Willmott Dixon has been appointed by developers noviniti to build a new £16.8m multi-storey car park at Royal Derby Hospital to provide an additional 500 spaces.
The car park will be spread over five storeys and replace the current surface level car park. Completion is expected in summer 2025 and it will be open to visitors and patients to help resolve parking and congestion problems on the site.
Ahead of main works starting on the new car park, Willmott Dixon has also created a temporary car park on a site near the hospital with a park-and-ride system in operation.
Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, said: “We’re pleased to be delivering this infrastructure improvement at Royal Derby Hospital for University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust.
“We look forward to delivering a project that will help to improve visitor and patient experience when visiting the hospital by significantly increasing parking provision. It will also provide additional facilities, including electric vehicle charging points.”
Jonathan Houlston, CEO at noviniti, said: “It is a great pleasure for noviniti to have been appointed as developer by United Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust to deliver the new 5-storey Multi-Storey Car Park at Royal Derby Hospital.
“Working in partnership with Willmott Dixon, this much needed facility will greatly ease on-site traffic congestion and positively contribute to the patient and visitor experience.”
Games Workshop has appointed Mark Lam as non-executive chair of the company. Mark has been an independent non-executive director of the Nottingham company and the senior independent director since 2023.
Mark takes over from John Brewis. John did not intend to stand for re-election at next year’s AGM and had therefore asked the Nomination Committee to commence a search for the next non-executive chair.
John Brewiswill be retiring from the role of non-executive chair of Games Workshop with effect from 1 November 2024, and from the Board of Games Workshop with effect from 31 December 2024.
Mark is an experienced board chair and director, whose commercial experience spans both start-up businesses and listed companies.
Mark is Singaporean and his international experience includes supply chains and business operations in the Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe.
He has held senior positions in retail, telecommunications, and healthcare, including as chief technology officer of Openreach. Mark is currently chair of the Royal Free London hospital group and a non-executive director at Lowland Investment Company PLC.
Business owners are invited to explore how Chesterfield’s ongoing regeneration is set to unlock significant investment opportunities in the coming years.
The Chesterfield Investment Summit will take place on Wednesday, 6 November 2024, at Casa Hotel, offering an extensive update on various projects that will dramatically modernise and revitalise the town’s high streets.
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands Combined County Authority, will address the summit, sharing her vision and priorities for driving investment in Chesterfield and the broader region.
Mayor Claire said: “The regeneration of Chesterfield’s high streets is a key milestone in the broader strategy to breathe new life into our towns across the East Midlands.
“By modernising and enhancing these vital spaces, we are not only improving the everyday experience for residents and businesses, but also attracting significant investment that will create new jobs and opportunities.”
Organised by Destination Chesterfield and supported by We Are Spaces, East Midlands Chamber and Markham Vale, the event will showcase transformative works in Chesterfield Town Centre.
Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive Officer at Chesterfield Borough Council, will provide updates on several key initiatives, including Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield. The project promises over £10 million in enhancements aimed at improving the town centre’s appearance, functionality, and flow.
Ojay McDonald, Chief Executive of the Association of Town & City Management, will discuss the evolving role of high streets and the need for adaptation to future demands.
Attendees will also hear from Amy Revell, Co-Founder of We Are Spaces. Amy’s company is currently carrying out the extensive refurbishment of a Grade II listed building in Chesterfield’s retail core.
She will be joined by Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, who will provide insights into the £6 million regeneration and revitalisation efforts underway in Staveley’s town centre.
Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice-Chair of Destination Chesterfield, added: “The Investment Summit is a fantastic opportunity to spread the word about all the incredible things happening in Chesterfield.
“With the multi-million pound regeneration projects currently underway in Chesterfield and about to begin in Staveley, this is the time to look ahead to the future of high streets and talk about how the interventions we are making will help ensure they can continue to thrive and provide a full range of leisure, retail and cultural experiences.
“I look forward to welcoming local businesses and investors to the summit and discussing with them how they can play a key role in Chesterfield’s future.”
