A worldwide supplier of swim spas and hot tubs has launched its first UK distribution hub at Leicestershire’s Meridian Business Park. East Midlands commercial property specialist Andrew + Ashwell has negotiated the lease of large warehouse premises at Meridian North, to Dutch supplier Fonteyn. Based in the Netherlands for 25 years, Fonteyn supplies the largest range of home spas and swim spas in the world. First stocks from Meridian are already available to dealerships, despite current refurbishment of the premises, while Fonteyn also seeks to expand the workforce and its UK distribution network. The chosen unit occupies a prominent position on the north side of the park on the southern sector of the estate. It was previously occupied by online fashion retailer Boden and comprises 84,101 sq ft of office and warehouse space, plus extensive loading and parking areas. The refurbished building will feature offices, warehousing and what is planned to be the largest spa showroom in the world, ultimately stocking more than 1,000 models to satisfy increasing demand. Outdoor living has nurtured the trend for in-home spas. Marcus Sleath, Fonteyn director, said the new hub would facilitate faster turnaround and delivery to meet the huge demand in the UK. “This is a very exciting time for us. The UK is one of our biggest markets, with more than 85,000 spas and swim spas sold here to date. The new distribution centre at Meridian perfectly meets our needs as a convenient and cost-effective central hub for UK expansion. “While conversion of the building will be completed by the end of the year, we already have around 500 spas and swim spas in stock, plus more on the way. This means much faster delivery for the 30 dealerships we already serve in the UK and we expect this number to increase.” Mike Allwood, A+A partner, said: “This is a positive development for the local economy, enabling an international company to use a sought-after Leicestershire business park as a vital first base for expansion. “It’s certainly one of the larger secondhand units to hit the market over the last few years. Having been involved in the marketing since March this year we are delighted to have completed the letting within three to four months and wish Fonteyn every success in their new venture.”

Planning permission has been refused for a mixed-use scheme of student accommodation and commercial space in Beeston despite being recommended for approval by officers at Broxtowe Borough Council. The 419-student bed space scheme from Midlands-based developer Cassidy Group in Station Road, next to the Arc Cinema, was submitted for planning earlier this year. Cassidy previously said that the scheme at the edge of Beeston town centre would breathe new life into a derelict site and bring increased footfall and economic benefit to local retailers. They added that it would also free up much-needed housing in the town, currently occupied by students, for family homes. A council report agreed and recommended that councillors approve the scheme. The report stated that the scheme would create a “significant boost of housing numbers when maintaining an adequate supply is becoming more challenging. The additional dwellings would also be on previously developed land that is not in green belt or otherwise protected, reducing pressure on land that is.” The report added: “The proposal would therefore be purpose built and could accommodate occupiers who could otherwise occupy C3 dwellings [houses, flats, apartments], to the detriment of the wider community, as this would represent the loss of accommodation that would be more suited to families and other longer-term residents.” In the report, officers noted that while a part of the building rises to eight storeys and would be the tallest structure in Beeston, the development would take place on a prominent town centre site “considered to be capable of accommodating a building of the height proposed without detriment to the character of the area or neighbour amenity.” The report also noted that the design and scale of the Station Road development would relate well to its town centre location and that the building’s tallest block would be of a comparable height to the cinema complex next door. Officers also stated that the scheme would boost local trade in terms of restaurants, leisure and retail. The 34-page report concluded that “any potential concerns would be outweighed by the benefits of the scheme, which is considered to be in accordance with the policies contained within the development plan.”

