Insurtech firm to take space at Bruntwood SciTech’s West Village

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Insurtech firm to take space at Bruntwood SciTech’s West Village
Bruntwood SciTech – a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund – will welcome one of the world’s largest insurance and insurtech firms, QBE, to its new city centre workspace in Leeds, West Village. Australia-headquartered QBE, with global operations across 27 countries, are set to move into three floors of the transformed workspace, totalling 37,000 sq ft – one of the largest deals in the city this year. The move will see QBE relocate and expand its 300-strong employee base from its current workspace into the heart of the city centre, along with cementing the new home for its robotics centre and technology development hub where it uses robotic process automation (RPA) to free up employees’ time to focus on delivering greater value for customers – reducing manual tasks, speeding up processes, and boosting customer satisfaction in the process. Deploying such innovation into the insurance market has so far saved QBE 50,000 work hours. The firm is now set to carry out fitting out its new workspace at West Village, which is being delivered by contracting specialist Denton. Bruntwood SciTech is currently undergoing a £20m redevelopment at West Village. Andrew Cooke, Regional Director – Leeds, Bruntwood SciTech, said: “QBE is one of the world’s leading insurers, so the business’s decision to choose West Village as its hub for technological development is a key deal for the region. “It also reaffirms West Village as a hub for innovative and evolving businesses and it’s exciting to see that we are continuing to succeed in our mission to grow a cluster of high-growth and forward-thinking organisations that will benefit from collaboration and knowledge-sharing with other like-minded firms. “We’re looking forward to welcoming QBE to the West Village community and to continue growing our network of innovative, sector leading businesses ahead of its opening later this year.” Nathan Fuller, Chief Operations Officer, QBE Europe, said: “QBE has had a presence in Leeds for over 20 years and our expansion in recent times has been about leveraging the strong local talent base to support us in our technological development, including the establishment of our robotics centre of excellence almost three years ago. “Moving to West Village is the next chapter in our story with the city, and we are excited to be moving our people to such a prestigious location that is in tune with our commitment to sustainability, modernisation ambitions and focus on employee wellbeing.” CBRE’s Occupier Services team in Leeds acted for QBE on the deal. Charles Parkinson, Associate Director, CBRE’s Occupier Services team said: “It has been great working on this move with QBE over the past 12 months and sees another occupier relocate to a best-in-class building in the city centre, highlighting the business’s goals of finding more sustainable, amenity-rich buildings. The central location and good transport links, combined with its green credentials, were a real draw for QBE.”

130 year old food wholesaler acquired

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130 year old food wholesaler acquired
Kitwave Group plc, the delivered wholesale business, has acquired Total Foodservice Solutions Limited, an independent food wholesaler in the North of England. Established over 130 years ago, Total Foodservice delivers wholesale catering supplies of around 4,000 product lines including chilled, frozen and ambient food, non-food and cleaning products. Total Foodservice’s depots are located in Clitheroe, Lancashire and Huddersfield, Yorkshire with customers including licensed trade and restaurants, coffee shops and sandwich bars, schools and universities and the care industry across the North of England. Total Foodservice Solutions Limited will be incorporated into Kitwave’s existing Foodservice division which currently comprises the trading operations of David Miller Frozen Foods Limited, M. J. Baker Foodservice Limited, Westcountry Food Holdings Limited and H.B. Clark & Co. (Successors) Limited. Ben Maxted, Chief Executive Officer of Kitwave, said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Total Foodservice, which is a one-stop shop for wholesale commercial catering supplies and enables us to further expand our product range offering across the North of England and in particular Yorkshire and the North West, complementing our existing foodservice offering. “Total Foodservice is a well-established business in the catering industry and we look forward to welcoming its team to Kitwave and integrating the business into our Foodservice division.”

Hull and East Yorkshire devolution proposal to be submitted to Secretary of State

