- £1.6 million to help build 63 new homes in Wakefield’s Civic Quarter.
- £2.2 million for a range of improvements at bus stations across West Yorkshire.
- £13.8 million to improve traffic capacity in Kirklees.
- £7.7 million to support cycling corridors across Leeds City Centre.
West Yorkshire leaders approve over £40 million for roads and homes
The first meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority since the General Election has seen over £40 million approved for new housebuilding and road improvements.
The meeting also saw progress towards a Local Growth Plan, outlining ambitions for deeper devolution and a single funding settlement for West Yorkshire, following a series of productive meetings between the region’s Mayor Tracy Brabin and Government Ministers.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “This multi-million pound investment in our cities, towns and villages will give us the building blocks of a stronger, brighter region.
“The backing of the new Government will be a gamechanger for our ambitions, allowing us to deliver more quickly and boldly through a single funding settlement.
“And our Local Growth Plan will give us the tools we need to grow our economy, create well-paid jobs and put money back in people’s pockets.”
In total, regional leaders agreed £43 million of new funding to support over a dozen projects. These include:
Move to Gainsborough puts Polish food firm in prime spot for network expansion
A move from Lincoln to larger premises in Gainsborough sees Polish food wholesale business, piżarnia (UK) Ltd in prime position to expand its distribution network in the UK.
That’s the view of Eddisons incorporating Banks Long & Co who acted, as joint agent with CPP, on behalf of Swiss Life, on a property deal which sees the Lublin-headquartered business take a new lease on Unit 1 Peckett Plaza in Gainsborough.
piżarnia (UK) Ltd has been trading since 2012 and currently supplies over 600 Polish-food specialist retail outlets in the UK through a workforce of over 80 employees. Facing the end of its lease on premises at Boulder Business Park in Lincoln, the company had been seeking new premises large enough to accommodate its business growth plans – including further local recruitment – for over a year before securing the 21,290 sq ft warehouse facility at Peckett Plaza.
piżarnia (UK) Ltd operates a total of four cross-dock warehouses to fulfill its UK operations. In addition to Lincolnshire, it has others in London, Manchester and Portadown.
Przemyslaw Duklas, Director, said: “We needed to maintain a Lincolnshire presence because of the county’s position on the UK logistics map for ease of goods in and out, especially access to the Eastern commercial port links with mainland Europe.
“Plus, we wanted to remain in the area to not only retain our valued existing workforce, but also to tap in to the valuable local labour pool in looking to recruit to meet our business expansion plans.”
Eddisons’ Cameron McRae, who led the Lincoln-based agents marketing of Unit 1 Peckett Plaza in joint agency with Sean Bremner of CPP, confirmed that piżarnia (UK) Ltd is scheduled to commence operating from its new Gainsborough premises by early autumn.
Manufacturing output expectations strongest since 2022
Optimism among manufacturers fell slightly in July, after rising in April for the first time in nearly three years, according to the CBI’s latest quarterly Industrial Trends Survey.
Output volumes were broadly unchanged in the quarter to July, following a similar result in the three months to June, and under-performed expectations for modest growth. However, manufacturers continue to expect output to increase over the next three months, with growth expectations the strongest since March 2022.
Total new orders fell in the quarter to July but are expected to be broadly stable over the next three months. Inventory building is expected to provide some support to output in the months ahead. Stocks of work in progress are expected to rise at the fastest pace in over two years, with stocks of raw materials and finished goods also set to increase.
Average cost growth accelerated compared with April and remained elevated compared to historical norms. Cost growth is expected to slow in the quarter to October, while remaining historically strong. Domestic and export price inflation also accelerated but are both expected to slow in the next three months.
Meanwhile, manufacturers expect to raise their headcount in the next three months (and at the fastest pace for a year), and investment intentions for the year ahead have generally improved.
Ben Jones, CBI Lead Economist, said: “Sentiment among manufacturers has cooled a little over the past few months, as output growth consistently underperformed expectations. But the near-term outlook for the sector remains positive amid an ongoing recovery in the wider UK economy.