NG Chartered Surveyors have completed the investment sale of a prime light industrial unit in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.
Acting on behalf of her landlord client, Craig Scholter of CBS Couriers, NG surveyor Alicia Lewis brokered a rare investment deal at Unit 1A, Shipley Court on the Manners Industrial Estate.
The 2,853 sq ft unit is let to Barnfind Detailing, a company which offers safe washes, valeting, monthly maintenance and paint enhancements and corrections.
Alicia said: “Unit 1A, Shipley Court was always going to be popular. It’s located on a well-recognised, popular industrial estate.
“The property is centrally located to various main thoroughfares such as the A6096, A52 and Junctions 26 and 25 of the M1 Motorway, providing access to neighbouring towns. Nottingham is located eight miles away and Derby ten miles – it couldn’t be more ideally situated.
“This deal only took just over ten weeks to finalise with all parties working hard to get it over the line.
“It’s been a pleasure to represent Craig on this deal – and we wish the new owner and their tenant all the very best for the future.”
Wavensmere Homes has commenced work on site to redevelop Friar Gate Goods Yard in Derby city centre. The nationally significant £75m mixed-use project will reanimate two landmark Grade II listed buildings into over 110,000 sq ft of commercial space, alongside 276 new build homes.
Site enabling works across the 11.5-acre (4.96Ha) site are underway, with the groundworks commencing in November 2024. The first phase will incorporate the formation of a new spine road through the site and remediation works to the two listed buildings.
Simultaneously, construction of the first residential phase will take place. This comprises 63 terraced houses, which will be available for occupation before the end of 2026. The full redevelopment, restoration and construction programme is anticipated to complete by the end of 2028.
A painstaking restoration of the 19th Century Bonded Warehouse and Engine House will deliver a total of 111,275 sq ft of flexible offices, health and fitness space, a restaurant/café, together with a regional sales centre for Birmingham-headquartered Wavensmere Homes.
Extensive new areas of open space, including play areas and pocket parks will also be created, in addition to the retention of the TPO tree buffer, to enhance the biodiversity of the site.
The elevated area adjacent to Friar Gate Bridge will become a new multi-purpose public realm and community space, with retention of some of the original railway arch facades.
New vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access will be created at various points around the site, from Uttoxeter New Road, Great Northern Way, and Friar Gate, with the Mick Mack cycling route also to be extended.
Catherine Atkinson, MP for Derby North, said: “After over 50 years of sitting vacant, it was brilliant to visit Friar Gate Goods Yard and see the work underway to bring this local landmark back to life. This redevelopment will restore a piece of Derby’s history while creating jobs and giving a major boost to the local economy, now and in the future.”
Cllr Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, said: “I am thrilled that Wavensmere Homes has made a start on site so soon after receiving planning approval. The two fine terracotta listed buildings are such important historical assets for our city and we can now be assured of their future.
“I cannot wait to see the Bonded Warehouse preserved and brought back into use as the centrepiece for this £75m mixed-use development.”
Octopus Real Estate has provided a £24m loan to Wavensmere Homes to enable the comprehensive four-year programme of work to start without delay. Glancy Nicholls Architects and Pegasus Group worked collaboratively to produce the detailed plans for Friar Gate Goods Yard, which received planning approval earlier this year.
James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “The fine attention to detail and investment we will inject into the reanimation of Friar Gate Goods Yard will see it become a nationally important trophy asset in Derby’s ongoing renaissance.
“We constructed 125 family houses just across the city centre at Nightingale Quarter, but there was such intense demand, we could have sold them four times over. The 227 houses at Friar Gate Goods Yard will provide much-needed choice in the market and be the most energy-efficient in the city, so there is already significant pent-up demand.
“The first opportunity to reserve a home here will be in 2025, but we are collecting people’s details on our website. We’re very pleased to see the amount of early interest from people who’ve bought from us previously, including residents living at Nightingale Quarter.”
