Plans for 331 new homes in Normanton have been submitted to Wakefield Council by housebuilder Persimmon.
The site on Wakefield Road is allocated for housing in Wakefield’s Local Plan which aims to increase the number and types of houses available to local homebuyers. A range of house sizes will be provided, ranging from bungalows to two, three and four-bed properties. 33 of the homes will be transferred to a local housing provider. Built to new building regulations, all homes will be fitted with EV chargers and air source heat pumps. James Parkin, Land Director, Persimmon West Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted to have submitted plans for a new development in Normanton. “This development will provide high-quality new homes for local homebuyers, built to a high design standard in keeping with the local area. “With the need for new housing rightly high up the political agenda, we’re pleased to be working with Wakefield Council and local stakeholders to deliver homes for first-time buyers, families and downsizers alike.”Doncaster homebuilder pledges to invest £83m into seaside regeneration
Doncaster-based Keepmoat is to invest £83 million into revitalising a former RAF base in Weston-super-Mare as part of a wider regeneration scheme across the seaside town.
The Winterstoke Gate development, part of Parklands Village, will provide 425 high-quality new homes, with 135 set to be carbon neutral, while the remaining 290 meet the anticipated Future Homes Standard – featuring a smart design and constructed using the latest eco-friendly materials to offer low-cost living to residents.
As part of its commitment to its partnership model, the housebuilder will also support North Somerset Council in creating 125 affordable homes at the development, which makes up part of the wider Parklands Village development being delivered alongside multiple partners.
The regeneration and expansion of the seaside town from Keepmoat will total £78 million, with an additional £5.6 million being invested in the local authority across multiple services including healthcare, education and local transportation.
John Owen, Land and Partnerships Director at Keepmoat, said: “It’s extremely rewarding to hear positive feedback from residents and provide much-needed housing to the area.
“At Keepmoat, we are committed to transforming communities and improving the lives of local people. Our Winterstoke Gate development is adding value to the area, providing much needed regeneration to Weston-super-Mare. We’ll offer 20 apprenticeships during the development to upskill the industry’s future workforce.”
Councillor Mark Canniford, Executive Member for Placemaking and Economy, added: “Winterstoke Gate is the first major residential project to be taken forward as part of North Somerset’s Development Programme, so it’s great to see the progress made in creating this new community. The homes we’re building will meet top standards of sustainability and energy efficiency, cutting residents’ fuel bills and reducing their carbon footprints through modern, high quality design.
“We’re proud to be working with Keepmoat to provide a mix of affordable and accessible homes, so that vibrant and diverse communities can grow at Winterstoke Gate. Building on council-owned land has enabled us to prioritise this strong and community-focussed approach to housing development with an understanding of resident’s needs, fitting the development alongside other new community facilities including primary and secondary schools and a GP surgery.”
Green Port initiative help Carrie find a new career in renewables
Former science teacher Carrie Grimbleby has turned her passion for the planet into a new career in renewable energy, thanks to Green Port Hull’s Women into Manufacturing and Engineering initiative.
Carrie left teaching last year to study for a Masters in Renewable Energy. She came across WiME when she was looking at job opportunities for when she graduated and, through attending WiME Careers Events, secured her first role in the industry with ABP.
She said: “WiME was recommended to me when I was starting to look for graduate roles. I joined WiME’s Mentorship Programme and attended events, where I was introduced to renewables companies, so I could engage directly with them about entry roles into the industry.
“Now I’m excited to be starting a placement with ABP in their port operations team, an organisation linked closely to the UK’s renewables industry – an opportunity I found via WiME.”
Carrie is encouraging others thinking about a career in manufacturing, engineering, construction, digital or renewable energy to attend WiME’s next Careers Event – which is taking place at the Guildhall in Hull on Wednesday 9th October, from 4.30pm-6pm.
With over 30 of the Humber’s leading employers in attendance, the event will be an opportunity for women, girls and their parents/carers to meet others already working in the manufacturing and engineering sectors, find out about current vacancies, discover what training and qualifications are needed, and learn about apprenticeship opportunities.
Carrie commented: “At the WiME events, I was introduced to women from ABP, Siemens Gamesa, Orsted and RWE, and chatted to them about graduate opportunities. It was great to discover the career paths these women took too, and to have conversations with those who switched careers and went into manufacturing and engineering from other, totally unrelated industries.
“I want other women to know it is possible to change career and get into manufacturing, engineering or renewables – whatever your age. Don’t be afraid to make that change. WiME is a fantastic starting point. It provides you with access to a network of companies and women who are passionate about what they do and supportive of your development.”
In the Humber region, manufacturing contributes 17% of our employment compared with 8.7% for England. However, despite the high demand for people with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) qualifications, women are under-represented in these roles.
