A 3,150 sq ft three storey office building has been sold in Harrogate to York-based investors and developers Pierre Developments, who plan to convert the property into a holiday let. The Victorian style property is located on East Parade in Harrogate town centre, directly adjacent to the train station. The property was offered for sale by Sanderson Weatherall on the instructions of Interpath Advisory, acting as joint administrators of Planet-U Energy Ltd. Peter Evans of Pierre Developments said: “We are glad to have recently completed on 19 East Parade. Our plan is to repurpose the building from a former office building into a large residential property which we intend to let out as a holiday let for large groups and families visiting Harrogate.” Partner in Sanderson Weatherall’s Leeds office, Craig Watson, added: “We are delighted to secure this sale on behalf of Interpath Advisory following a competitive marketing process. The property is primely located and offered significant potential for conversion and we look forward to seeing what Pierre Developments do with the space!”

Plans have been submitted for a new £4.8m engineering training centre which is designed to boost skills and jobs by meeting the existing needs of employers and by building capacity to support inward investors. Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA) aims to open the new centre in Stallingborough, North East Lincolnshire, in August 2023 as a bigger and more modern replacement for the site which it currently operates. Joanne Lawson, Deputy Chief Executive of HETA, said: “We will be able to offer more opportunities for young people starting out on their careers in engineering and for adults who want to improve their skills or re-train. “That expansion will in turn create more jobs for instructors, including people who want to move into training and share their skills and experience. There is already strong demand from industry in the area, and that can only increase as more businesses move into a prime development zone.” The plans now lodged by HETA will add a key element to North East Lincolnshire Council’s £42m South Humber Industrial Investment Programme (SHIIP) project, which is transforming a total of 189 hectares of land along the south bank of the Humber to create attractive new opportunities for business and industry. HETA has acquired the site of nearly three acres opposite the headquarters of renewables specialist myenergi, [correct] which opened in 2021. The new development will provide two storeys with facilities including workshops to enable individual training in fabrication and welding, machining, electrical and mechanical engineering. There will be eight classrooms including an IT centre, informal learning and recreation spaces and a workshop viewing gallery. Other features will include recreation and dining space and the building will benefit from sustainable drainage, eco-friendly landscaping and lighting and a low maintenance sustainable heating system with PV solar units on the roof. The site will have parking for cars, bikes and motorbikes, all supported by new access roads. HETA has already embarked on a series of briefings to alert employers to the opportunities which will be provided by the new centre. Ms Lawson said: “We’ll be releasing more details in further presentations to employers as the project nears completion. It’s all about increasing the training support for employers across North and North East Lincolnshire and making it part of a package which will help to attract new businesses into the area.” HETA was founded in 1967 and currently has more than 500 apprentices on programme, working with 350 employers. The company delivers 16 apprenticeship standards and returns Higher Nationals pass rates of 100 per cent at Level 5 and 88 per cent at Level 4 as well as 98 per cent at BTEC Level 3. In 2021 HETA received more than 800 applications for the 210 apprenticeships available at its three sites – Hull, Scunthorpe and Stallingborough. The company is recruiting now for its 2022 cohort and is again experiencing high levels of interest for apprenticeships and for Higher National qualifications.

A contractor has been appointed to provide a new footpath and parking improvements at East Park. Hull City Council has today published a decision record confirming the awarding of the contract to CR Reynolds Limited, for the sum of £63,317.64, after an open tender process in which bids were assessed on a ‘best value’ basis, combining price and quality. The East Park gates were closed to vehicles in 2020 to improve social distancing measures and increase safety for people walking, running and cycling in the park. To mitigate the loss of parking space, last summer the overflow car park at Woodford Leisure Centre was used as a temporary solution, providing a link to the existing small car park within East Park. However, the overflow car park closed during the winter, with a temporary access road installed as an interim measure until a permanent solution could be designed and procured. The permanent solution includes the creation of 21 additional parking spaces on the park road that links the rear of the leisure centre car park and provides access to the small car park at East Park. The work also includes the creation of a new permanent footpath and the installation of removable bollards forming an access barrier, as well as 36 timber bollards separating the overflow car park from the park road.  The Woodford Leisure Centre overflow car park will be used during periods of high demand, at the discretion of the operator, Hull Culture and Leisure. Councillor Dean Kirk, portfolio holder for highways, roads and transport, said: “The closure of the East Park gates in 2020 provided a safer environment for people walking, running and cycling. However, it also created a need for additional visitor parking. “We believe this is the most suitable and cost-effective solution, providing additional car parking spaces as well as a permanent link from the Woodford Leisure Centre car park to the existing East Park car park. “We are confident this will provide the best outcome for people living in the area and for those who visit East Park.” The funds to deliver the scheme will be reallocated from the Parks Improvement Fund. The work is due to begin on Monday 7 March and is expected to last about three weeks.