Music hub vision takes major step forward with £1.6m Canada House purchase
Harmony Works Trust has reached a key project milestone following its purchase of the 35,000 sq ft Grade II* Listed Canada House in Sheffield City Centre.
The £14m Harmony Works project will restore and revitalise Canada House, one of Sheffield’s grandest buildings. The building will be transformed into a new, central music education hub for young musicians from across the city and region.
Harmony Works will be home to every genre of music and music-inspired culture offering spaces for teaching, practising, rehearsing and performing.
The Trust, which was awarded charitable status in August 2023, has bought Canada House from retail brand Panache for £1.6 million. The Harmony Works project and Canada House refurbishment is backed by multiple funding initiatives, including Government Levelling Up Funds secured by Sheffield City Council to support the regeneration of Castlegate.
Canada House’s city-centre location means it can be reached by public transport from all parts of South Yorkshire ensuring that the very best music education is accessible for all.
Founded by Sheffield Music Hub, Sheffield Music Academy, Brass Bands England, and Music in the Round, the project is also backed by Sheffield City Council, major public funders, the Sheffield Culture Collective, and the universities.
Commenting on the project’s progress, David Hobson, Chair of Harmony Works Trust, said: “Our goal is to foster growth and transformation through the power of music. We are incredibly excited to announce that Canada House is officially ours. This is a huge milestone moment for our project.
“We, alongside all our partners, collaborators and funders, have worked incredibly hard to get this far, and we want to say a massive thank you to them for all their help and support to date.”
Emily Pieters, Harmony Works’ Project Director, added: “While we’re one step nearer to achieving our long-term goals of creating a more accessible and inclusive musical pathway for the young people and their communities across the Sheffield region, our work here is just beginning.
“With significant support from the public sector secured, we now need the help of our private sector to get this project over the finish line.”
Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Skills and Development Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “As well as creating an educational and inspirational space in Sheffield, the Harmony Works project will be a major catalyst for change in our city, particularly the Castlegate area.
“It will also help to preserve one of our city’s finest historic buildings and bring forward a plan to transform music provision in the region.”
An Italianate Renaissance-style building, Canada House was built in 1875 for the Sheffield United Gas Company. Over the past few decades, the building has taken many guises, from nightclubs to restaurants, and has more recently been home to specialist lingerie brand Panache.
The funding support to date has been provided by the Architectural Heritage Fund, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Sheffield City Council, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, the UK Government, and local Trusts and Foundations.
International law firm CMS LLP has also provided pro-bono legal support for the project since 2018.
Harmony Works Trust is now applying for additional funding support from Arts Council England and Trusts and Foundations for its next phase of the project.
Keighley businesses share in almost £1m to boost business and create new jobs
More than 20 businesses in Keighley have been awarded more than £973,000, and 15 businesses in Shipley have received more than £604,000 with the expectation of 151 jobs being created across both areas as a result.
The money has come from the Keighley and Shipley Towns Funds, with more still available.
The Capital Assistance to Business Growth Programme is part of the Government-funded Towns Fund and there is £4m available to support local businesses in the Keighley and Shipley areas, with approximately £2m allocated to each.
Grants are allocated by the Towns Fund boards for each town, made up of private sector representatives, with support from Bradford Council. Businesses can use the grant to invest in premises, machinery, equipment or property to fit out and bringing disused buildings back into use.
Funding has so far been spent on a wide-range of projects by businesses across the district such as expanding and modernising facilities, as well as replacing older equipment with more efficient, up-to-date systems.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, explained: “It’s so positive to see how this funding is already making such a significant impact. It has directly translated into growth for the businesses who have received it so far and the welcome creation of new jobs for the area.
“Grants ranging from £1,500 to £315,000 are still available for businesses within – or looking to move to – the Keighley and Shipley Towns Fund Areas, and other businesses are invited to apply.”
Adam Clerkin, chair of Shipley Towns Fund, said: “The process of securing a grant is straightforward and the team at Bradford Council will advise businesses throughout. This kind of support for local businesses is crucial in the current economic climate and we want to make sure that everyone who is eligible, has access to it.”
Chair of Keighley Towns Fund Tim Rogers, added: “Keighley has a proud industrial heritage and a thriving business community. There is funding available for businesses who would benefit and we’re keen to support them. I would encourage anyone interested in applying to get in touch.”