Dr Kirsty Clode, Chair of WiME, said: “Our events are designed to showcase the amazing opportunities in our region and dispel any misconceptions about careers in engineering, manufacturing, construction, digital and renewables. Today many roles call for innovation, problem-solving, adaptability and collaboration – all of which women are great at.
“Across Hull and East Yorkshire there are a wealth of rewarding roles – from supporting renewables and clean energy, to designing new digital solutions. Women are already playing essential roles in many of these companies and we would love to encourage more. We are keen for parents/carers to come along with their daughters to learn about the routes into these industries including apprenticeships.
“There are a wealth of roles available to women that may not have existed when they left education. So we are eager for women thinking of switching careers or returning to work to attend too. The women at our Hull careers event will tell you all about their roles, what’s it’s really like being a woman in these industries, and which routes you can take to get the skills and experience you need to get there – it might be easier than you think.
New joint venture promises thousands of homes throughout the country
Barratt Developments has gone into a joint venture with Homes England and Lloyds Banking Group to create MADE Partnership, which will focus on the master development of large sites, to help deliver thousands of homes across the country.
MADE Partnership will act as master developer for multiple large scale, residential-led developments from 1,000 to more than 10,000 homes along with a variety of community facilities and employment uses.
Potential development opportunities will include large brownfield developments, as well as new garden village-style communities.
The partnership brings together Barratt, the UK’s leading national sustainable housebuilder, Homes England, the Government body responsible for housebuilding and regeneration in England, and Lloyds Banking Group, one of the largest funders of the UK housing sector.
This is a long-term partnership, initially backed by combined equity funding of up to £150m provided equally by the partners. The partnership brings together the essential skills, expertise and long-term approach, with the ability to unlock and scale the capital required to bring larger sites into production, enabling both major and SME homebuilders to build the new homes and communities the country needs.
Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said: “A failure to ensure the development system is working properly has held back the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes over recent years and this Government will work in partnership with all those who are focused on turning things around.
“The landmark new partnership announced today will support our commitment to ramp up housing supply and boost economic growth by developing more large-scale, attractive and sustainable places across the country with the homes, jobs and infrastructure that communities need to thrive.”
David Thomas, Chief Exec of Barratt Developments, said: “We are committed to playing our part in delivering the millions of new homes the country needs over the next 10-20 years. To help us achieve this goal, we need to deliver more large developments. Through the MADE partnership, we are creating a master developer which can manage the infrastructure and placemaking that is needed to deliver at scale.” Peter Denton, Chief Executive of Homes England, said: “MADE Partnership will provide a master developer platform with the ambition and capability crucial for creating not just the homes but the vibrant, diverse places England needs. Whether it’s transforming a brownfield site, extending an existing town, or creating a whole new village, the partnership will have the finance, tools, expertise and partners required to ensure a cohesive approach to delivering a fabulous place that people want to live and work.” Charlie Nunn, Chief Exec of Lloyds Banking Group, said: “Our pioneering MADE Partnership between Lloyds Banking Group, Homes England and Barratt Developments has created a master developer – enabling the largest-scale projects and place-based solutions to be achieved, and helping to deliver tens of thousands of new homes which are so urgently required. This is the cross-sector collaboration we need, at significant ambition and scale.”Lincoln scientists probe potential for ‘greener’ batteries
A team of materials chemistry scientists from the University of Lincoln are leading a project using ‘green chemistry’ to redefine the production of lithium batteries by introducing a new, low carbon technology.
During a three-year Li4Life project the team will develop an efficient technology for the extraction of lithium from poor or complex ores of underutilised deposits, as well as post-mining tailings, as the basis for the development of future clean energy.
In addition, new selective processing methods and purification techniques will be designed to overcome existing barriers to lithium extraction while adhering to stringent EU environmental regulations.
The team, led by Professor Yousef Ghorbani, will focus on applying green chemistry and innovative processing approaches, including electrochemistry and biohydrometallurgy methods for downstream processing to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate.
Professor Ghorbani said: “We are committed to advancing sustainable, low-carbon technologies. Li4Life represents our collective dedication to a greener, more sustainable future, and we are excited to embark on this transformative journey.
“The project aims to reshape the landscape of domestic battery-grade lithium production and develop an innovative, energy-efficient, and environmentally conscious, scalable pilot plant for processing and refining lithium from underutilised battery raw material deposits.”
Batteries are crucial for domestic and commercial use, and due to an increasing need for efficient energy storage and the environmental necessity to move to greener energy, global demand is set to surge.