The designs for the 227 two- and three-bedroom townhouses that will surround the two listed buildings are bespoke. Curved and terraced street scenes will honour the beauty and vista of the Bonded Warehouse, while incorporating a range of energy saving technologies and strategies.
A four-storey apartment building containing 49 apartments will also reinstate the lost streetscape of the Stafford Street frontage. The highest EPC rating of A is being targeted for the new houses, with all plots designed to be future-proofed ahead of the 2025 Future Homes Standard.
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said: “I am delighted that work has commenced at Friar Gate Goods Yard. This vast historic landmark has lain derelict in the centre of Derby for over 50 years.
“Wavensmere’s redevelopment plans will have a transformational impact on the city’s landscape and image, while also providing a significant boost to the jobs market and local economy.”
The site sits just outside the Friar Gate Conservation Area, which features notable Georgian townhouses with high-quality brickwork and fine architectural detailing. The Friar Gate Goods Yard was intended as the main goods depot for the Great Northern Railway line, to handle coal, livestock, timber, and metals.
Designed in 1870, and entering operation in 1878, the Bonded Warehouse building contained extensive warehouse space and offices. It was used as a store for the American Army in WWII to house ammunition and other supplies.
The Engine House was also built for the Railway by Kirk & Randall of Sleaford. It is Italianate in style and built from Welsh slate. The Engine House supplied power to the hydraulic lifts and capstans at the Bonded Warehouse.
The site first became derelict in 1967, and over time became overgrown and fell into a poor state of repair. An arson attack took place at the Goods Yard in 2020, which exposed the whole inner iron structure of the two historic buildings.
The Goods Yard redevelopment will promote sustainable development through the use of low carbon materials, modern methods of construction, and renewable energy generation.
Corby-based company See Limited has invested £700,000 into its distribution arm, Performance Panels, to drastically improve its environmental footprint while also revolutionising the day-to-day working operations at its distribution facility in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
The company, named after its ethical and sustainability ambitions – Supporting Ethical Enterprise – operates as a holding company for three businesses in the built environment sector, Performance Panels, Inspired Surfaces, and Bousfields.
With a focus on taking sustainable steps forward to reduce their carbon emissions year-on-year, this significant investment through the integration of HOMAG’s STORETEQ P-500 storage system and SAWTEQ S-300 panel dividing saw means that they will now be able to store a higher volume of 5,000 high-performance decorative panels on-site. In addition it will improve efficiencies and reduce energy consumption.
The automated storage system will now organise, stock, and select different sheet sizes and materials in its facility, in what is seen as a huge boost to its distribution arm’s operational capacity.
The new system will also help Performance Panels save 280 bottles of liquid petroleum gas on forklift use alone, equating to an estimated 17,495 kgCO2e avoided per year, based on calculations from the UK Government’s website.
This equates to the same amount of carbon emissions as if you were to drive a petrol-powered car around the world’s equator – twice!
Alongside the investment into the machinery, the Performance Panels facility has also had a complete transformation to get the most out of the storage system. The original floor was dug up and relayed with a new one, new lighting was fitted together with a new CCTV system. The extraction system was also enhanced.
“As Performance Panels continued to grow, it became clear that a full evaluation of our operations was necessary to meet our environmental and sustainable ambitions,” said Robert Thompson, Group CEO at See Limited.
“The implementation of the storage system and panel dividing saw is part of our continuous investment into See Limited’s operating businesses as we continue to grow and evolve.
“In a fast-moving industry, it is crucial we stay ahead of the curve and on top of the latest technological advancements.
“While the implementation of this significant investment has transformed the working operations onsite, it has also enhanced the health and safety measures too. Automation has replaced much of the manual handling and has drastically reduced the time spent locating and retrieving stock.”
A student who has spent the past year on work placement with Nottingham Venues has been named as a finalist in a prestigious national industry awards.
Alba Betancourt, an Events Management Student from the University of Derby, has been shortlisted in the ‘Student of the Year’ category at the ABPCO Excellence Awards.
The 21-year-old has spent the past twelve months balancing her studies with a placement at Nottingham Venues and has excelled at both.