Major open die forge project enters second phase
A demolition programme at Sheffield Forgemasters’ Brightside Lane base has opened the site up for the next phase of construction for the UK’s largest open die Forge.
With a footprint of 150 metres by 84 metres, the location is now undergoing piling works for the foundations and base, which will support a 13,800 sq m building containing a new 13,000 tonne heavy forging press, furnaces, quenching pits and cranes.
Partnered by Vinci Building, who have secured a £138 million contract to deliver the Forge building, Sheffield Forgemasters is undertaking a site-wide recapitalisation programme to produce a new level of technological advancements and production facilities in support of the UK’s defence programmes.
Craig Fisher, Recapitalisation and Transformation Director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “We are now at a notable milestone in our Forge project, with the site fully cleared and processed so that piling works can proceed.
“This moves the project into its next phase, which is where the pace of delivery ramps up.”
Demolition and remediation works have been underway for the past seven months, including removal of internal steel structures, stabilising the ground, removal of any contaminants, processing more than 25,000m3 of spoil, and crushing 4,500m3 of old concrete to clear the site.
Chris Winspear, from VINCI Building, said: “We are delighted that we have now completed the demolition and prepared the first areas of site ready to receive the substructure works for the new building. We are looking forward to the next phase of the project working in collaboration with our supply chain partner, Cementation Skanska, appointed to undertake piling and ground engineering package of works.”
Working closely with VINCI Building, piling specialist Cementation Skanska will construct a 200 metre long secant pile wall for the new forge, between eight and ten metres deep. In total, 1,500 piles will be required for the project.
The forging line is set to be operational in the summer of 2027 and will be complemented by a new machining facility, which is currently being scoped, containing multiple versions of the world’s largest, most advanced, five-axis vertical turning lathes and creating an unparalleled manufacturing facility.
Craig Fisher added: “The scope of what we are undertaking at Sheffield Forgemasters is unmatched since the Victorian era, with facilities which will work to create a new standard of large-scale engineering accuracy, innovation and speed for complex, nuclear-grade components.
“An uplift in defence contracts has meant that we need the capacity of our facilities to be able to match increased throughput.”
The forging line and proposed machine shop will service defence and commercial work in sectors such as civil nuclear power, creating a new generation of engineers and designers, trained to work with Industry 4.0 technologies.
Turner & Townsend is also a supporting partner for the Sheffield Forgemasters project, alongside Tetra-Tech.
Agreement safeguards £300m regeneration of RAF Scampton
West Lindsey District Council has reached an agreement with the Home Office to explore temporary dual use of Lincolnshire’s former RAF Scampton site, marking a significant step forward in securing the council’s vision to deliver its regeneration plans for the site through collaboration. Under the agreement, outstanding legal action will be withdrawn.
The Home Office, which has planning permission awarded through a Special Development Order can use the site for a fixed period of time, up to October 2027 and has agreed to house a significantly reduced number of asylum seekers.
The agreement also allows the council to use a portion of the land to pursue the regeneration of the site with preferred development partner Scampton Holdings Limited. The Home Office will retain just 10% of the site to temporarily house up to 800 asylum seekers – compared to the original 2,000.
Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr Trevor Young said the agreement is the culmination of weeks of negotiations with the Home Office and the result provides the community and investors greater certainty for the long-term future of the site. He said:“The specific details of the agreement are still being finalised, but this agreement paves the way forward for the short-term and long-term use of the site.
“The council have always been clear that whilst it is our view that the site is unsuitable for large scale asylum accommodation, protecting the investment and regeneration plans for the site is a priority. This agreement provides the principles by which we can collaborate to unlock our investment and regeneration plan by working with the Home Office through a shared use proposal.”
Cllr Young thanked the community for its continued support and said the council will focus its scrutiny and challenge to ensure the impact of asylum accommodation on the local community is as little as possible.
The Home Office has committed to working with the council and Historic England to protect the heritage of the site, which is the former home of the Dambusters.
Two listed hangars, the listed officers’ mess and Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s dog’s grave will be transferred to West Lindsey District Council once a legal agreement is in place, with the remaining listed hangars being transferred in 2026.
