Mather Jamie welcomes graduate commercial surveyor
Mather Jamie has appointed Matthew Egglenton as its new graduate commercial surveyor.
Matthew joins the East Midlands property consultancy after completing a BSc (Hons) in Real Estate at Nottingham Trent University. He will now be working towards his Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) while supporting Mather Jamie’s senior surveyors across a range of commercial property transactions.
In his role, Matthew will be gaining valuable hands-on experience including property viewings, advising clients on leasehold and freehold sales & lettings, valuation, carrying out marketing inspections, researching market comparables and assisting with negotiations.
Speaking about his decision to join Mather Jamie, Matthew said: “The company has a proven track record of successfully guiding graduates through the APC process, and I was keen to be part of a respected firm with a strong reputation in the East Midlands. I’m looking forward to developing my skills and progressing my career in commercial property.”
Alex Reid, commercial director at Mather Jamie, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Matthew to our commercial team. His enthusiasm and commitment to developing his expertise in the property sector align perfectly with our values. We look forward to supporting him through his APC and helping him build a successful career with us.”
Melton Building Society appoints Non Executive Director
Melton Building Society has welcomed Ashraf Piranie to its Board of Directors. Ashraf will in
addition sit on the Society’s Audit Committee and assume the role of Chair of subsidiary Nexa Finance Ltd.
The Society will benefit from the vast knowledge and guidance that comes with Ashraf’s long and successful career in financial services. Ashraf brings valuable experience from his sixteen years within the Building Society sector, having held the position of Group Finance and Operations Director at West Bromwich Building Society and Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director at Nottingham Building Society.
In addition, Ashraf has held senior positions as Chief Financial Officer at Redwood Bank, Finance Director and Joint Managing Director at Al Rayan (formerly Islamic Bank of Britain) and Director of Finance at Santander (formerly Alliance & Leicester). Ashraf also brings valuable experience in strategy (including acquisition and mergers), change management, finance and treasury.
An experienced Non Executive Director, Ashraf is currently Chair of the Risk Committee at both Monument and GB Bank and sits on their main Boards.
Commenting on his appointment Ashraf said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Sue and the rest of the Board, in what is a landmark 150th year for the Society.
“With my experience I’m keen to guide and support the business as they enter the next phase of their digital transformation. I look forward to representing the views of our membership as we progress with our aims of making a Society fit to serve our members for the next 150 years.”
Sue Douthwaite, Chair of the Board, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ashraf as he joins us on the Board of directors at Melton Building Society.
“His expertise and experience in financial services, particularly his years spent within the Building Society sector will be incredibly valuable as we shape our aspirations for our Society and continue to strive to fulfil the needs of our members now and into the future.”
Work starts on next phases of sustainable Nottingham housing development
The Fruit Market housing development in Nottingham’s Sneinton Market has entered phases 2 and 3 of construction.
Delivered by igloo Regeneration, phases 2 and 3 will see the construction of 26 new homes clustered around two large communal gardens.
The milestone follows the completion of phase 1 which saw a sustainable, garden neighbourhood of 13 design led homes.
Phases 2 and 3 will continue the scheme’s sustainable ethos. The development is completely gas-free, utilising air source heat pumps, underfloor heating and high levels of thermal insulation to make the scheme one of the most energy-efficient and future proofed in the city.
Sam Veal, Director at igloo Regeneration, said: “This milestone marks a key moment for the Fruit Market development and its positive impact on the wider Nottingham city centre, as we move forward with the delivery of much needed, high-quality homes for the community.
“With Phases 2 and 3, we remain dedicated to providing sustainable, community-focused homes that are thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of residents, creating spaces where people can truly feel at home.
“The continued growth of the Fruit Market community will ensure that these new homes will make a lasting positive impact on this vibrant area and the wider city centre, and we look forward to seeing the full development come to life.”
Construction is underway on the scheme, with completion scheduled for summer 2026.
East Midlands Combined County Authority approves £175m in funding to improve roads and public transport
The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) Board has approved nearly £175 million in funding for transport in the region in the next year (2025/26) – with a further £19m also being consider down the line.