Alba hit the ground running during her placement and progressed quickly, showing a strong drive to integrate her academic learning into practical applications in the workplace, supporting the Nottingham Venues team during one of its most successful trading periods.
Alba successfully applied academic knowledge to real-world scenarios. She used project management techniques learned at university to help reduce setup and process time in supporting the catering function.
She dealt with all queries and issues which developed her customer service skills and helped navigate CRM systems for event support. Alba also met numerous clients through supporting the sales team with their site visits. She also successfully built relationships with the wider University teams and helped with market research.
At University, Alba has demonstrated exceptional academic performance, particularly in courses such as Sustainable Events Operations and Facilities and Venues Design, achieving First Class marks in both.
Alba’s University Professors have praised her analytical skills and ability to grasp complex concepts quickly, and she is currently in negotiations to start and run Derby University’s first ever Event Society.
Melissa Sobo, Director of Sales at Nottingham Venues, said: “Alba is an exceptional student and her passion for our industry and commitment to get the job done was clear from day one. A reliable member of the team, she was very conscientious about her work and was not afraid to challenge as to why it was done in a certain way.
“Alba demonstrated strong initiative, an eagerness to keep growing, and a willingness to take on additional tasks to expand her knowledge. Her eagerness to participate in work-related events whilst with us only contributed to her continued learnings and creativity.
“We are all delighted that she has made the finals and will be keeping our fingers crossed that she can take the award home on the day.”
Alba Betancort said: “I was thrilled when I was told I was being put forward for the award, so to actually make the finals is amazing! I loved working at Nottingham Venues, and I am grateful to the team for giving me the opportunity to get stuck in and apply what I have learnt at university into a thriving, real world environment. I can’t wait for the awards!”
MPs called on the government to back warm words with an increased agriculture budget after an opposition debate day in the House of Commons raised the importance of farming to Britain’s food security, environment, and economic growth.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said there had been cross party consensus throughout the debate that food security is national security.
He said: “The agriculture budget is essential to investing in the farming and growing businesses that underpin the future of food and deliver for the environment. As we saw in the debate, food is not partisan. It should not be kicked around like a rotten pumpkin.
“The farming and growing businesses that produce food need long-term certainty so they can plan and invest for the future. The number one way to do this is to ensure we have a strategy to boost Britain’s food security, and this must be invested in, and supported by, an increased agriculture budget.
“The Chancellor recently held an ‘I’m backing British farming’ sign at our Labour Party conference stand. The Defra Secretary, Steve Reed, said at our Back British Farming Day parliamentary reception he was ‘making the case to Treasury to maximise support for farmers’. And the Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner has been on farm six times in the past 100 days.
“There are countless examples of the government showing they value British farming, but these gestures and warm words must now be backed up by policy action,” he added.
Nottingham-based marketing and PR agency, V Formation, has bolstered its digital marketing offering with the appointment of Rory Chambers, a specialist in website development and digital marketing.
Joining the agency’s digital team as Senior Digital Marketing Executive, Rory brings strong expertise in graphic design, branding, SEO, and video production, honed through his previous role as Marketing Manager at health tech start-up GripAble. Prior to this, Rory graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a degree in Marketing.
His addition to V Formation’s growing digital team further enhances the agency’s ability to deliver innovative, high-quality digital solutions for its expanding client portfolio.
Hilary Campton, Director at V Formation, said: “Rory’s passion for website development and graphic design will be an invaluable asset to both our team and our clients. His appointment comes at an exciting time as we approach the end of the year with new projects on the horizon and continued growth across the board.
“Rory’s skillset aligns perfectly with our mission to provide top-tier marketing and PR expertise and support that empowers our clients to thrive.”
Rory said: “From the outset, it was clear that V Formation isn’t just an agency focused on results – it’s a place where people are genuinely valued and supported. The opportunity to collaborate with such a talented team, whilst continuing to develop as a digital marketer, was a key motivator for me. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into client projects, working across a range of B2B sectors.”