“Manufacturers appear confident that output growth will pick up in the quarter ahead, with expectations the strongest in over two years. Firms are looking to increase stock levels to meet expected demand. And the share of manufacturers working below capacity has fallen sharply over the last quarter, feeding through to a more positive outlook for both hiring and investment.
“Last week’s Kings Speech, with welcome measures to reform planning and speed up approvals for major infrastructure projects, has the potential to give businesses the confidence they need to grow, invest and drive economic growth. And as the economy picks up steam, firms will want to see a relentless focus on delivery from the new government, to turn proposed measures into swift and bold action.”
The survey, based on the responses of 257 manufacturing firms, found:
- Output volumes were broadly unchanged in the quarter to July (weighted balance of -3%, from +3% in the three months to June). Firms expect volumes to grow in the next three months (+25%), the strongest expectations since March 2022.
- Output rose in 6 out of 17 sub-sectors, with growth in the motor vehicles & transport equipment, chemicals, mechanical engineering and electrical goods sub-sectors offsetting declines in furniture & upholstery and metal manufacturing sub-sectors.
- Total new orders fell in July, at a similar pace to the previous quarter (balance of -9% from -6% in April). Domestic orders fell through the quarter (-15% from -6%), while the volume of new export orders was broadly unchanged (+3% from -14%). Manufacturers expect total new orders to be essentially unchanged over the next three months.
- Business sentiment fell in July, after rising in April for the first time in nearly three years (balance of -9% from +9% in April). Export optimism for the year was flat after rising last quarter (0% from +6%).
- Investment intentions for the year ahead generally strengthened compared with April. Manufacturers expect to raise investment in product & process innovation (a balance of +18% was the strongest since January 2022, up from +15% in April), in training & retraining (+7%, from +1%), and in plant & machinery (+6%, from +2%). Investment in buildings is set to fall (-11%, from -3%).
- The main constraint on investment was uncertainty about demand (cited by 44% of manufacturers), followed by inadequate net return (35%), a shortage of labour (20%), and a shortage of internal finance (19%). Concerns around the cost of finance have retreated from a 33-year high set in January (excluding the pandemic period) but remain double the long run average (10%).
- Average costs rose rapidly in the quarter to July (balance of +52%, from +39% in April; long-run average of +18%). Costs growth is expected to remain elevated in the quarter to October (+36%).
- Average domestic prices increased over the three months to July (balance of +15%, from +10% in April). Export price inflation also accelerated from April (+22% from +9%, and the fastest pace in over a year). Both domestic and export price growth are expected to slow in the next three months (+2% and +6%, respectively).
- Stocks of work in progress (balance of +4%) rose marginally in the quarter to July, while stocks of finished goods (+2%) and of raw materials (-1%) were broadly stable.
- Manufacturers expect stocks of work in progress (+13%) to rise at the fastest pace in over two years during the next three months, with stocks of raw materials (+7%) and of finished goods (+5%) also set to increase.
- Numbers employed were unchanged in the quarter to July, after falling in April (balance of 0% from -6%). Firms expect numbers employed to rise modestly in the next three months (+16%).
Construction firms want to scrap the levy and the CITB, reveals survey
Almost three in four levy-paying construction firms want to scrap the levy and the CITB, according to a major new survey conducted by Survation, an independent research company, and commissioned by Hudson Contract.
As a result, Hudson is calling for the CITB to be stripped of its levy-raising powers and absorbed into the new Skills England training body.
The survey comes as the CITB prepares to seek industry support for renewal of its levy-raising powers, including changes that could increase bills for small and micro employers.
A total of 1,042 companies responded to the survey within just a few weeks, demonstrating the strength of feelings on the topic, with only 12 per cent of all respondents saying they would keep the levy and the CITB if given the choice.
Survation also asked firms for their opinion on the CITB’s plans to levy them on the use of labour providers – such as agencies, payroll firms, commercial contractors, umbrella companies – at one per cent of the total labour cost.
Of the 1,042 respondents, 67 per cent said they disagreed with the change, 21 per cent would need to see a levy calculation to understand the impact before deciding and just three per cent said they agreed.
