Forgemasters signs MoU to be part of UK nuclear reactor development
Sheffield Forgemasters, X-energy, and Cavendish Nuclear, have signed an MoU to collaborate on the next generation of UK nuclear reactors.
The companies will explore opportunities around the deployment of a 40-strong fleet of Xe-100 Generation IV Advanced Reactors in the UK, based on High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor technology.
X-energy and Cavendish Nuclear will tap into Sheffield Forgemasters’ decades of experience in the development of nuclear forgings and castings with plans to build up to 40 Xe-100s across the country as the UK looks towards nuclear as a zero-carbon energy source.
Dominic Ashmore, Head of Strategy and Business Development – Clean Energy at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “Following the key step forward recently made by Great British Nuclear to boost UK nuclear power generation through Small Modular Reactor development, GBN is also developing a route to market for other technologies, including advanced nuclear and a consultation will be published this autumn.
“The UK’s civil nuclear development is part of our business strategy and this MOU is the latest in a line of agreements that we have signed with a number of SMR companies looking to deploy in the UK market.
“Our work with X-Energy and Cavendish Nuclear will provide specialist engineering services, support and components including forgings, to the UK Xe-100 deployment programme.
“Sheffield Forgemasters will undertake a detailed review of the Xe-100 forgings and look to facilitate more definitive cost estimates and production plans.”
The Xe-100 reactor is capable of producing high temperature heat and steam for clean industrial applications as well as electricity. The MoU is the latest step in building up a UK supply chain to ensure the benefits of the programme flow to British companies.
Carol Tansley, Vice President, UK New Build Projects at X-energy said: “Our technology will be the first small modular reactor operational in the US and we want to build on that progress by moving forward quickly with our UK programme. In delivering that fleet we want to maximise the involvement of the UK supply chain as part of our target to achieve 80% by value UK content, and the MoU with a company with the experience and capabilities of Sheffield Forgemasters is a crucial step in that journey.
“A UK fleet of 40 reactors would not only see us play a crucial role in delivering clean electricity and industrial decarbonisation but also bring huge opportunities for companies right across the UK. The MoU, along with our partnership with Cavendish Nuclear and our recent appointment of Howden, shows how we are determined to ensure those benefits are realised by the UK’s world-leading supply chain.”
Mick Gornall, MD of Cavendish Nuclear said: “We are really excited to bring the capability of Sheffield Forgemasters into the plans for UK manufacture and supply in support of Xe-100 deployment.”
Jasper joins Banks Long & Co as Graduate Surveyor
Jasper Nilsson has been appointed to the role of Graduate Surveyor and joins the Lincoln office from Frasers Group where he was a trainee commercial manager.
With a first degree in accounting & finance, Jasper is currently studying for a Masters in Real Estate. He lives in Lincoln but has worked across the East Midlands and also in Gloucestershire during his business placement year at university.
Previous work experience in a construction firm sees Jasper return to the property sector now after commercial finance positions following completion of his first degree.
Director James Butcher said: “Jasper brings direct experience of the retail and leisure sector to the firm – a rapidly evolving sector post-pandemic. It’s also a sector driving business growth and property opportunities in the Lincoln area.
“Jasper’s insider knowledge of this niche sector will prove invaluable to our agency business.”
• MEANWHILE, Ashley Humphrey has joined the Lincoln office as a Surveyor after seven years of residential experience, working first in lettings before moving to property management.
Working in Peterborough at the start of his career, Ashley moved to a property manager role in Hull and Lincoln from where he managed a large portfolio across the East Midlands.
In his role as Surveyor at Eddisons incorporating Banks Long & Co, Ashley will, initially, work across a range of commercial property disciplines for clients with a view to specialising in the future,
He is an Associate of the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) and, in his new role, the firm will be support Ashley in his professional study & training towards associate membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
West Burton Energy takes on green energy storage plant project
A South Yorkshire green energy project including one of the world’s largest battery storage systems is now owned by West Burton Energy, which already operates the West Burton power station and battery energy storage system in Nottinghamshire.
West Burton Energy will now take the project on through the planning process, construction and into operations after the Banks Group last year launched plans to create a flexible energy storage hub on part of the former Thorpe Marsh power station site.
After gathering feedback on the project plans from local people and businesses through a range of consultation activities, Banks submitted a planning application for the project to Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council at the start of this year.
Morris Van Looy, Chief Growth and Strategy Officer at West Burton Energy, said: “Richard The Banks team has done an excellent job identifying and progressing the Thorpe Marsh energy storage project, which is a real world leader in its ambition.
