Boston solar park to power Arla’s operations
Arla, the dairy cooperative, in partnership with ENGIE and Infinis, has announced the signing of two new solar parks – including one in Lincolnshire – under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which will supply around 20% of the energy needed to power Arla’s entire UK operation from renewable sources.
The new solar parks will be operational from Boston (Lincolnshire) and Offham (Kent) during 2024. Together the sites are set to generate around 23,000 MWh of energy and create savings of approximately 4,439t of CO2 a year.
Both solar parks are being created on sites previously used as landfill, which forms part of an initiative to generate more clean energy and make a positive impact on the environment.
Fran Ball, VP of production at Arla, said: “At Arla, we’re committed to working with our farmer owners to provide natural, nutritious dairy, that is made in the best possible way, and are proud to be committing to two new solar parks to help power our UK operations.
“We are on a journey to climate net zero by 2050, which means that we are taking steps to reduce CO2e emissions on our farms, as well as focussing on other areas, including our production and logistics operations.
“As part of our Climate Action Roadmap, we will be switching to 100% renewable electricity across production sites by the end of 2025, which will contribute 58% of the emissions reductions we need to make in production by 2030.
“Additionally, 100% recyclable packaging will be used across branded products by end of 2025 and will be helping our farmers to adapt more sustainable feed production practices.”
Graham Leith, chief operating officer at ENGIE Energy Supply UK, said: “ENGIE globally is committed to accelerated growth in renewables with a firm commitment to be Net Zero Carbon by 2045, for us and for our customers. We seek to understand the needs of our customers and working together with partners to create a solution that supports their ambitions in a timely manner.”
James Milne, chief commercial officer at Infinis, said: “We’re proud to be working with Engie and Arla to deliver clean renewable power and support their net zero commitment. Partnerships like this help to protect higher grade agricultural land from development – supporting both food security and energy security – and we hope will pave the way for many more such projects.
“Corporate PPAs combined with the CfD play a vital role in delivering subsidy-free solar power and achieving national net zero targets.”
Arla has also recently completed the installation of roof mounted solar panels on its Oswestry site, which during peak power can generate 800KW. This means it can generate 12% of the site’s annual electricity usage, which would remove 137,920kg of carbon emissions.
Future of Bradford heritage buildings being explored in plans for Heritage Action Zone status
The future of heritage buildings in the heart of Bradford are being explored in plans for Heritage Action Zone status.
Bradford Council has been awarded £50,000 by Historic England to develop detailed proposals for a Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) in the city centre.
The area surrounding City Hall, as well as Kirkgate, Hustlergate and Market Street are under consideration, which, if adopted, will provide grants to property owners to bring back into use empty and underused floorspace in some of the city’s ‘at risk’ heritage buildings.
This will be complemented by proposals to increase public access to City Hall, so more people can see this landmark building for themselves, along with the historic artefacts and photography on display.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with Historic England to develop detailed proposals for Heritage Action Zone Status in this historic part of the city centre.
“This is an exciting opportunity to find new and sustainable uses for our historic buildings, as well as potentially enabling improved access to City Hall, our core civic building, celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
“The amount of quality heritage buildings here in Bradford is breath-taking. We are looking to the future, with City of Culture 2025 approaching, plus the massive programme of regeneration that will take place in the city, but this is always in harmony with our history.”
Richard Butterfield, Historic England’s partnerships team leader, said: “Bradford City Centre Conservation Area has an impressive array of grand Victorian buildings and a historic street pattern which goes back to the middle ages.
“This project development funding will enable the heritage to be better understood and inform plans to unlock its potential. We are delighted to be taking this initiative forward with Bradford Council and the City of Culture team.”
Work on the proposal will involve data collection, analysis and consultation with owners and key stakeholders how best to financially support property owners, developers and investors to make use of vacant or underused floorspace in the city’s heritage buildings.
Proposals for a HAZ in Bradford city centre will also explore how cultural events can be used to increase understanding of local heritage, raise awareness of buildings potentially at risk and to look at possible uses for buildings driven by the current market.
The Council will complete the work to develop a detailed proposal for the HAZ by February 2024.
Regeneration project for historic Whitefriargate building receives huge boost
A regeneration project for a historic building in Whitefriargate has received a huge boost thanks to significant grant funding.
Trinity House Charity, part of Hull Trinity House, has been awarded £198,171 from the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) and a further £56,620 funding through the Whitefriargate High Street Heritage Action Zone.
The LUF is funded through monies awarded to Hull City Council in 2021 by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
The funding is for the conversion of redundant, vacant offices at Custom House Building to the rear of 13-14 Whitefriargate.