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Hull and East Yorkshire devolution proposal to be submitted to Secretary of State
Hull and East Riding Unitary Leaders Board has approved the submission of Hull and East Yorkshire’s Devolution Proposal to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Over 5,800 people shared their views and feedback on the proposals during an eight-week consultation, giving broad support for devolution to Hull and East Yorkshire. The proposal, along with a summary of the consultation results, will now be submitted for consideration by the Secretary of State. If the Secretary of State is satisfied that the tests for the creation of the new Combined Authority have been met, the new authority could be established in autumn 2024. Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire Councils will now be working closely together to help to establish a combined authority for the area, including delivery of over £26 million capital projects over the next year. These projects will see investment in transport, flooding, coastal protection, brownfield land, and green skills. Cllr Jackie Dad, deputy leader of Hull City Council, said: “I am delighted that the proposal submission has today been approved and that we can take the next steps in our journey towards devolution. “I’d once again like to thank all those who took part in the consultation and would like them to know that their contribution has played a vital role in shaping the region’s future.” Cllr Anne Handley, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “I would again like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who took part in the consultation. “I am delighted that we are now able to submit these exciting proposals to the Secretary of State and we look forward to his response. “In the meantime, we will begin preparatory works with Hull City Council on the first steps towards the new combined authority, aimed at achieving funding for major investment in significant projects to benefit our local residents.”

Trio buys Wakefield pharmacy

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Trio buys Wakefield pharmacy
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has sold Carlton Lane Pharmacy in Lofthouse, Wakefield. Carlton Lane Pharmacy is a well-established standard hours community pharmacy that dispenses an average of 9,778 items per month. It is located on Carlton Lane in the village of Lofthouse, between Wakefield to the south and Leeds to the north. The pharmacy has been owned by Susan Bargh for the last 17 years and was brought to market as part of her staged retirement. Following a confidential sales process with Jon Booth and Tom Young at Christie & Co, and with funding sourced through David Ward at Christie Finance, it has been purchased by Raif Pharma Ltd which plans to expand the pharmacy’s services offering. Susan Bargh, the previous owner of Carlton Lane Pharmacy, said: “Carlton Lane Pharmacy has been a pleasure to own over the years. Located in the village of Carlton near Wakefield, it has always been well-placed to serve this semi-rural community and I am so pleased that the pharmacy has passed onto the Directors of Raif Pharma who inherit an excellent business and team that form a great platform for the growth into services. I wish them all the very best.” One of the new Directors of Carlton Lane Pharmacy said: “I am so pleased to have completed this acquisition. With us all having a medical background, it is exciting for us to move into the provision of pharmacy services, a challenge we are relishing but is made much easier by inheriting such a well-run and long-established business from Sue.” Jon Booth, Director – Pharmacy at Christie & Co, said: “When we launched this pharmacy to market in 2023, as expected, we had a lot of interest. Single sites of this quality and turnover where the current owner is looking to retire are very much the market ‘sweet spot’ even more so when you consider this lies almost equidistant between Leeds and Wakefield where there are plenty of buyers for pharmacy businesses. I am keen to see how this business develops under the new owners, and we wish them the greatest of success.” David Ward, Senior Director at Christie Finance, said: “With the lending market being a little tougher at the moment due to higher interest rates and a reduction in appetite from some lenders, I am pleased to have worked with the clients to secure the right funding for this purchase. I am sure that they will make a great success of Carlton Lane Pharmacy.” Carlton Lane Pharmacy was sold for an undisclosed price.

Derbyshire firm selects Sheffield agency to enhance its digital marketing

Stuart Pearcey
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Derbyshire firm selects Sheffield agency to enhance its digital marketing
Alfreton-based fashion brand David Nieper has selected Sheffield-based The SEO Works to manage its SEO and PPC as the 60-year-old firm seeks to increase its digital presence and move away from more traditional marketing methods. The company is seeking to promote its commitment to sustainable manufacturing in the UK, using traditional skills such as sewing and knitting. The proposed strategy will bring plenty of change, including incorporating lead generation-focused adverts to help drive new business, further in-depth keyword research to help locate target audiences, and expert support in the early stages of their new website launch. Nieper CEO Christopher Nieper said: “It’s a pleasure to find an agency that will go the extra mile to satisfy their clients.  I’m optimistic about good results with The SEO Works!” Having already utilised both their internal resources and external consultancy to progress both SEO and PPC, the addition of the award-winning agency would look to lean on their proven expertise to take things to the next level. Alex Hill, Sales Director of The SEO Works, said: “Working with a prestigious company like David Nieper is a great opportunity for us! The distinct ability of our SEO and PPC teams to work in unison has allowed us to generate some spectacular results for our clients, and I know that this campaign will be no different. Our proven track record of successful clients within the fashion sector also makes me believe that we are best placed to help deliver results that David Nieper is worthy of!”

Yorkshire advisers help with partial sale of crew transfer vessel business

Stuart Pearcey
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Yorkshire advisers help with partial sale of crew transfer vessel business

A team of Yorkshire advisers has assisted the shareholders of crew transfer vessel specialist Mainprize Offshore on its partial sale to private equity fund Alcuin Capital Partners, together with the re-financing of its fleet with Siemens Financial Services.