Development of lorry parks at multiple locations throughout our region feature in a raft of grants being introduced in a £14m nationwide scheme to enhance efficiency and working conditions in the haulage industry.
Funds are being given to enhance parking and driver welfare facilities throughout Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire including at Immingham, Stallinborough, Ulceby, Colsterworth on the A1, Newark, Sutterton, Bardon in Leicestershire, and numerous Moto locations amongst other.
it’s also intended that more green e-cargo bikes will deliver parcels to doorsteps and that better truckstops will help relieve local congestion, thanks to efforts from both government and industry to drive innovation in freight and improve working conditions.
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood revealed the 23 successful applicants of up to £4.5 million from the government to improve truckstops and working conditions for lorry drivers.
The investment will also help build better dining, changing and rest facilities, as well as new CCTV and secure fencing to boost welfare and security for lorry drivers.
The funding is from the third year of the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme, which will come in addition to £8 million from industry, for a total funding boost of £12.5 million to improve truckstops. This investment comes on top of £1.8 million from the government for 10 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to trial new groundbreaking technology for decarbonising freight and driving innovation in the sector.
Ideas that will become reality include TUAL working with Wincanton to trial high-performance powerbanks for electric lorries, and Innervated Vehicle Engineering working in partnership with Asda to retrofit hydrogen power to small delivery vans.
This funding is the third tranche of the department’s Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator Programme, a £7 million government investment across 3 years to support the freight sector in deploying AI and automation to improve the way trains, lorries, vans, and ships carry parcels and goods.
Lilian Greenwood said: “Freight is a crucial engine of our economy and it is only right we do all we can to improve working conditions, pioneer innovation and drive sustainability across the industry.
“Our funding, combined with investment from the industry, will ensure lorry drivers can enjoy safer parking, a proper rest and a warm meal, while supporting UK businesses to harvest the best of technology to move freight faster, decarbonise our supply chain, and grow the economy for all.”
Government is introducing a new Employment Rights Bill which brings forward 28 individual employment reforms, from ending zero hours contracts and fire and rehire practices to establishing day one rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers.
Its also intended to strengthen statutory sick pay, remove the lower earnings limit for all workers, cut out the waiting period before sick pay kicks in, and scrap the existing two-year qualifying period for protections from unfair dismissal.
Flexible working will be made the default where practical, and large employers will be required to create action plans to address gender pay gaps and support employees through the menopause, as well as strengthened protection against dismissal for pregnant women and new mothers.
The Government says getting the labour market moving again is essential to economic growth, with one in five UK businesses with more than 10 employees reporting staff shortages. It says flexibility, for workers and businesses alike, is key to answering this challenge and is at the heart of the legislation to upgrade the law to ensure it is fit for modern life and a modern economy.
It’s also intended to consult on a new statutory probation period for new hires, allowing for a proper assessment of an employee’s suitability to a role as well as reassuring employees that they have rights from day one, enabling businesses to take chances on hires while giving more people confidence to re-enter the job market or change careers, improving their living standards.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “This is the biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation, boosting pay and productivity with employment laws fit for a modern economy.
“The UK’s out-of-date employment laws are holding our country back and failing business and workers alike. Our plans to make work pay will deliver security in work as the foundation for boosting productivity and growing our economy to make working people better off and realise our potential.”
Two heritage and culturally significant attractions are set to expand their offer and attract even more visitors to the Lincolnshire Wolds following the approval of planning consent.
On 3rd October, on determining two separate applications with unanimous decisions, East Lindsey District Council’s planning committee granted planning permission and listed building consent for Alford Manor House and the grounds of Alford Windmill.
The consent marks a huge milestone for both projects which, once complete, will see new uses for each attraction, generating greater footfall into the town all year round, supporting the local economy, and safeguarding these heritage assets for future generations.
Both sites, along with Spilsby Sessions House, are part of the Lincolnshire Wolds: Culture and Heritage Programme. The ambitious regeneration scheme is benefitting from £8 million funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to regenerate the assets to secure their future.