Survation said: “The survey results indicate a clear and significant dissatisfaction with the current CITB levy structure and proposed changes. The majority of respondents, regardless of trade federation membership, favour scrapping the CITB levy entirely. Furthermore, there is considerable opposition to the CITB’s proposed levy changes regarding labour providers.”
Hudson Contract’s Ian Anfield said: “At the last consensus in 2021, the CITB claimed that two thirds of likely levy payers agreed with its levy proposals.
“If this was true, our survey findings suggest that support for the CITB has collapsed to barely one in five levy payers. This is no surprise to us as we speak to a lot of construction firms and it is very hard to find anyone that supports the CITB. In fact, many of the comments made during the survey could not be printed.”
Ian added: “The CITB is currently surveying employers to find out how many use labour providers and to what extent because it is planning a new levy hike next year. This would see most small employers pay significantly more than they do now, as shown by our Freedom of Information requests. However, there is no sign of a levy calculator on the CITB’s website or any other relevant information to let people know what is coming down the pipeline.
“There is a complete lack of openness despite the last government ordering the CITB to be more transparent and improve engagement with the industry at the time of the last review carried out in 2017 and led by Paul Morrell.
“Publication of the latest government review of the CITB, this time led by Mark Farmer, was due to be published months ago but has been delayed yet again amid reports it is heavily critical of the training board’s performance.
“We believe the new government has a perfect opportunity with the creation of Skills England to scrap the CITB and its levy and roll them into the new national training body.
“Skills England will gain functions from the failing Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), which was previously led by Peter Lauener, who now chairs the CITB. With a brace of failures, one wonders where he will pop up next!
“The skills shortages in construction are shared across manufacturing, the care sector, the armed forces and education. So why construction has to have two levies and two skills bodies makes no sense. A joined-up approach across the board to link school leavers and colleges with employers in all industries, would work better for everyone and fit with the government’s plans.’’
Phil Nolan to step down as Chair of ABP, with Jon Lewis taking over in September
ABP has appointed of Jonathan (Jon) Lewis as its Chair to succeed Dr Phil Nolan who has decided to stand down from the role.
Jon brings decades of business leadership experience, predominantly in major infrastructure sectors such as energy, engineering and construction. He has held CEO roles at AmecFosterWheeler plc and, most recently, Capita plc, where he led both organisations through periods of growth and transformation. Jon is currently a Non-Executive Director of Equinor, a global leader in the energy transition, where his role includes being Chair of the Safety, Sustainability and Ethics Committee.
Jon is expected to take up the role after completion of ABP’s Board meeting in September, at which point Phil will step down. Phil, Jon and the Board will work together in advance of this handover point to ensure a smooth transition.
He said: “I’m excited to be taking on the Chair role at Associated British Ports. As an island nation, ports have been vital to the UK for millennia. But their importance and contribution has never been greater as they maintain their historic role as our main gateways for global trade and play an increasingly pivotal new role as enablers of the energy transition.
“The opportunity to join ABP, the sector leader, and continue the transformation of the company and its portfolio is exciting, and I look forward to working with the Board, Henrik and the Executive Team to deliver on the strategy.”
Phil Nolan said: “Jon brings a great combination of senior leadership in relevant sectors, technical understanding and experience of steering businesses through transformation to growth. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at ABP. It’s been a great privilege to be Chair and I’m proud of what the business has achieved through testing times. The foundations have been laid for a strong and sustainable future and I’m confident that Jon will take it from strength to strength.”
Henrik L. Pedersen, CEO of ABP, said: “The Board and Company of ABP extends its huge thanks to Phil for successfully steering ABP through seven transformational years as Chair, during which Phil has steered ABP through the challenges of the COVID pandemic, Brexit and major global supply chain upheavals. Despite these challenges ABP has continued to grow and thrive, with the Board under Phil’s leadership supporting a programme of ambitious investment and increased involvement with the green energy sector.
