100 jobs and providing significant contract opportunities for local suppliers.
“More than half the site will be open green space, including wildflower meadows, a community orchard, community allotments and woodland planting, while the amenity of a village-style green and formal play provision will lead to a local biodiversity net gain of more than twice the expected standard.
“We will now look to move this project forward as quickly as we can, and will provide further updates to the local community as progress is made.”
Doncaster waste management firm snapped up by global group
Reconomy Group, a global circular economy specialist providing sustainability technology, data and services to a broad range of industries, has acquired Ecofficiency Limited.
Ecofficiency is a Doncaster-based provider of waste and materials management solutions with the transaction strengthening Reconomy Group’s position across the UK’s construction, infrastructure and house-building waste management sectors.
The acquisition of Ecofficiency’s specialist soil sampling and remediation services – designed to reduce the bulk volume of waste by segregating hazardous materials and retaining recycled soils on site – further enhances the breadth and depth of services that Reconomy Group offers its clients.
Expanding into this specialism aligns with the Group’s mission to achieve a more circular economy where finite resources are preserved while simultaneously creating value for businesses and supporting economic growth.
The Ecofficiency transaction follows the 2023 acquisitions of Denmark-based green-tech business Combineering in February and UK Waste Solutions Limited, a major independent outsourced waste provider in the UK in May.
Guy Wakeley, Chief Executive of Reconomy Group, said: “Reconomy is delivering on our strategy of strong growth, organically and through global acquisitions that strengthen and differentiate our offering. Ecofficiency enhances our remediation capabilities and will be a fantastic addition to Reconomy as we relentlessly pursue our joint ambition of a more circular, sustainable economy.”
Michael Benton, Managing Director of the Recycle Division at Reconomy Group, said: “Ecofficiency brings expertise and specialist skills that will be of vast benefit to our customers. Materials management and reuse are crucial in preserving our resources. There is a strong cultural fit between the two businesses with our shared customer focus and belief in delivering added value and minimising environmental damage.”
Simon Raven, Managing Director of Ecofficiency, said: “We are delighted to be joining Reconomy Group, a market leader in the waste management and sustainability sector. Together, we are in a great position to continue innovating as we drive the circular economy forwards and help businesses become more sustainable.”
Land deal makes way for major mixed-use scheme in North Lincolnshire
Plans for a major sustainable mixed-use scheme in North Lincolnshire, which is set to include thousands of new homes alongside potential for high-value employment, community and leisure space, have moved a step closer with the acquisition of a major development site.
Regeneration and multi-sector property development specialist Hargreaves Land has exchanged contracts with site receivers Watling Real Estate for the conditional purchase of a 550-acre plot of land at the Lincolnshire Lakes site in Gunness, near Scunthorpe.
There, over 1,150 new homes will be created over the next 15 years as part of a major master-developer partnership that will also see potential for a new Advanced Manufacturing Park to be brought forwards on part of the site, offering commercial occupiers easy access to the nearby M181 motorway.
A 65-acre section of the site has been given a strategic allocation in North Lincolnshire’s emerging Local Plan to accommodate potential for the development of a carbon-neutral Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), which could in the future provide new commercial space to accommodate a range of emerging businesses, alongside research and development institutions, including those within the clean energy sector.
New construction jobs will be created when enabling infrastructure work by Hargreaves gets underway, followed by thousands more in the future as new businesses are created at Lincolnshire Lakes and existing employers relocate to the site to support their own growth and expansion plans.
Lincolnshire Lakes is expected to be one of the largest residential development schemes in the region and forms part of a wider strategic regeneration project set to transform the overall area, which will also include delivery of a new primary school, district centre and extensive areas of public open space.
The scheme will be masterplanned by Hargreaves to accord with the placemaking principles of a sustainable twenty-minute neighbourhood, with new opportunities created for active travel alongside large areas of blue infrastructure and biodiversity corridors.
Hargreaves Land is committed to bringing forward the wholescale regeneration of the site, moving ahead in a deal that will see it working closely with North Lincolnshire Council to secure outline planning consent within two years on its initial phases of development.
David Travis, development director at Hargreaves Land, said the deal marks another step forward in creating much needed quality new homes and amenities for the area.
“Lincolnshire Lakes is a very exciting investment for Hargreaves Land, reflecting our track record and continued focus in successfully delivering large-scale placemaking schemes throughout the UK.
“This includes our involvement in the on-going development of Unity, another large-scale mixed-use development in South Yorkshire which has a lot of similar constraints, where we are working with joint venture partner Waystone Developments to ensure project success.
“This deal represents a significant milestone for our overall growth as a business, and we look forward to delivering sustainable development on site over the next few years.”
Zoe Shearman, development surveyor at Hargreaves Land, added: “This moment represents the culmination of several months of hard work by our internal team and external consultants, and we now look forwards to progressing planning and marketing workstreams on the site as proactively as possible, with a view to facilitating our first phases of serviced residential plot disposals to housebuilders in the near future.”
Andrew Foster, joint Managing Director at Watling Real Estate, said: “On behalf of Watling Real Estate, we are delighted to enter into a 15-year joint venture with Hargreaves Land to bring forward this development for the benefit of all stakeholders.
“This is a very innovative solution to progress development for a challenged site, and Watling Real Estate thanks Hargreaves Land and North Lincolnshire Council for their support, assistance and flexibility in working within the parameters of a Receivership.”
Freeths law firm acted on behalf of Hargreaves Land for the acquisition while Pinsent Mason represented the receivers.
Devolution for East Riding and Hull takes new step
The leaders of East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Hull City Council have agreed to hold talks with the government to look at the option of an elected mayor as part of a new devolution deal.
A combined authority deal would involve the two councils working together on strategic issues such as economic investment and transport, but the delivery of day-to-day services would remain the responsibility of each individual authority.
The option to include a mayor as part of a devolution deal would potentially see the East Riding and Hull, representing East Yorkshire, secure more funding from central government and would give each authority and the public more say in where the money was best spent to benefit residents.
The proposal for a mayoral authority is a move away from the county deal on the table, which would involve the switching of power between the two authorities annually, with no elected mayor.
The two authorities are the last in Yorkshire without a deal and the new leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Councillor Anne Handley, said: “We need to start delivering the best possible deal for the people of the East Riding and Hull and that means getting more money and more powers to improve the lives of local people.
“And that sentiment is shared too with Councillor Mike Ross, the leader of Hull City Council, and both our elected members and officers are now exploring what we can achieve with a mayoral authority.
“No deal is yet on the table as it’s very early days but conversations will continue between the two authorities as we’re both committed to delivering the very best for our residents.”
Councillor Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: “It is widely accepted that there has been little, if any, progress in getting a devolution deal for the city which sets Hull back compared to many other cities of the same size across the country.
“The government is clear that to get the best possible deal on offer, the mayoral model is their preferred approach.
“While there is still a lot of work to do, agreeing to consider what Hull and the East Riding can get out of a mayoral deal does at least move the discussion on.
“Ultimately the best interests of Hull will be a paramount in the consideration of any deal.”
Thomas Martin, chairman of the business engagement board that represented the interests of coastal, rural organisations in the area, was supportive of the new proposals.
He said: “Progressing a devolution deal is absolutely the right thing to do, but firstly I need to acknowledge the courage of our two local authority leaders, who in stepping forward together have parked individual politics, as both recognise this opportunity for our region as a whole.
“Both leaders understand that we simply cannot stay isolated forever – the world is already moving on around us and as other parts of the UK take jobs, investments and economic strategies that should be developed right here in East Yorkshire.”