“West Burton Energy is delighted to take over ownership and looks forward to delivering this much needed project to ensure security of supply, maximise the use of renewable energy, and to re-use this former power station site.”
The Banks Group was advised by Rothschild & Co (corporate finance and M&A) and Ashurst (legal) during the transaction. West Burton Energy was advised by Burness Paull (legal).
The Thorpe Marsh Green Energy battery storage project could store up to 2.9GWhrs of energy, enough to supply around 340,000 households with electricity for one day, and would be used to ensure reliable and stable electricity grid operation at times of peak demand, thus helping to improve the UK’s energy security over the long term.
In particular, it will be able to store renewable power generated during periods of oversupply of renewable electricity, and then release such power into the national electrical network when there is insufficient supply of renewable generation, such as when it is less windy or sunny.
Couple launch new health facility in Gainsborough
A new health hub and training academy is set to open in Gainsborough offering a Lincolnshire first in terms of accredited courses.
The Heal’m Practice which offers both in-clinic and at-home appointments for podiatry, chiropody, and sports massage, is opening a new practice at the Engine Shed in Marshall’s Yard.
It will offer students an Institute of Training and Occupational Learning accredited Foot Health Practitioner course.
Business owners Emma and Darren Lambert are excited about expanding their business, which will complement their other locations in Saxilby and Wisbech.
Darren said the first time he and his business partner saw the room in Gainsborough, it filled them with excitement as they saw the potential straight away. He said: “We live locally and I was born here in Gainsborough, so we know the area very well. Even as a young boy living in the town Marshall’s (or Track Marshall’s) was the focal point of the community. We visit the shopping centre on a regular basis and when we saw the advert to rent out a room we jumped at the chance to see it.”
The Heal’m Practice is excited to offer professional training in professional foot care in their newly launched academy offering level 3 and 4 Diploma’s in Foot Health. Emma said:“Our plan is to run as a health hub and training academy. Gainsborough and the entire east of the country doesn’t offer our training services. We are predominantly a podiatry company, we cover a huge area, covering the whole of the county to the Cambridge border.
Clegg Construction appointed on multi-million-pound hotel refurb in Leeds
Contractor Clegg Construction has been appointed to deliver a multi-million-pound refurbishment at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Leeds.
Work has just started on site at the prominent hotel on the corner of Lower Briggate and Swinegate, which will be operated by Belfont Hotels.
The design and build project will modernise the building and includes the refurbishment of existing bedrooms, as well as creating new bedrooms, to take the total number of guest rooms to 108. It also involves modernising ground floor function rooms, the restaurant and bar, as well as the installation of new windows and renovations to the roof and elevations.
Clegg Construction pre-construction director, Ross Crowcroft, said: “We are very pleased to have started on site to refurbish and modernise one of the most iconic hotels in Leeds city centre.
“This refurbishment of the Cosmopolitan Hotel for Belfont Hotels will upgrade a landmark building in the heart of Leeds and turn it into a leading hospitality venue which will be perfect for both leisure and corporate demand.
“Clegg Construction is extremely familiar with the area around The Cosmopolitan Hotel, as we are currently on site at Spinners Yard in Regent Street delivering a 185-apartment private rented scheme for Rise Homes, plus we are working on an 11-storey student accommodation development in Leylands Road.”
Other members of the development team include project manager Edmond Shipway, architect Franklin Ellis and engineer Rodgers Leask.
Work is expected to be completed in the spring of 2025.
Keval Thakerar and Akshay Dhamecha, directors at Belfont Hotels, said: “We are excited to be working with Clegg Construction on this refurbishment that will see the Cosmopolitan Hotel repositioned as one of Leeds City Centre’s leading hotels, benefitting the local economy and community.”
UK’s largest speciality fertiliser manufacturing plant set for Yorkshire as deal sealed
Commercial developer the Horncastle Group PLC and global crop inputs manufacturer Yara International have agreed a deal to build the UK’s largest speciality fertiliser manufacturing plant in Yorkshire, with Caddick Construction appointed as the main contractor on the scheme.
The deal – which represents a total investment of more than £50m – marks the start of work on Phase II of Ozone Business Park; a logistics and distribution hub in Howden, East Yorkshire, developed by the Horncastle Group.
The building work, to be delivered by Caddick Construction as part of a £28m contract, includes state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, warehouses, and offices that will enable Yara to double production of its YaraVita speciality crop nutrition products and biostimulants, which are vital to achieving future food security and mitigating climate change.