“We look forward to welcoming Jon as Chair. His deep experience of businesses in the major infrastructure and capital projects delivery sectors will be invaluable to ABP. In particular his engagement with the energy transition through his roles at AmecFosterWheeler and Equinor is directly applicable to ABP’s green growth mission, a key to our future success.”
Wakefield warehouse changes hands in major investment deal
A 296,500 sq ft distribution warehouse at South Elmsall, that is let to high street giant Superdrug, has changed hands for more than £17m.
The building has been sold by a client of global asset management group, Columbia Threadneedle Investments. It has been bought by Arrow Capital Partners, the specialist investor, developer and manager of real estate in Europe and Asia-Pacific, for its Strategic Industrial Real Estate joint venture with Cerberus.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments was advised by Leeds property consultancy, GV&Co’s investment division and M1 Agency advised Arrow Capital Partners.
The warehouse sits in an 18-acre site and is let to Superdrug Stores Plc, which has occupied the facility for almost 34 years since it was built.
Daniel Walker, from GV&Co, said: “This is a high quality, mission-critical asset located close to the A1M, as well as offering easy access to the M62 and M1, making it an integral part of Superdrug’s distribution network. We are delighted to have secured the off-market sale to Arrow and complete the final part of our client’s asset management strategy for the property.”
Robert Howe, head of real estate, Europe, at Arrow Capital Partners, said: “This transaction reflects our ongoing commitment to acquire mission-critical assets offering strong reversionary potential for our SIRE joint venture.
“Our focus remains on identifying and acquiring standing investment and development opportunities that offer strong potential for value creation and sustainable returns for our investors.”
Sunny Bank Mills adds another string to its bow
Quicks Archery, one of the oldest archery retailers in the world, has moved into the Sunny Bank Mills complex at Farsley, near Leeds.
Quicks, which is owned and run by archery specialist Pete Bowers, has taken a five-year lease on a state-of-the-art studio and shop in the Mending Rooms, an historic Georgian mill which has undergone an extensive modernisation programme.
During the past 11 years Sunny Bank Mills, one of the most famous family-owned mills in Yorkshire, has been transformed into a modern office and mixed-use complex for the 21st century, creating over 450 sustainable new jobs.
Pete, who lives in Halifax, explained that he has been looking for a base in Leeds after a rival archery retailer closed in the city.
He commented: “We already have shops in the south of England and Lancashire, but I wanted a Leeds location to spread our reach. When I saw the Mending Rooms studio at Sunny Bank Mills, I was blown away. It had exactly the right ambience and character for our shop, with its traditional rustic feel of exposed brickwork, cast iron features and a rich history.
“Meanwhile the community at Sunny Bank Mills is amazing. Everything is on our doorstep, with the ancillary facilities, such as parking, disabled access and cafes, a tremendous plus. The whole atmosphere of the Mills complex is family friendly, attracting exactly the kind of clients synonymous with our trade.
“I’d like to add that landlords William and John Gaunt have been incredibly helpful. They are responsive, sympathetic and very patient with our requests.”
Quicks, together with its sister company Podium, is sponsoring two archers representing Team GB at the Paris Olympics, Briony Pitman and Tom Hall.
John Gaunt, joint managing director of Edwin Woodhouse & Co Ltd, the owners of Sunny Bank Mills, said: “We are delighted to welcome Pete and his shop manager Deborah Waterhouse to Sunny Bank Mills. Quicks, with its superb global reputation, really adds to the diverse mix of quality retail and leisure occupiers we have at Sunny Bank Mills. We wish Pete and Deborah the best of luck here and know, given their passion, they will thrive.
“In addition to our offices and arts studios, we now have cafes, restaurants, a brewery, a gin-maker, a jeweller, a yoga studio, an art gallery and the Old Woollen events space. It is this diverse offer, which we work so hard to achieve, that makes Sunny Bank Mills not just a wonderful place to work but also a great place to visit and spend time at as well.”