The permission for Alford Manor House will realise a new permanent, flexible event space which will see the temporary marquee removed that has been in place since 2006. The new function room will allow the Manor House to provide event space for up to 100 people. The consent also includes minor works to the car park and construction of a canopy to store large pieces of machinery for the Rural Life Museum and workshop.
The consent for the Alford Windmill site includes a new visitor centre incorporating a café and shop, refurbishment of the Miller’s Cottage into a two-bed holiday accommodation, refurbishment of the Sail Store as an educational space, the pigsty to be converted into a children’s play area, refurbishment of the former shop to display Millwright tools, and landscaping throughout the site.
The approvals follow a period of public consultation, including local residents, Alford Town Council, Historic England, Natural England and Heritage Lincolnshire. The Council will continue to work alongside Lincolnshire County Council at Alford Windmill as the project develops.
Cllr Graham Marsh, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at East Lindsey District Council, said: “I am delighted the Council’s planning committee has supported these ambitious plans which will help secure the future for these attractions.
“The Council is working collaboratively with Alford Manor House and Alford Windmill Trust as well as other partners to bring new uses and extend the visitor offer which is important for the local economy and to grow tourism opportunities in the Lincolnshire Wolds.
“These attractions hold so much historic value for local people as well as wider East Lindsey. A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get to the milestone of planning approval today and I look forward to seeing these projects being delivered further over the coming months.”
Cllr Adam Grist, Portfolio Holder for Market Towns at East Lindsey District Council, said: “Both Alford Manor House and Alford windmill are part of the fabric that makes Alford the historic market town that it is. I am therefore, delighted that these schemes have been given the go ahead to bring these plans to life.
“The plans offer great potential to really impact the tourism economy of the Lincolnshire Wolds and bring visitors and holidaymakers to Alford and the surrounding Wolds.
“These plans are hugely exciting and the benefits they bring will be far reaching for businesses and organisations in Alford and surrounding areas.”
William Silby from STEM Architects said: “We are pleased to see the planning officers and local councillors support the projects with a unanimous decision to approve both applications.
“It has been a pleasure working with the rest of the design team, ELDC and the trustees at both Alford Manor House and Windmill. We are looking forward to continuing with the next stages of both projects. In particular, it is fantastic that these schemes will support the ongoing viability of the Windmill and Manor House and protect these beautiful heritage assets for generations to come.”
A range of pre-construction work will now continue on both sites ready for work to start next year. A planning application for Spilsby Sessions House is due to be submitted later this year.
The latest in a line of mergers for the fast-growing practice Streets Chartered Accountants sees a coming together of two highly successful, pioneering tech powered firms, which focus on innovation in delivering assurance and financial management, especially for Fin Tech start-ups and scale-ups.
Streets, a top 40 UK professional service firm, has revealed that the boutique practice of Mitch Consulting Limited, which provides outsourced accounting and finance solutions centred around the use of cloud-based programmes and digital platforms, has merged with the firm’s Bristol practice Streets Steele, which has developed an industry leading virtual finance office service for clients running a fast moving, dynamic and rapidly growing business.
When asked about the merger, Mark Mitchell, co-founder of Mitch Consulting Limited, said: “With a background and career in the financial management of technology related businesses including some very large and well known companies, we founded Mitch Consulting in 2014, based on a clear understanding of the need to support start-up and scale-up enterprises. In particular we recognised that many such businesses could benefit from a CFO and finance team but couldn’t afford them.
“Through the use of a technology stack using the latest in accountancy and financial management software and more contemporary ways of working, we found we were able to provide an affordable and highly effective solution. An experienced team of highly qualified accountants with relevant industry experience has also ensured that we have been able to offer high end and specialist advice and support.
“For our practice to grow and as part of our own succession planning, we needed to consider the next steps for the business. We spent some time considering the options as well as potential firms to join up with. The decision was very much focused around a shared vision and appreciation of our business model, especially around the need to embrace technology and realise its benefits in terms of looking after and working with clients.