Lithium is a vital component of lithium-ion battery performance, however, traditional methods of lithium extraction present significant environmental challenges. Typically, this chemical element is extracted from mineral deposits through extensive mining and processing or from lithium-rich brine sources using large-scale evaporation ponds. Both methods have notable environmental impacts which include habitat disruption, high water consumption, and substantial CO2 emissions.
These environmental concerns highlight the urgent need for more sustainable practices in lithium extraction and battery recycling. As lithium and other critical raw materials become increasingly crucial for energy storage technologies, finding greener solutions for supporting a low-carbon future.
The “Li4Life” project, which is part of the Horizon Europe research programme, involves a global consortium of scientists and industrial collaborators from 15 partner organisations and 4 affiliated entities from 9 countries. The research aims to boost the domestic supply of European Union (EU) raw materials in alignment with the EU Critical Raw Materials Act.
Building society signs up to Savings Charter
Yorkshire Building Society has signed up to the Savings Charter from the Money and Pensions service, which is designed to help raise the profile of savings in the UK.
Developed through the Money and Pensions Service, the charter ensure banks, building societies’ and financial service providers demonstrate that they are committed to help people to save, as part of an industry-wide initiative to build a Nation of Savers
The five key principles of the charter are:
- Publicly demonstrate a commitment to build financial security through savings
- Support individuals to save by understanding their financial situation and goals
- Give people an access to their savings buffer when they need it
- Keep customers informed about their savings and their options as customers
- Talk about saving in your local communities, and places of education and work
Power shift: UK imports record amounts of energy from Europe, according to new report
The UK imports record amounts of power from Europe, with the country spending more than £250 million on power from abroad each month, according to new analysis by Drax Electric Insights.
A record 20% of the country’s electricity demand was met by imports from Europe during the second quarter of 2024. Imports accounted for more than double the volume of power generated by the country’s solar panels, and even nearly overtook gas the first time ever. The UK’s imported power is brought ashore through a series of underwater cables known as interconnectors.
Britain has imported electricity from abroad since 1961, but changing power grids and trading rules has led to a sharp rise both in the number of interconnectors, and the volume of power flowing into the country in recent years. During the second quarter of 2024, Britain imported 12.2 TWh, while exports were just 3 TWh. However, that balance could change, resulting in exports from the UK in the year ahead, says the research.
The findings have been released as part of the next instalment of the quarterly Drax Electric Insights report. The publication is an independent report by academics from Imperial College London commissioned by Drax through Imperial Consultants.
Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London, lead author of the quarterly Drax Electric Insights report series, said: “Much of Britain’s conventional power generators like coal and nuclear stations have retired in recent years. Fewer dispatchable generators means less competition and higher prices, making cheaper electricity from the continent much more attractive to import.
“The government must be mindful of the need to retain sufficient dispatchable generation capacity on our system for both energy security and affordability reasons as it works towards its ambition of having a clean power grid by 2030. Britain is always going to need weather-proof sources of power to keep the lights on.”
He continued: “There’s been a huge rise in the volume of solar power capacity installed on the continent. Germany has installed 14 times as much solar capacity in the last three years as the UK to cut its reliance on Russian gas. That means in spring and summer months there is often an abundance of cheap electricity on the continent which the UK can import.”
While some may see this increasing reliance on imports as a risk to energy security, Dr Staffell thinks these interconnectors will increasingly be used by the UK to export power as the renewables revolution takes hold here. “As long as we maintain sufficient homegrown, dispatchable generation on the system then interconnectors can actually strengthen our energy security.
“The new government wants to make Britain a clean energy superpower, and if we achieve the scale of installed renewables that is being talked about, we simply won’t be able to use all of the power we generate here in the UK,” he said. “Being able to either store this power at home through more storage capacity or selling it abroad is an attractive proposition. During periods of high winds in the North Sea but calmer weather on the continent, exporting power could be potentially lucrative for the UK and help to lower bills for consumers here.”
University of Bradford names new Chair for governing body
The University of Bradford has appointed Rod Bristow as new Chair of its governing body.
Mr Bristow brings a wealth of experience and expertise from the education sector to the role, having held senior executive roles at FTSE100 global learning company Pearson PLC.
He is a Visiting Professor at University College London Institute of Education. During his career he has put considerable energy into supporting learning pathways and technologies that help close the ‘disadvantage gap’, which aligns with the University of Bradford’s commitment to social mobility.
He currently chairs the Academic Advisory Board for Kortext, a UK-based E-Learning provider. He is an experienced non-executive, having been a member of the Confederation of British Industry President’s Committee, and a Fellow for the Royal Society for the Arts. He is respected in the education sector, having worked at Pearson UK in various roles since 1992, including his appointment as President in 2010.