GMI Construction Group PLC has reached the topping out stage for Derby’s first purpose-built Built to Rent (BTR) scheme which is under construction for St James Securities and Grainger plc as part of the Becketwell regeneration scheme. The development, which features 259 one- and two-bedroom units, has now reached 11 storeys, which was marked with a topping out ceremony attended by representatives from St James Securities, GMI, Grainger plc and key stakeholders from across the city. Construction work is progressing to plan with the building expected to be completed by March 2023. The development is being forward funded and will be owned and operated by Grainger plc, the UK’s largest listed provider of private rental homes. The homes, which are being built on the site of the former Debenhams store on Victoria Street, form part of the first phase of the Becketwell scheme and will be adjacent to the new public square, which is the centrepiece of the development and will also be delivered as part of phase one. The development, named by Grainger as The Condor, the famed Rolls Royce engine, will feature 2,962 sq ft of internal ground floor amenity space for residents, including a shared resident’s lounge and co-working space, in addition to 2,185 sq ft of external rooftop space with a terrace overlooking the new public square. In addition to a gym, secure car parking, bike store, and electric car charging points, residents will also benefit from complimentary superfast WiFi and the services of a dedicated onsite Grainger Resident Services Team. Commenting on the progress, GMI divisional Managing Director Andy Bruce said: “Our team onsite at Becketwell have made huge strides since the start of the year and to be topping out today is a noteworthy achievement. “You can see the development now really starting to take shape and bring the vision into reality. The regeneration of Becketwell is a land-mark project in Derby City Centre which once finished will create a brand new urban quarter and sense of place. “GMI are proud to be playing a leading role within those plans and to further our excellent credentials in terms of city centre regeneration creating vibrant and attractive places to live and work and generating significant investment and job opportunities right across the regions in which we operate.” Paul Morris, director of St James Securities, said: “More than five years since we first visited this much neglected site, we are delighted to see this landmark first phase of the development reach the topping out stage. “The Becketwell regeneration scheme will be transformational – allowing hundreds of people to live in high-quality homes in the heart of the city and revitalising an area which has been challenged for many years. “Alongside the apartments and public square that will make up phase one of the scheme, there will be wider development, including an exciting new performance venue, which will be developed by St James Securities and owned by Derby City Council and run by ASM Global, the world’s leading venue management and services company, and producer of live experiences.” Helen Gordon, Chief Executive, Grainger plc, added: “This is a great milestone for our Condor scheme, which is Derby’s first Build to Rent development and a new city for Grainger. We look forward to seeing the works progress over the coming months as we prepare our inhouse team to launch and welcome our first residents – delivering high quality homes, a range of added value resident amenities and excellent customer service for renters in Derby.” Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, said: “Reaching the topping out ceremony in phase one of the Becketwell development is a real milestone, and we’re now well on the way to seeing the completion of what will be a truly transformative development for this part of the city centre. A site that needed regeneration will soon be a vibrant place that provides much-needed quality homes in the city centre. “The plans for the wider development, which includes an exciting new performance venue, a hotel and offices, will rejuvenate our city centre – making it an attractive space that supports the local economy and increases investor confidence.” Future planned phases of the scheme include a range of other complementary uses of the site that may include a hotel, multi-storey car park and purpose-built student residential. It is also hoped that the substantial levels of investment proposed at Becketwell will provide confidence for further new investment in surrounding areas of the city centre. More than 2,000 jobs are expected to be created by the development.