“With its established virtual finance office service and appetite and enthusiasm for innovation, we were delighted to enter into discussions and ultimately come together with Streets.
“We particularly like the opportunities that the merger offers for the continued growth of the business and the opportunities it offers existing and future team members. We also see the merger benefiting clients through their ability to access additional services, including specialist personal and business tax planning, specialist R&D tax reliefs, banking & finance and corporate law.”
Looking at what the merger means to Streets, the firm’s Managing Partner, Paul Tutin, said: “The merger of Mitch Consulting with Streets is one of five mergers we have completed in less than 6 months. This, the latest one, was particularly exciting as it has enabled us to build on our focus to drive innovation in the delivery and provision of service for our clients both now and in the future.
“We fully recognise the importance of embracing technology and the role it can play in meeting the need for effective and meaningful financial reporting and management for all businesses, especially those operating in the fast-moving Fin Tech sector.
“Having Mitch Consulting join us, along with our dedicated VFO team in Bristol, provides a real boost to our service offering and helps to set us apart from our competition. We are truly excited about the opportunities this merger provides and developing an industry leading service.
“This latest merger with Streets means that the practice now has 27 offices, over 60 Partners and directors, more than 350 members of staff and annualised fee income of more than £39 million.
“We are also currently in discussions with a number of firms around potential mergers, with hopefully a number of further announcements over the next few months.”
Streets Law, the firms dedicated corporate and commercial law offering led by Managing Director and Solicitor Adam Aisthorpe, undertook the legal work on behalf of Streets for the merger, including drafting the sale and purchase agreement and dealing with the due diligence process in collaboration with internal colleagues in the tax and audit teams at Streets.
The firm’s in house law team has now completed 10 mergers for Streets in the last 3 years, whilst at the same time advising the Streets client base on M&A transactions worth in excess of £250 million in that time. Streets Law also advises clients on business restructuring and refinancing transactions, MBOs, shareholders agreements and a variety of commercial contracts.
Ashton Legal, Norwich and Corporate and Commercial Solicitor Jasmine Allen acted on behalf of the sellers, Mark Mitchell and Jane Mitchell, on the sale of the practice to Streets.
Woodall Homes, the BGF-backed Derbyshire house builder, is gearing up for significant growth after securing full planning approval on its latest site – the ninth development now in progress in the region.
The house builder, which received a £4.25 million investment from BGF three years ago, has received approval for 87 dwellings in Ashbourne. This follows a recent full planning approval for 161 dwellings on their Boleappleton View site in Bolsover.
In addition, development has commenced on 75 dwellings in Calow, 18 in Darley Dale, and 15 in Stocksbridge. It is also due to commence construction on a high profile and exclusive 65-dwelling part conversion / part new build scheme near Lowdham, Nottinghamshire early in the New Year.
In total, Woodall Homes is on target to deliver over 400 homes in the next three to four years, taking full advantage of its recent planning successes, which have provided the house builder with immediate delivery opportunities in line with its ambitious growth strategy.
Chris Dwan, Land and Planning Director at Woodall Homes, said: “The foundations that we’ve put down by bringing these key strategic sites forward will position us perfectly in the coming years, aligning with our strong growth aspirations.
“That said, we are always looking for further opportunities, whether that’s sites with or without residential planning status or allocation. The current pipeline of developments demonstrates our in-house planning capabilities and strengthens our position as a key strategic development partner, working with landowners to enhance their land values through the planning system.”
Aaron Baker is an investor at BGF and sits on the Woodall Group board. He said: “The success that Woodall Homes has achieved in the last few years is testament to their ability to bring to market exciting developments, while remaining committed to building a strong land bank.
“As the team continues to seize opportunities and accelerate development activity, we expect them to deliver against their ambitious growth plans and realise the potential that exists in the regional residential property market.”
There has been a 38% increase in the serious penalties issued for what HMRC says are ‘deliberate’ VAT errors in the last year, according to chartered accountants and business advisors Lubbock Fine.