As previously announced, the £300m of investment into the regeneration of the former RAF Scampton will preserve, protect, and enhance the site by providing aviation heritage, business, aerospace, space and education opportunities.
Sally Grindrod-Smith, Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities at West Lindsey District Council said: “This marks a turning point in the council’s journey to protect the £300 million investment and regeneration plan. Our strategy to challenge every detail and hold the Home Office to account has successfully delivered the conditions in which the opportunity to collaborate and deliver a temporary, shared use of the site now exists.
“This includes a significant reduction in operating capacity of the asylum accommodation centre, a vastly reduced Home Office footprint, and a suite of conditions on the Special Development Order designed to mitigate the impact of the development.
“I am confident that over the coming months we can continue to use our energy and passion to protect this site and to develop an innovative and creative shared use proposal which allows for the kickstarting of plans to bring significant investment into West Lindsey and Lincolnshire.”
BCC sets out wish list for post-election Government
The British Chambers of Commerce has set out a five-point wish list for immediate action to present to the post-July4th government.
It wants to see:
- An Industrial Strategy with green innovation at its heart.
- Better skills planning, bringing businesses and training providers together.
- Business rates reform to encourage growth and investment.
- Improved relations with the European Union to cut the costs for business.
- A Government appointed AI champion for SMEs to spearhead uptake of new technology.
English Touring Opera to quit London and move to Sheffield
English Touring Opera is to move from its long-term base at the Hackney Empire and establish itself in Sheffield, with temporary offices opening in the city by October this year.
The office move, part of the Arts Council England Transfer Programme, will be complete by spring next year with rehearsals and opening in Sheffield from spring 2026. and it’s hoped it will strengthen ties with the city, where it has built a strong following as a result of regular visits.
Robin Norton-Hall, ETO’s General Director, said: “We’re really excited about making Sheffield our new home. We have had such enthusiasm and warmth from so many people and organisations in the city.”
Cllr Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development and Skills Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “Sheffield is a city of culture and creativity. We have a vibrant music and arts scene, our grassroots offer is exceptional and we also have nationally acclaimed venues and institutions within our culture sector.
“Outside London, we have the largest regional theatre district and earlier this year we hosted the MOBO Awards. There is so much going on in the city in the way of arts and creativity and we are delighted that English Touring Opera will be part of this going forward.
“I’d like to extend a warm welcome to them on behalf of the Council and the city.”
Leeds eCommerce agency acquired
Velstar Ltd., a Shopify Plus development and marketing agency, has acquired 9xb, a B2B eCommerce agency based in Leeds.
Founded in 2004, 9xb specialises in the development of complex and bespoke eCommerce solutions utilising its proprietary software platform Peracto.
Dan Sheard, the Co-Founder and CEO of Velstar, said: “The acquisition of 9xb is a major step in Velstar’s continued journey of client centric growth.
“While Velstar has traditionally focused on the Shopify Plus website development and marketing services for direct-to-consumer brands, 9xb is truly complementary to Velstar through its main focus on B2B clients. Velstar will ensure a smooth transition for customers and colleagues, with a tireless focus on client satisfaction and exemplary service.”
Rob Burns, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of 9xb, added: “Our partnership with Velstar marks an exciting chapter in our journey of growth, diversification, and innovation.
“It aligns seamlessly with our commitment to delivering exceptional value to our clients. We are thrilled to complement our service offerings with the additional resources, capabilities, and scale of the Velstar.”
After the acquisition of 9xb, Velstar is expected to generate around £9m of annual revenue. After the merger, the combined business will count over 100 employees.
Streets Chartered Accountants covers property finance, charitable support, restaurant cash flow and more in new news roundup
Streets Chartered Accountants covers property finance, charitable support, restaurant cash flow, and more in its latest monthly news roundup.
This month’s office focus
In the first of a series of videos to promote Streets’ growing number of offices and their teams, Nathan Bignell who heads up the Banbury office shares his insight into the local business community, the clients they look after and the services they provide. Watch Now.
Podcast: There is so much more to the Fringe 24…
In this Brighton Fringe 2024 special episode of The Streets Sessions, Streets talk to Duncan Lustig-Prean, Chair of Brighton Fringe, about this year’s festival and the highlights, along with its importance for the entertainment industry and the wider community.