Local construction contractor, TanRo, have been announced as the lead contractor at Fairham Business Park. The site of the one million square feet commercial development will soon become a hive of activity as TanRo set up their compound ready to begin work delivering the first phase of commercial development at Fairham. Fintan Phelan at TanRo said on the contract win: “We are delighted to be awarded construction lead for the state-of-the-art commercial units at Fairham Business Park. We have recently completed the construction of two ‘built to suit’ facilities at Clowes’ own Etiquette Park in Ilkeston, on time and according to a very tight schedule. We are ready for this next challenge and are delighted to be part of such an exciting project.” The commercial development known as Fairham Business Park (FBP) is being brought forward as part of the wider masterplan for the £800m Fairham development being delivered by a joint venture between Derbyshire-based Clowes Developments and Homes England, the government’s housing accelerator. Outline planning permission is in place for one million square feet of commercial space within the 50-acre Fairham Business Park. James Richards, development director at Clowes Developments, added: “It will be great to have TanRo, setting up their base at Fairham Business Park. Once works have begun, passers-by and locals will soon see significant progress and be able to watch the commercial development spring to life. “Fairham will create a thriving new community and neighbourhood that is well-planned, safe, and friendly, a place that has a vibrant mix of residential and commercial amenities, all designed and built to the highest standards.” Leicester-based IMA Architects have led on the design of industrial use facilities. They have worked closely with Clowes to devise a cohesive masterplan for the one million square feet commercial development ensuring the employment scheme complements the robust site wide design code at Fairham. Ben Hall, associate director at IMA, said: “We have a long-standing proven track record of working with Clowes Developments to deliver top notch schemes like this across the UK. We are excited to finally see this business park take shape and complete another impressive employment opportunity within the East Midlands.” Additionally, as part of the essential enabling works at Fairham, there will be a substantial increase in slow moving vehicles transporting excess topsoil from one location to another. The soil will be moved from Fairham Business Park to vacant land on the other side of the A453. This necessary work will be undertaken in accordance with planning conditions set by the local authority to correctly dispose of the excess soil on the site. JC Balls have been instructed to start the works; the project is scheduled to complete towards the end of October.

Gedling Borough Council will be submitting a funding bid for £50 million through the government’s latest round of ‘Levelling up’ funding. If successful, the money will be used to revitalise Arnold Town Centre. The ‘Ambition Arnold’ bid lays out the council’s plans for investment in a new leisure centre and the modernisation of the northern area of Arnold town centre. The bid includes a new, multi-purpose leisure centre and theatre to replace the current Arnold Leisure Centre and Bonington Theatre, which have been in place since the 1980’s. The bid also includes plans for a new library and a public realm space to drive footfall into the northern part of the town centre and create improved access from Front Street to the high street. The ‘Levelling Up’ Fund was announced by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in November 2020. The fund was made available to communities in all UK nations,  with up to £4.8 billion available for local infrastructure across the UK. Gedling Borough Council previously bid for £20 million in the first round but was unsuccessful. The feedback from government suggested that the previous application was strong, specifically around the plans for the town centre, so the council has submitted a new bid based on the government response. Arnold Town Centre south has recently benefited from a multi-million pound development of The AMP at Arnold Market Place, which is due to be opened shortly. The new £4 million building will have a number of new enterprise businesses there and is also one of the key parts of the council’s overall ambition to revitalise the town centre and create a more vibrant economy in the area. Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE, said: “We can now announce that we will be making a second application for government levelling up funding to revitalise Arnold Town Centre. As with our previous application, we think this is a strong proposal that, if successful, will help rebuild our town centre. “The application includes ambitious proposals for a brand new leisure and culture site at the north part of Arnold Town that will improve this part of the town following the recent investment in the south part of the town with the creation of The AMP building. “Residents in Arnold have told us that the physical appearance of the area and variety of shops is an issue. This money would be used to improve those areas and create a real buzz in the town centre. “We have already shown our intentions with the multi-million pound investments we have made in the new Arnold Market Place and the refurbishment of Carlton Town Centre and we will continue to do everything we can to improve the borough for our residents and businesses.” Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne, said: “This is Gedling’s second application for our fair share of ‘levelling up’ funding – we hope government will take this application seriously and see that Gedling is in real need of this investment and is simply asking for a fair share of funding, which is what this government promised ‘every part of the UK’. “Gedling Borough Council’s first application to the Levelling Up Fund was backed by the local Member of Parliament and the council was told it was a ‘strong’ application but no funding was forthcoming. “We have made alterations and council officers have worked hard to get a bid ready in a short space of time, however, it is now in the hands of central government to demonstrate if they are serious about backing the council’s ambition to invest in our local communities here in Gedling.”