The project will see the creation of three one-bed apartments, following planning approval being finalised.
Proposed works include a full re-roof of the property, internal refurbishment, upgraded electrical supply and structural and window repairs.
There will also be refurbishment of existing historic architectural features and new gates under an adjacent archway to incorporate a pedestrian access control system.
Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, Hull City Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “Schemes such as Levelling Up Funding and High Street Heritage Action Zone have already helped unlock so much potential in places such as Whitefriargate.
“It is pleasing that the council is able to continue to support heritage projects and I look forward to see them come to fruition.”
All employees made redundant as administrators appointed to Leeds fibreoptic broadband infrastructure business
Neil Morley and Howard Smith from Interpath Advisory have been appointed joint administrators of Makehappen Group Limited.
Based in Leeds, Makehappen is a provider of civil engineering work which installs fibreoptic broadband infrastructure for its clients throughout the UK.
The company was originally founded from the coming together of individuals with specialisms from across the telecoms and plant and machinery rental industries, together with its corporate shareholder FibreNation Limited, which had been founded to build a fibreoptic broadband network across the UK.
In recent months, Makehappen experienced significant pressure on cashflow after a number of contracts were withdrawn by their customers. As a result, the company was unable to continue trading and service its liabilities as they fell due, so after considering their options, the directors sought the appointment of the administrators.
The company ceased to trade shortly prior to the appointment of the administrators. With no prospect of trade resuming, the joint administrators have made all of the company’s 165 members of staff redundant.
Neil Morley, director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “There continues to be a number of opportunities, but also challenges for businesses involved in the building of fibreoptic broadband infrastructure across the UK and unfortunately, Makehappen was the latest casualty of these challenges.
“As we commence an orderly wind-down of the business, our priority will be to provide support to all of Makehappen’s employees, including providing them with all of the information they require to make claims from the Redundancy Payments Office.”
Harron Homes gets green light for more than 100 properties on former colliery site
Housebuilder Harron Homes has has been given planning permission to build 105 new homes on 12 acres of land which used to house Rossington Colliery.
The development is set to support the continued regeneration of the area and will benefit from the new bridge to be built over the River Torne, providing another access route.
The bridge will have a bus lane, cycle lane and pedestrian footpath which will connect West End Lane to the economically significant iPort, which will have six million square feet of business space once fully built.
Nick Hague, land director at Harron Homes North Midlands, said: “We are excited to receive the green light on this development. Rossington is a great area and being part of its growth and regeneration is fantastic. De Maulay Manor will provide a variety of new homes for all families looking to move to the area.”
Natalie Griffiths, sales and marketing director at Harron Homes North Midlands, added: “It’s great to see planning permission granted for De Maulay Manor. Rossington is such a vibrant area and we can’t wait to welcome new residents.”
Rethink rethinks location of its Doncaster base
Doncaster-based construction site hoarding company Rethync Ltd is moving to larger premises on Shaw Lane Industrial Estate.
The expansion comes as a result of the company’s continued growth and commitment to delivering exceptional services to its construction and house building clients.
The new premises provide a significantly larger space, offering increased storage capacity and ample room for holding stock. The enhanced facilities allow the company to better accommodate customer storage needs and ensure streamlined operations.
One of the key benefits of the relocation is the expansion of Rethync’s fabrication facilities. The increased space enables the company to meet the growing demand for its bespoke Multisite Hoarding solutions and deliver projects more efficiently.
MD Phil Chadwick said: “The move to the new premises consolidates all operations into one space, resulting in a leaner working environment, promoting better communication and collaboration between departments, leading to improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.
“In addition, the larger premises will provide the opportunity for us to create a dedicated demonstration area for customers. This space will allow clients to experience first-hand our innovative hoarding solutions and gain a comprehensive understanding of the company’s capabilities.”
Andrew Jackson Solicitors names new associate in shipping and transport team
Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP has appointed Andrew Coish as an associate in its shipping and transport team.
Andrew will undertake all aspects of shipping work covering both contentious and non-contentious matters, including carriage of goods by sea, freight forwarding, project cargo transportation, and charter party disputes. He said:“I am excited to return to Andrew Jackson where I began my career 26 years ago. I have been aware of how the firm has grown over the years and its continued reputation for maritime work and I’m looking forward to playing my part in ensuring that we continue to provide an outstanding service for our clients, which is tailored to their needs.” Dominic Ward, senior partner and head of shipping and transport at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, said: “Andrew shares our commitment to providing the highest standards of service and value to our clients. His proven knowledge and expertise of shipping and transport matters means he will be a real asset to the team.”Leeds law firm draws together interested parties to discuss investment in Kirklees
Leeds-based law firm Clarion has brought together businesses, the local authority and the university at an event to discuss investment in Kirklees.