Streets also look at the business side of running the festival and the support provided by Streets through its Brighton based media and entertainment practice Mark Carr & Co. Listen Now.
Property finance – unlocking opportunities with confidence and support
Exploring, navigating and understanding the complex landscape of property finance options can not only be time consuming, but hard to understand with the diverse range of financing options that are available in the market.
It is essential from the outset for business owners to carefully evaluate their financing and find the right finance option for success and making informed decisions within the business. Read More.
Podcast: It’s more than an Open Road when it comes to charitable support…
This episode of The Streets Sessions features Claire Beacham, a regional manager with Open Road – a drug and alcohol recovery charity in Essex and the Medway, which is Streets Whittles, Streets’ Colchester practice’s, nominated charity.
In conversation with Claire, Streets not only find out more about Open Road’s important work, especially around wellbeing in the workplace, but also what it means to them to work with and to have the support of businesses, in particular Streets Whittles. Listen Now.
Boost your restaurant’s cash flow with these top tips!
Maintaining a healthy cash flow is crucial for the success of any restaurant. Here are five key strategies to get you started. Read More.
SmartMoney
SmartMoney is the bi-monthly magazine from Streets Financial Consulting Ltd, Streets’ independent financial planning arm, full of news and helpful information on personal financial planning. Download Now.
Planning permission granted for new school for pupils with additional needs
Plans to build a new special school in Deighton, Huddersfield, have taken a step forward.
The plans – in a partnership between Kirklees Council and Wellspring Academy Trust – will see Joseph Norton Academy rebuilt and relocated, leading to a high-quality learning environment for pupils with Social Emotional and Mental Health difficulties.
Joseph Norton Academy is currently based in Scissett, however the buildings are dated, it offers only 63 places and there is limited scope for expansion.
Planning permission has now been granted for the new-build to go ahead. It will create a total of 132 places in a more central location which better suits the needs of children and young people.
The site is on land that was formerly home to the Deighton Centre. This will reduce the significant distances that some children are currently travelling to school.
The next step will be appointing a contractor to carry out the building works.
David Shepherd, Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration, said: “We have worked closely with Joseph Norton Academy and the Wellspring Academy Trust in designing high-quality facilities, both indoors and outdoors.
“The new school will help pupils to fulfil their potential in an environment that’s especially tailored to support them.”
A spokesperson for Wellspring Academy Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted with the news that planning permission has been granted. This is a significant step forward for our pupils.
“We look forward to working closely with the local authority to progress the build and ensure a fantastic new learning environment for future generations.”
Acquisition of coach companies expands Go-Ahead’s North & West Yorkshire presence
The Go-Ahead Group has acquired four regional coach companies, marking a significant expansion in North and West Yorkshire, and the North East.
The acquisition includes Procters Coaches in North Yorkshire, Compass Royston serving Stockton, Middlesbrough & Teesside, Esk Valley operating in North and East Riding of Yorkshire, and Fourway Coaches in West Yorkshire.
With 200 new employees and a fleet of 140 vehicles across five depots, this acquisition strengthens Go-Ahead’s foothold in the region and continues to build key relationships with local authorities and commercial partners.
Matt Carney, Chief Executive of Go-Ahead Bus, said: “This acquisition aligns seamlessly with Go-Ahead’s overarching mission to provide reliable, accessible, and sustainable transport solutions. We are committed to upholding our values of caring for our customers, our team, and our communities, while maintaining our position as trusted industry leaders.”
Ben Gilligan, Managing Director for East Yorkshire Buses, said: “We are excited to welcome these reputable companies into the Go-Ahead family, this acquisition represents a milestone in our growth journey, allowing us to expand our operations across a broader geography in Yorkshire.”
Kevin Procter, who founded Procters Coaches in 1990, said: “We’re proud of everything we’ve achieved in the past 30 years. I turned my father’s taxi company into Procters Coaches, starting with one minibus and one large coach.
“We have been on a journey of growth and innovation, and we are excited to hand over to the trusted Go-Ahead Group. We are fully supportive of Go-Ahead’s commitment to our team and their approach to driving positive change in the UK coach market, for local communities, customers, and the region.”