Alcuin has partnered with Scarborough-based Mainprize Offshore to help drive its growth plans, expand its fleet and take full advantage of the market opportunity. The current directors and founders of the business, Bob and Sharon Mainprize, will continue to operate and grow the business alongside Alcuin and the senior management team. Bob Mainprize said: “We are very grateful to Philip, Stephen and their respective teams at Andrew Jackson and Azets for all the support and hard work they have put in over the last few months and years to facilitate this significant investment in the growth and development of our business.” Philip Ashworth, corporate partner at Andrew Jackson, said: “It has been a pleasure to act for Bob, Sharon and their team and we are confident that they will go from strength to strength. “The complexity of a private equity and debt funding deal was added to by the multi-flag vessel fleet operated by Mainprize.” Stephen Garbett, corporate finance partner at Azets, added: “This transaction not only underscores its leading position in the crew transfer vessel market within the burgeoning offshore renewables sector, but also recognises the family’s considerable contributions to date. “This partnership marks a significant milestone for Mainprize Offshore, setting the stage for accelerated growth and innovation in the renewable energy sector with ambitious plans for new vessel builds.” Nick Seaman, partner at Alcuin Capital, said: “Mainprize Offshore is a leader in the European CTV market and we are delighted to have partnered with Bob, Sharon and the wider team. The business enjoys strong relationships with several of the largest global wind farm developers and operators, and will play a key role in supporting the rollout of European offshore wind and the transition to net zero. Azets has offices in Leeds, Bradford and York. Andrew Jackson has offices in York, Hull, Grimsby and Scarborough. The shareholders of Mainprize Offshore were advised by a team from Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP comprising Philip Ashworth, Matthew Smith and Nicole Waldron (corporate); Fiona Phillips (tax); Robert Hill (property); Dominic Ward and Rebecca Forder (shipping); and Nick Wilson (employment). Members of the Yorkshire-based corporate finance team from Azets were Stephen Garbett and Martin Miller (corporate finance), Steve Holmes (corporate tax), and Richard Whitelock (employment taxes). Alcuin were advised by a team from Stephenson Harwood led by Sam Gray and Gerald Seeto.

Sheffield clean energy firm builds and installs first-of-a-kind equipment in Japan

Stuart Pearcey
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Sheffield clean energy firm builds and installs first-of-a-kind equipment in Japan
Sheffield-based clan energy company ITM Power has built and installed Japan’s first-ever imported PEM electrolyser, completed in a collaboration with Sumitomo Corporation. The equipment is a Neptune electrolyser, and it has been fitted at Tokyo Gas Co Ltd’s Yokohama Techno Station. This is the first deployment of a megawatt-class made overseas and imported into Japan.
Made by ITM in the UK and shipped to Japan, the electrolyser is now installed and ready for commissioning, after which it will produce hydrogen for use in the e-methane production of Tokyo Gas – an important milestone on Japan’s journey to carbon neutrality by 2050.
ITM Power CEO Dennis Schulz said: “ITM is proud to work with Sumitomo to support Tokyo Gas in advancing hydrogen technology deployment in Japan. We are keenly observing the wider developments in Japan, such as the government’s CfD style support scheme, which could see Japan emerge as one of the most fertile countries for green hydrogen projects in the region.”

Forgemasters appoints Turner & Townsend to help with recapitalisation work

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Forgemasters appoints Turner & Townsend to help with recapitalisation work
Sheffield Forgemasters has appointed consultancy firm Turner & Townsend as the Delivery Support Partner for its recapitalisation programme. The Turner & Townsend UK team, co-located on-site in Sheffield, is leading the programme to deliver the construction of the UK’s largest open-die forging facility and installation of a 13,000-tonne forge-line for critical defence work. Turner & Townsend will provide a range of services to Forgemasters, including project management, programme controls, digital solutions, advisory services, and health and safety, alongside a team of industry experts. This appointment adds to the previous work between the two companies, with Turner & Townsend as the support provider in the collaborative creation of a redevelopment masterplan for the Sheffield Forgemasters site and manufacturing capabilities. Craig Fisher, Recapitalisation & Transformation Director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The appointment of a delivery support partner is a pivotal point in the development of new facilities, which will create an unparalleled manufacturing facility in Sheffield, supporting highly-skilled engineering jobs and delivering on UK defence commitments. “Turner & Townsend added value to our recapitalisation programme, primarily through the employment of local resources, but their digital offering was also a differentiator.” Chris Sargent, MD of Real Estate at Turner & Townsend, said: “This substantial work builds on our relationship and proven track record with Sheffield Forgemasters and its other delivery partners and our proactive client engagement.” The first stage of the recapitalisation programme will be creation of a 140,000 sq ft building to house the new forge line, followed by delivery of a new machining facility.