A roundtable held at the University of Huddersfield saw the law firm joined by Yorkshire building and timer merchants Myers Building Supplies; Huddersfield pharmaceutical manufacturer Thornton and Ross; Birstall-based bathrooms business Cubico; Kirklees Council; Huddersfield Unlimited; West Yorkshire Combined Authority; the University of Huddersfield; and Handelsbanken.
The group discussed investment in Kirklees, including some of its key developments such as the ‘National Health and Innovation Campus’ and the ‘Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor’, as well as the region’s skills gap and the regeneration of Huddersfield.
The National Health and Innovation Campus is a seven-acre plot on the site of the former Huddersfield Sports Centre in Southgate, which includes the new Daphne Steel Building, and will be home to the university’s Health & Wellbeing Academy, run by the School of Human and Health Sciences. The Creative Health Project will support people who are out of work, plus mental health projects, and will provide connectivity between job centres and the private sector.
In addition, the Station to Stadium Enterprise Corridor, located between Huddersfield train station and the John Smith’s Stadium, aims to bring highly-skilled jobs to the town. The corridor, centred around the University of Huddersfield’s £250 million National Health Innovation Campus, will have a high-quality urban design.
Steve Crow, business development director of Clarion, said: “With its central location between Leeds and Manchester, Kirklees has around 10% of the UK population within an hour’s drive, giving it a great opportunity to capitalise on its plans to invest over £1b in Huddersfield and Dewsbury.
“The ambition of those working, living and investing in in the region is further underpinned by its globally respected university and investment in a gigabit infrastructure as well as its diversity of businesses, particularly in the engineering, aerospace and chemicals sectors.
“While there are already a number of really innovative projects underway, collaboration on skills and innovation across the public and private sector is vital in order to enhance value and drive economic growth in Kirklees. In particular, the roundtable discussed ways of retaining talent and ensuring that exciting career opportunities are available to graduates in the region.
Together, we will be focusing on how we can build on the region’s world-class expertise in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, health and technology, to help all those invested in Kirklees to achieve the region’s full potential.”
Another event to discuss investment in Kirklees will take place on 7 November.
New head chef brings experience from two-star Michelin establishment
The General Tarleton at Ferrensby has appointed Varun Khanna as its new Head Chef.
He joins The General Tarleton from Two Michelin Star Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham, before which he worked at One Michelin Star The Pipe and Glass in Beverley.
He said: “I am thrilled to take up the role of Head Chef at such a well-known culinary establishment. Being Yorkshire born and bred I am delighted to be returning home where the finest ingredients are literally on our doorstep.”
As new Head Chef, Varun has introduced a new menu using seasonal produce and engaging with local farmers and suppliers.
He added: “When the opportunity arose at The General Tarleton it felt like it was just meant to be. I have had the opportunity to work in some amazing establishments, learning from some of the country’s best chefs and I am now delighted to create my own menu drawing on all my experiences. The General Tarleton really embodies why I first fell in love with cooking, being able to enjoy fine food in a relaxed atmosphere with friends and family, is one of life’s highlights for me.”
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Tools stolen every 15 minutes, according to insurance company research
One in five tradespeople have had tools stolen from their vans during the last year, according to new research by Direct Line business insurance.
But the research also reveals that one in seven leave their tools in vans every night, and others do so on average ten nights a month.
Alison Traboulsi, Product Manager at Direct Line business insurance, said: “The frequency of tool theft is a growing concern, with recent research showing that tools were stolen every 15 minutes across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2022. Our latest data reveals vehicles remain the primary target, with nearly two-thirds of all tools stolen from this location. Because of this, it’s important to consider tool security when getting insurance.”
Vehicles are the most frequent location where tools are stolen accounting for over half of thefts, with thieves breaking into vans parked directly outside the homes of tradespeople. Vehicles are targeted while parked in the street, on the tradesperson’s own drive, on site, in a garage or car park.
Tradespeople are taking measures to help secure their tools and deal with consequences of tool theft, with many installing additional security (28 per cent). Other steps include becoming a member of social media groups where other tradespeople post about stolen goods (27 per cent), keeping insurance up-to-date (21 per cent) bringing tools indoors to a securely locked building (20 per cent), keeping up-to-date information such as photos, serial numbers and identifying marks (18 per cent), engraving or using invisible ink to mark tools (16 percent) and using tracking devices (15 per cent).