The money will be used for urgent road repairs, better transport connections, and projects that help people travel by foot or bike and will be divided between EMCCA and four local councils – Derby City Council, Derbyshire County Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.
EMCCA will manage funding for large regional projects, such as junction improvement works which are a key planning condition for enabling the new A50 junction (South Derby Growth Zone). Plus, EMCCA funding will support the works on the A614/A6097 scheme (Nottinghamshire). A commissioned study will start the work to review the potential for expanding the Nottingham Express Transit system to support housing and job growth.
Notable projects include:
- Derby City Council will receive funding for several key projects, including the A52/A52T Spondon Interchange to allow better traffic flow and support active travel initiatives, making it easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Nottingham City Council will focus on improving major roads for walking and cycling, as well as upgrading real-time parking information systems.
- Derbyshire County Council will invest in repairing roads and works to help prevent landslips, particularly on key routes.
- Nottinghamshire County Council will focus on maintaining and upgrading its roads, along with planning for future transport projects.
- £66 million for City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements 2 (CRSTS2): This funding will support road repairs, improvements to highways, and projects to make walking, cycling, and public transport easier.
- £21 million for Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP): This funding will be used to make bus services more reliable, affordable, and accessible across the East Midlands.
- £75 million for Highways Maintenance Block: EMCCA will receive this funding, £22m of which is extra money the region is getting because it has a Mayoral Combined Authority. This will go on road repairs in 2025/26.
- £12.86 million for Integrated Transport Block Funding: EMCCA is expecting this funding to deliver activities across the local transport network.
- £7.27 million for Active Travel Fund: The region has been awarded this funding to improve walking, wheeling and cycling and infrastructure.
Loughborough University to drive business innovation at Leicester Innovation Festival
Loughborough University will play a key role in the 2025 Leicester Innovation Festival (LIF), hosting events to strengthen local business growth through innovation, research, and collaboration. The festival, organised by the Business Gateway Growth Hub, runs from 31 March to 4 April and brings together public, private, and academic partners to support businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire.
One of the university’s key events, held online on 2 April, will focus on adopting digital technology in manufacturing. Led by Dr Kate Broadhurst from Loughborough Business School, the session will present findings from the £4.4 million InterAct programme, which explored the human impact of new technologies in the sector. The event will offer practical strategies for businesses integrating digital solutions into their operations.
On the same day, the university will co-host a business engagement event at Harborough Innovation Centre, showcasing opportunities for companies to collaborate with local universities. The session will cover industry placements, graduate recruitment, consultancy, and Innovate UK-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, which help businesses access academic expertise to drive innovation.
A Clean Tech networking event will occur on 4 April at Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park. Organised by the LUinc. team, the event will connect Clean Tech entrepreneurs with investors, mentors, and industry professionals through networking sessions, tech talks, and startup introductions.
Other organisations involved in LIF 2025 include De Montfort University, the University of Leicester, Innovate UK, the British Business Bank, and Charnwood Campus. All events are free to attend.
Sale of Nottingham’s Broad Marsh development site to be discussed, with purchaser ready to take on council’s vision
The Broad Marsh development site in Nottingham could be sold, generating significant capital for the city council.
The council’s executive board will meet next week (18 March) to discuss the sale of one of the largest and most important city centre development sites in the UK, to an unnamed developer.
Until June 2020 the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre was leased to intu with refurbishment of the centre being well underway. This had seen large parts of the eastern end of the site partly demolished to make way for a new cinema/bowling/food & beverage offering and several pre-lets had been agreed with retailers and operators.
With the demise of intu the site was handed back to the Council, and over the remainder of 2020 it was vacated and mothballed.
Nottingham City Council, as landowner and Local Authority, has since actively promoted the
redevelopment of the Broad Marsh area and has delivered significant progress, including extensive partial demolition of the site, the construction of the Green Heart public realm area, construction of adjacent supporting uses such as the new library, bus station and retail units, working with Nottingham University Hospitals Trust to develop the Community Diagnostics Facility, and development of the Collin Street public realm.