Major milestone reached in new Leeds city centre PBSA development

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Major milestone reached in new Leeds city centre PBSA development

A new purpose-built student accommodation scheme being built in the heart of Leeds city centre’s Arena Quarter has topped out and the scaffolding has now come down to reveal the new Merrion Street landmark, ahead of the development opening this summer.

The part five, part seven and part nine storey building has been designed by Brewster Bye Architects and is being delivered by Urban Developments (York) Ltd on a site previously occupied by a bar and nightclub.

In late 2022, Q Investment Partners (QIP), the Singapore headquartered private equity real estate firm, acquired the scheme in a deal worth approximately £15million.

James Coppack, from QIP Development Group, said: “We are very proud of our recent collaboration with Urban Group that included a strategic revamp of our product standards as we continue to best position our upcoming UK PBSA developments. This Leeds asset will be an important addition to our expanding student housing platform.”

Once complete the development will offer 88 high specification studio apartments with associated amenities, including a lounge, gym, study rooms, a cinema room, laundry facilities, staffed reception area and cycle spaces, and will be operated by Prestige Student Living.

Nick Gould from Urban Developments (York) Ltd said: “Work on this development is progressing well which is testament to the strength and experience of the whole development team and everyone involved is pleased to reach these important construction milestones.

“We’re now looking forward to completing the internal fit-out and are on track to hand the development over to QIP this summer, with students moving in for the start of the 2024/25 academic year.”

Mark Henderson, a director from Brewster Bye, said: “After designing the scheme and securing planning permission for it in 2022, it’s brilliant to see it heading towards completion and now the scaffolding is down, it’s revealed the façade and high-quality materials that are a key feature of the development.

“It’s also rewarding to see how its stepped design complements the surrounding streetscape, in such a great location, just a short walk from the universities and surrounded by bars, restaurants and shops, which will make it a very popular place to live.”

First look revealed for second phase of Aire Park masterplan

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First look revealed for second phase of Aire Park masterplan

Vastint UK, the developer behind Leeds’ mixed-use district Aire Park, has revealed a first look at its plans for the final phase of its masterplan.

The next step in transforming the former brownfield site in Leeds South Bank into a vibrant new destination, the plans feature 502 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes, including affordable housing, 20,000 sq ft of leisure space, earmarked for cafes, restaurants and cultural activities, and a new 500-space multi storey car park.

Plans are being shared during a public consultation period which is due to end on April 10th, before the final plans are submitted to Leeds City Council later this year.

In addition to the new elements of the built environment, the plans also reveal the final hectare of the park and extended public realm. This extension will make the park the largest new city centre green park in the country, providing a wide range of benefits to visitors and future residents including additional outdoor event space for cultural activities.

Situated south of Crown Point Road with Black Bull Street running from the north-east to the south west, and the A61 along the south-west boundary, phase two of the masterplan strategically connects the South Bank to the city centre and Leeds Dock, creating an accessible and safe route for pedestrians and cyclists to use.

Simon Schofield, Head of Development at Vastint UK, said: “Moving into the second phase of the Aire Park masterplan is a really exciting time. We are already underway with 290,000 sq ft of commercial space and have seen strong demand from the market already.

“Along with our recently revealed ambitions for The Tetley building and the ongoing plans for the first residential homes within Aire Park, phase two of our masterplan expands the site to the other side of Crown Point Road.

“As long-term investors in Leeds, we’re excited to be bringing new spaces forward for residents and visitors to enjoy. Revealing these plans shows our ambition to not just regenerate part of the city’s South Bank but to create a vibrant neighbourhood that is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable, breathing new life into this area of Leeds.”

On the creation of Aire Park, Vastint UK is working with masterplan architect Supervene and landscape architect Planit as well as transport consultant Stantec and planning advisors Turley.

Once completed Aire Park will include 1,400 modern homes, and over 1 million sq ft of mixed-use office, retail, leisure and commercial space. Anchored around an 8-acre public park with the refurbished Tetley at its heart, the development will be an ideal location for setting city centre living, with proximity to retail and financial quarters, The Calls, and Leeds railway station.

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