He will take over as Chair of the University’s Council on 1 October, succeeding John Hinchcliffe, who has served as interim Chair since May 2023.
Mr Bristow said: “I am honoured to have been appointed by the University of Bradford as its Chair of Council.
“I share the University of Bradford’s commitment to transform lives and give people the knowledge and skills they need to succeed and to contribute to society.
“This is a challenging period for the sector, but the University of Braford is committed to social inclusion, social mobility and making a positive impact locally, nationally and globally through its research and knowledge transfer.
“In this role, I am looking forward to working with the Vice-Chancellor, her team and with members of the University’s Council, to support the delivery of the University’s important mission.”
Export advice goes on the road in Yorkshire next month
Businesses in North Yorkshire are set to benefit from a series of Export Support Roadshows, designed to drive growth across the region.
The show hits the road in October, visiting five locations across two weeks including Selby, Skipton, Northallerton, Harrogate and Scarborough.
Businesses attending will get practical advice from experts who will also provide routes for support beyond the event, including funding opportunities.
The free roadshows will also hear from local business owners who have already started their export journey with positive results.
Selby-based company Semperfli produces and exports specialist fly fishing equipment. The company has become a Northern Export Champion so will be heading to the first event in Selby to help other companies on the same journey.
Ann Kitchener, Semperfli’s CEO, is particularly keen on customer care as it grows business sales across the world. She said: “Building open and positive relationships is key, understanding and respecting everyone’s position. Keeping in regular contact, creating a global team mindset, generates long term success. Just keeping talking.”
Selby Civic Centre will host the first event on October 8, followed by the Skipton Hotel in Skipton on October 10, the Golden Lion at Northallerton on October 15, Co-Lab in Harrogate on October 16 and finishing at Scarborough Rugby Club on October 17.
North Yorkshire Council, the Department for Business and Trade and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub are working in partnership to deliver the programme.
The partnership is working together to identify the regions’ future global exporters, who will drive growth for their businesses, which will in turn benefit North Yorkshire.
Interested businesses need to register as soon the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website, where there is further information about the running order of the day, to ensure their place.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “It is time to be confident, ambitious and champion our region’s businesses so we can reach our full potential.
“I know from my personal experience running my business, just how important our small and high street businesses are. They are the core of our economy and at the heart of each one of our communities.
“They need our support, so I am pleased that the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, the Department for Business and Trade and North Yorkshire Council are all working together to deliver the Export Support Roadshows.”
The project is funded by North Yorkshire Council through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, so only businesses in the council’s area can attend.
Councillor Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council and chair of the Shared Prosperity Fund Local Partnership Group, said: “These Export Support Roadshows are a fantastic opportunity for businesses across North Yorkshire to find out more about how to engage with markets in other countries.
“We have so many great businesses in the county which play an important part in their communities and the wider region and exporting could give them the chance to share their products with the world and put North Yorkshire on the map.
“I encourage any businesses which are curious about expanding into this are to sign up and attend one of the roadshows to access the expert advice on offer.”
New office and senior leadership team for Yorkshire-based Strive Group
Harrogate-based agency, Strive Group, has appointed a new senior leadership team as part of its strategic growth initiative. The new appointments follow major client wins with the likes of Honda and Lotus.
Joining as Head of Customer and Operations is Gemma Johnson, who brings a wealth of experience from her previous position as Operations Manager at Ardent.
With 11 years’ experience within customer and operational roles, Gemma will lead the customer experience offering, focusing on improving operational efficiency and driving client performance across the agency.
Working alongside her is Ben Waterfield, promoted from Head of Brand Experience to Head of Brand and Strategy and Kate Riley, promoted from Employee Development Manager to Head of Organisational Culture.
Ben’s new position will see him leverage his branding expertise to oversee and lead the direction of Strive’s brand proposition. Ben will also continue to work closely with clients, driving creative projects and long-term strategies that support future growth ambitions.
Kate’s new role will be crucial in driving the agency’s people-focused strategy, fostering a strong organisational culture and supporting business growth through effective change and transformation initiatives that align with Strive’s core values.
Strive Group is an experience-driven growth agency based in Harrogate, specialising in transforming how businesses connect with their audiences.
Following rapid business growth over the past year, Strive Group is also celebrating an office expansion, almost tripling its office space. Situated at Harrogate Business Park, the new office will feature a coffee shop open to the public, large breakout spaces for meetings, focus time and collaborative working.
Alistair Grant, Director at Strive Group, says: “We are pleased to be in a position to accelerate business growth and the appointment of the new senior leadership team was pivotal in enabling us to do this. Kate, Ben and Gemma have a wealth of experience that will allow us to drive our expansion strategy forward.”