Virtually all the output from the plant will be exported to markets around the world, helping to meet a rising global demand for the products that help growers improve crop health and increase yields.
Tom Horncastle, Managing Director of the Horncastle Group PLC, said securing Yara International as the first occupant of Phase II of Ozone Business Park was a fantastic result for all parties.
Phase One of the development, which is located less than a mile from Junction 37 of the M62, is home to global logistics businesses DPD and DHL, as well as leading family baker Warburtons.
Mr Horncastle said: “Ozone Business Park is one of the best located logistics hubs in the north east of England.
“Situated a stone’s throw from the M62 and with excellent links to the M18 and M1, it provides quick and easy access to the south, west, and north of the country. This is why the first phase of the development has been so popular with third party logistics providers.
“Yara’s decision to locate its new manufacturing plant here demonstrates the design flexibility Ozone Business Park can provide, including the high operational power requirements needed by Yara for their production lines.
“With the first plot now secured, we are expecting a lot of interest in the two remaining plots on Phase II of Ozone Business Park.”
The development has a total footprint of 295,669 sq ft and will include state-of-the-art production, distribution and office facilities.
It will stand 12.6m to the eaves and has been designed in sympathy with the adjacent buildings on Phase I of the park.
The boundaries of the site will be planted with native trees and shrubs to enhance biodiversity, contributing to a BREEAM rating of Very Good.
Work on the main building is due to complete in summer 2024. This will be followed by an extensive plant and machinery fit-out period, with the production facility due to become operational by the end of 2025.
As part of the deal, the Horncastle Group procured planning and design for Yara, and is now acting as Development Manager on the project.
“This is a hugely exciting scheme to be involved in,” Mr Horncastle said. “We will be working closely with our client and our construction partner Caddick Construction to deliver a truly exceptional scheme.”
David Tomkinson, Operations Director of Yara UK and son of John Tomkinson, the founder of Phosyn, said: “What began in Yorkshire in 1967 as Phosyn, is set to stay in Yorkshire for the next exciting leg of the Yara journey.
“Yara was put in contact with Horncastle who had already completed a development of Ozone 1 Business Park at Howden and were in the process of planning Ozone 2.
“This opportunity presented enough land for Yara to realise its new Global YaraVita Plant, in addition it offered improved access to logistical networks. Horncastle assisted Yara in the design and civils of the new plant and will continue to support the development during its construction.”
Paul Dodsworth, Caddick Construction Group Managing Director, said: “Yara’s new manufacturing plant is not only important for the partners involved, ourselves included, but it is also vital to the region’s manufacturing industry and we’re very proud to be leading the delivery of a development that will boost the region’s industry, job market and economy.
“Understanding our client’s ambitions, their investments in research and development, and their production processes all underpin our appointment to the project, and we look forward to applying our manufacturing expertise to this truly exciting project on behalf of Yara International.”
Claire steps up to office management role at Dacre, Son & Hartley
Claire Tiplady has moved from the York office of Dacre, Son & Hartley to manage its Ripon office.
Shesaid: “I was keen to work for Dacres as it’s such a respected company with a great reputation. I joined the team in York, despite living much closer to Ripon, but when the office manager role became available in Ripon, I jumped at the chance to make a move closer to home.
“The team in Ripon are leading performers in the HG4 postcode and we are currently marketing a wide spectrum of properties in the heart of this beautiful cathedral city, as well as homes in the surrounding villages. With apartments starting from £170,000 through to huge homes worth a million pounds on the books, I hope to help grow the office market share, bringing even more homes onto the market.”
Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential said: “We immediately recognised Claire’s abilities and excellent client service when she joined us in York and are always keen to help our team progress in their careers, so her move to Ripon was an obvious choice. Claire is well known and respected in the marketplace, and she will be a great asset for the Ripon office.”
Harrogate couple aim to conquer Kilimanjaro to support charity
Begbies Traynor partner Richard Pughe and his family from Harrogate are in training for an expedition to the summit Mount Kilimanjaro – to raise money for local charity Artizan International.
Richard will be accompanied by his wife Nikki Sutcliffe, his son Tom and stepson Lucas, as well as his friend James Bate.
Richard said: “We were all inspired to take on the challenge and raise money for Artizan after visiting their café in Harrogate and seeing the fantastic work they do to help differently-abled people become more independent through training and education. The passion and joy with which both the trainees and trainers work is incredible”.