Kier Group prepares for formal handover of Bradford’s revamped Darley Street Market
The new Darley Street Market building in Bradford is completed ready for the Bradford Council is preparing for the fit-out stage following next week’s formal handover from construction partners Kier Group.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport said: “Getting to this stage is a major milestone in this once in a generation regeneration project. We’re now moving into the fit-out stage working with traders to ensure the stalls that they are moving to are of a high standard and meet the needs of their business. We are aiming for the new Darley Street Market to be ready to be open later in the year.”
The top floor of the building is where the food and drink hall will be, featuring a traditional bar area, a stall selling fresh coffee, as well as a bar selling non-alcoholic drinks including mocktails. Hot food stalls from around the world include Mexican, Greek, Asian, Italian, Thai/Cantonese as well as an ice-cream parlour. This floor also has a balcony area which looks out on to the Market Square.
The middle floor is all things fresh food including butchers, fishmongers, greengrocer and delicatessen. Non-food stall will be located on the ground floor including haberdashery, hair and nail salons, gifts, jewellery, mobile phone accessories and clothes.
Also on the ground floor will be cafés which lead out on to the spectacular Market Square, which features a big screen and can hold around 500 people for events and concerts. The square also has a special umbrella system which can be used for undercover pop-up market stalls and events.
Business behind UKREiiF acquired
Infopro Digital, a French business information services company, has acquired Built Environment Networking Ltd, which runs UKREiiF, the event for the real estate, property and infrastructure communities held in Leeds.
This acquisition will strengthen Infopro Digital’s position as an international B2B trade show and event provider in the construction and public sector vertical. In France, Infopro Digital already runs SIMI, a trade show that attracts 26,000 attendees and has strong similarities to UKREiiF.
UKREiiF enhances Infopro Digital’s presence in the UK, where it runs brands such as Risk.net (Risk management), Haynes (Automotive) and Barbour ABI (Construction) and operates five offices with more than 450 staff.
“UKREiiF has become a leading brand in the real estate, property and infrastructure sector, resembling the success we have achieved with SIMI in France. We are excited to partner with the management team and help UKREiiF with its expansion goals,” said Julien Elmaleh, Group CEO with Infopro Digital.
“UKREiiF has become a key event for the real estate, property and infrastructure communities in a short time. We admired how it achieved this by offering relevant content, high-quality networking and a great delegate experience. We also recognise the huge efforts it made to support equality, diversity and inclusion,” said Christophe Czajka, Founder and Executive Chairman of Infopro Digital.
“Infopro Digital is the ideal partner to continue the development of our event, ensuring that the values and quality of UKREiiF are preserved. I am confident that under their stewardship, UKREiiF will reach new heights and continue to serve our community with excellence,” said Keith Griffiths, Founder of Built Environment Networking Ltd.
Huddersfield business gets £20m funding package from HSBC
Huddersfield-based global brand consultancy Principle Global is gearing up for international expansion after securing an eight-figure funding package from HSBC UK.
Principle Global will use the £20 million HSBC UK funding package as a platform for growth into new and existing international markets, targeting the UK, US, Europe & MENA regions. As a result, the company is expecting to strengthen the Management Team for the next generation of growth across multiple offices and generate double digit turnover growth over the next 12 months.
Company Chairman Richard Butterfield said: “As we are dedicated to enhance our offering globally, we knew we had to find a banking partner that bolstered our vision in becoming a world leading brand strategy, experience, design and implementation organisation.“With the support of HSBC UK, we can strengthen our business model in the UK while expanding our teams internationally and collaborating with an even more diverse array of companies in new markets. The next twelve months promise to be incredibly exciting for Principle Global as we embark on this journey of growth.”
Mike Edwards, Relationship Director at HSBC UK, added: “HSBC UK is committed to offering support that empowers businesses to create new jobs, secure new business and reach ambitious international expansion plans. We are excited to be part of Principle Global’s journey and to help them unlock new opportunities across international markets.”
Founded in 1987, Principle Global provides brand consultancy in more than 70 countries and employs over 700 individuals across the company. Principle Global clients include the automative giants Jaguar Land Rover and Jeep, as well as Bupa, Specsavers and O&CC, the largest outdoor retailer in the UK. Principle Global was advised by Squire Patton Boggs during the deal process.