A vision and master plan for the reimagining and regeneration of Broad Marsh has also been developed, with this work set to continue with the purchaser to ensure the successfully delivery of the redevelopment project.
The master plan proposes more than 1,000 new homes built alongside 20,000
sqm of office, commercial and leisure space, and outlines a strategic intent to transform
the area, create opportunities to live and work and bring significant investment and
employment, with 2,500 jobs expected.
The purchaser is expected to begin active works on the project in the short term and aims to begin construction in 2029/30.
Forterra reports “resilient” 2024 performance
Forterra, the manufacturer of clay and concrete building products, has reported a “resilient performance” in 2024, as challenging market conditions continued.
According to full year results, revenue was flat year-on-year, with a double digit increase in the second half relative to both the prior year and first half of 2024. Statutory pre-tax profit, meanwhile, grew to £24.8m from £17.1m. Forterra noted that 2024 UK brick industry despatches were up 2% compared with 2023, with fourth quarter despatches 20% ahead of the corresponding period. Total UK brick consumption, however, remains 30% behind 2022 levels.Neil Ash, Chief Executive Officer, said: “2024 saw the continuation of the challenging market conditions we have witnessed over the last two years, though the second half saw an improving position.
“Our focus has been on the areas we can control and delivered a resilient performance by successfully aligning our production to demand and returning the Group to a position of strong cash generation.
“We also continued to make good progress with our £140m strategic capital investment programme at Desford, Wilnecote and Accrington, which is now nearing completion.
“Trading in the first two months of 2025 has continued the positive trends seen in the final quarter of 2024, with our brick despatches 17% ahead of the prior year. We are currently concluding our customer pricing discussions and expect to deliver necessary price increases to offset cost inflation.
“We continue to take encouragement from the Government’s ambition to materially increase housebuilding but remain wary of the challenges in delivering this. During 2025, we anticipate some recovery in our markets, whilst remaining mindful of the wider macroeconomic conditions.
“Following our significant strategic investment in increased manufacturing capacity, the Group remains well placed as its key markets recover.”
East Midlands economy continues to toughen with hike in demand for insolvency advice
A sharp increase in demand for insolvency advice, as well as a steep fall in the number of new businesses in the region, is indicating a further toughening of the local economy.
This is according to the Midlands branch of national insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 and is based on an analysis of data from business intelligence provider Creditsafe.
R3’s figures show that East Midlands insolvency-related activity – which includes liquidator and administrator appointments as well as creditors’ meetings – increased sharply last month by 78.85% in comparison with January’s activity.
At the same time, the number of new businesses set up in the region fell by almost a fifth (18.32%) in February compared to February 2024, dropping from 2,735 to 2,234.
The R3 analysis also shows that the number of East Midlands businesses in liquidation which owe money to their creditors increased by 9.40% last month against January’s figures, and the number of companies with overdue invoices on their books remained high at 24,308.
R3 Midlands Chair Stephen Rome, a partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper in the region, said: “It appears that international trade uncertainty is now impacting heavily at a local level, giving rise to weak business confidence and a slowing of entrepreneurial investment.
“There will be further pressure on local businesses when the increase in employer national insurance contributions comes into force next month, which may drive firms to pass on rising costs to consumers.
“As for what lies ahead over the longer term, there could be a silver lining with the additional government spending announced in the last Budget, which comes into effect from April onwards.
“In the meantime, R3 would urge any local businesses struggling financially to seek advice as soon as possible. Most R3 members offer a free initial consultation to explore potential solutions for any significant financial issues.”
Leicester law firm expands Development team
Leicester law firm Howes Percival has expanded its Development team with two new appointments.
Parvinder Rama joins Howes Percival as an Associate Solicitor and has a wide range of experience within the commercial property sector including residential development, acting for both landowners and developers in relation to the negotiation of promotion and option agreements, acquisitions and disposals as well as conditional contracts and overage agreements.