“They’re making a tremendous difference to people’s lives, both here in Harrogate with their café and creative workshop and through projects in Ecuador and Peru”.
“We were looking to take on a fundraising challenge to mark a few different significant birthdays that are happening next year in our family and we were so impressed by Harrogate charity Artizan International that we wanted to help them.”
With the aim of raising at least £1,500 for the charity, the family are training for their eight-day Kilimanjaro expedition by walking in the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales and this summer spent time hiking in the French Alps near Chamonix.
“Without doubt, coping with the altitude and low oxygen levels will be the most challenging aspect of the climb,” said Richard. “We are doing as many high-level walks as we can and all trying to increase our fitness in preparation for February’s trip. We want to raise as much money as possible for Artizan International and it would be brilliant if our expedition inspires people to sponsor us.”
Susie Hart, founder of Artizan International said: “We’re tremendously grateful to Richard, Nikki and family for choosing to support our work with differently-able people locally and overseas in this way and the funds they raise will make a huge difference. We’ll be able to provide training and support that’s literally life-changing, for many more people with disabilities, thanks to their support. We’ll be cheering them on, all the way.”
Artizan International also runs projects to provide fairly paid work for people with disabilities in Peru and Ecuador, selling the jewellery and crafts they produce in its Oxford Street shop in Harrogate. The nearby training café in the centre of Harrogate is currently helping 23 young adults with learning disabilities to become independent.
Modest rise seen in GDP
A modest 0.2% rise in GDP in August, reported by the Office for National Statistics, is offering some relief for businesses, after the sharp drop recorded in July.
A recovery in services has driven the increase, but this has been hindered by falls in manufacturing and construction.
Tina McKenzie, policy and advocacy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: “This modest rise in August’s GDP is a relief, coming on the heels of the sharp drop recorded in July.
“The recovery in services has driven the increase, but this masks concerning falls in production and construction, indicating that there are downward pressures on many sectors.
“Today’s figures will go some way to allaying fears that the summer was a wash-out for small firms, although our research has consistently found that confidence levels in some sectors – especially consumer-facing ones such as retail and hospitality – have trailed behind the overall results for all sectors.
“The early September pause in the upward march of the base rate has given small firms a ray of hope that the margin squeeze they’re enduring may ease.
“As we’ve seen in recent months, growth is volatile and fears of a recession have yet to be fully banished. If this most recent monthly rise is to be sustained, the Government will need to consider how it can promote a trading environment where small firms can flourish.
“It’s imperative for the Government to extend the 75% business rates discount for retail, hospitality and leisure firms beyond its current expiry date of April next year. It’s been a lifeline for thousands of small businesses and its continuation would limit the need for jarring price rises next April in consumer-facing sectors.
“Extending the VAT threshold to £100,000 would be another smart move to support economic growth.
“The blueprint for a thriving economy hinges on supporting small housebuilders. Small construction enterprises deserve a seat at the Government planning table, and by introducing brownfield development incentives and allowing the Community Infrastructure Levy to be paid at a project’s end rather than the beginning, we can lay the groundwork for strong GDP and economic recovery.
“The millions of small business owners and self-employed people make up a powerful voting bloc, and they will be looking to the Autumn Statement for policies which will help them achieve their ambitions, and which will help the economy overall.”
Georgina joins Andrew Jackson’s tax and trusts team
Solicitor Georgina Wilkinson has joined Andrew Jackson Solicitors’ tax and trusts team.
She is is a newly-qualified solicitor specialising in private client work. As well as having experience of advising clients in the preparation of wills and lasting powers of attorney, and in relation to inheritance tax matters, she also advises on the administration of estates and applying for grants of probate. Richard Hoare, partner, and head of private client services at Andrew Jackson, said: “We welcome Georgina to Andrew Jackson, as we look to build upon the strengths of our team and to meet growing demand for our services. Having the ability not only to provide excellent legal advice tailored to clients’ needs, but also to build trusted client relationships for the long term, is what we strive for. I know that Georgina shares this view and, with her specialist experience and commitment, we will continue to provide the highest quality legal advice, which is consistently recognised in independent client feedback.” Andrew Jackson has also recently announced a raft of appointments to strengthen and support its existing teams. Joseph Healy has been appointed to the position of paralegal in the shipping & litigation team, whilst Grace Hanson (paralegal) and Samuel Bailey (trainee paralegal) have recently joined the corporate department, which has been further boosted by the promotion of Papinder Nahl to paralegal.