Navjot Duggal has four years’ experience in property law, having worked in Howes Percival’s Commercial Property department as a Paralegal. She has now passed her Solicitors Qualifying Examinations and will qualify into the Leicester Development team.
Nick James, Partner and Head of the Developments Sector at Howes Percival, said: “Parvinder is a key hire for us in Leicester, and I’m delighted to welcome her to Howes Percival. We know Navjot and have worked alongside her for a number of years. She is a fantastic addition to the team, and it is exciting to see her move into the next stage of her career with the firm.
“We have experienced a continued demand from our client base on a wide range of matters with a significant increase in strategic development work and with new residential development investment acquisitions and disposals. In addition, we’ve also seen a diversification in our client base, spreading both regionally and nationally.
“While we are still in uncertain times in the development sector with developers struggling to get new houses through planning process and obtain consent, there is still a healthy appetite for investors and developers to acquire new interest in sites.
“As a result, there is good quality work out there for practices which have the right people, and we have shown commitment to the sector by investing in high quality recruitment and development through training.”
February sees deepening downturn in East Midlands private sector
Latest Regional Growth Tracker survey data from NatWest pointed to a deepening downturn in the East Midlands private sector.
The headline NatWest East Midlands Business Activity Index dropped to 44.7 in February from 49.8 in January, signalling a second successive monthly reduction in output and one that was much sharper than at the start of the year. In fact, the pace of contraction was the steepest since January 2021.
Where output fell, survey respondents generally linked this to lower new orders and a lack of market confidence. New orders also decreased at a faster pace. Moreover, the latest reduction in new business was the fastest since October 2023. Where new orders decreased, panellists linked this to deteriorating market conditions and hesitancy among customers.
The rate of input cost inflation remained elevated, leading firms to raise charges sharply. Efforts to limit expenses contributed to a marked reduction in employment.
Staffing levels fell sharply in the East Midlands during February, with the pace of job shedding accelerating to the fastest since May 2020. In fact, excluding the pandemic period, the reduction was the steepest since July 2009.
Companies often linked lower staffing levels to efforts to limit labour costs ahead of the upcoming rises in employer National Insurance Contributions and the National Minimum Wage.
Lisa Phillips, Regional Managing Director, Midlands and East, Commercial Mid Markets, said: “It is tricky to find positives in the February Growth Tracker for the East Midlands as companies in the region suffered amid a lack of market confidence and hesitancy among customers.
“The muted demand picture was accompanied by worries about costs. Although firms were able to limit the rise in input prices to some extent, this was in part done on the back of job cutting. In fact, if you exclude the pandemic period, the reduction in employment was the largest since the Global Financial Crisis. Meanwhile, selling price inflation hit a 20-month high.
“One area of relative positivity came when firms were asked about the year-ahead outlook. Here, East Midlands companies were among the most optimistic in the country, second only to their neighbours in the West Midlands.”
Performance in relation to UK
The reduction in activity in the East Midlands was the fastest of the 12 monitored areas of the UK.
Despite weakness in output and new orders during February, companies remained confident that output will increase over the coming year.
Confidence ticked down only slightly from January and was the second-highest of the 12 monitored UK regions and nations, behind only the West Midlands.
More than 48% of respondents predicted a rise in output over the coming year, with optimism centred on hopes of an improvement in market demand. New product development is also set to help support growth of business activity.
With new orders declining, companies used spare resources to work on outstanding business. As a result, backlogs of work decreased for the twenty-ninth consecutive month. Moreover, the pace of depletion was substantial and the most pronounced since May 2020.
Only the North West posted a faster reduction in outstanding business than the East Midlands.
Although input costs continued to rise sharply in the East Midlands during February, the pace of inflation eased slightly from the nine-month high seen in January and was just below the average for the UK as a whole.
Where input prices did rise, this was often linked by panellists to higher labour costs, but also raw material prices. Cost pressures were much more pronounced at service providers than at manufacturers.
Efforts to cover increasing input costs meant that output prices rose again during February. Moreover, the pace of inflation quickened for the third consecutive month and was the steepest since June 2023.