These errors refer to cases where HMRC believes the business made an active decision to illegally underpay VAT, perhaps by not declaring the correct VAT on sales, or overclaiming VAT on costs. In those cases businesses can be fined up to 100% of the VAT owed.
The number of these serious fines has increased to 2,781 in the past year from 2,011 in the previous year. In total, HMRC handed out £153 million in fines across 46,376 penalties in the past year as it cracks down on errors that are deemed ‘deliberate’.
Jas Dhillon, VAT Partner at Lubbock Fine, says: “HMRC is getting tougher with its VAT fines and issuing a growing number of its most serious penalties. It’s difficult not to conclude that it’s a concerted effort to bring in more cash.
“HMRC appears to be taking a tougher approach to VAT penalties, aiming to categorise more inaccuracies as ‘deliberate’. Classifying errors as ‘innocent’ would result in lower penalties, or even no penalty at all – which of course means a smaller take for the taxman.”
For the most serious cases – those HMRC terms ‘deliberate and concealed’ – penalties can range between 30% and 100% of the tax due. These are cases where HMRC believes the taxpayer has deliberately or intentionally tried to avoid paying their taxes, often through false or amended documents. The number of these penalties rose 4% in the past year, from 1,924 to 1,994.
Milton Keynes-based Grand Union Housing Group and Rushden-based Longhurst Group have agreed to come together and merge as single entity after Boards at both organisations unanimously agreed to the proposal and signed off a detailed business case.
The aim is for both organisations to come together formally and legally in December under a new name and brand.
The new organisation will own and manage over 37,000 homes and employ over 1,400 colleagues across the Midlands and East of England. This will make it one of the largest housing associations in the region.
By joining together, the organisations say they will unlock significant potential to invest even more in their existing homes and communities, while building more much needed affordable homes and improving the services their customers receive.
Back in July, the two housing associations announced their intention to merge and have since completed a consultation with their customers about the proposal and undergone a process of due diligence before reaching their final decision.
Lasting six weeks, the customer consultation closed in September and saw just under 2,000 customers provide feedback, either by post, online or over the phone.
In total, 47 percent of all feedback from customers of both organisations was positive or very positive, with only 20 percent negative or very negative.
A Shadow Board and Shadow Executive Team have been appointed and will take on responsibility for the new organisation.
Chief Executive of the new organisation will be current Longhurst Group Chief Executive, Julie Doyle, while Emma Killick, currently Chair of Grand Union’s Board, will become Chair.
After 25 years with the company, Aileen Evans, the current Chief Executive of Grand Union, decided not to put herself forward for a role with the new organisation and will step down from Grand Union once the merger is completed.
Emma Killick, Chair of Grand Union, said: “It’s a real privilege to take on the role of Chair as we bring these fantastic organisations together.
“Our new organisation will have significant potential to make a positive difference to thousands of people’s lives across the regions we serve, improving the homes and services we provide and building more homes.
“I’m really looking forward to working more closely with Julie Doyle. We share the same drive and passion to improve the lives of people who rely upon us the most and her philosophy and her values align so closely with those of Grand Union.
“Bringing the two organisations together really does seem like the perfect fit and we’ll be in extremely safe hands with Julie at the helm.”
Julie Doyle, Chief Executive of Longhurst Group, said: “I’m delighted to have been appointed Chief Executive of the new organisation. A significant amount of work has already taken place and I can’t wait to formally bring the two organisations together in December.
“I’m aware I have some very big boots to fill. I’m proud to class Aileen as a friend and she’s someone I have huge respect and admiration for. I’m confident that the new organisation will build on these principles to ensure we’re able to do even more for our customers, the communities we serve and our colleagues.
“I’m looking forward to working with Emma and the rest of the Board, and senior leadership team, to bring both organisations together and ensure we have the plans in place to realise our objectives.
“Both organisations have acknowledged that we haven’t got everything right and there are improvements we need to make, but the opportunity to merge brings with it fantastic potential for us to achieve even more, building more affordable homes and being a reliable and trusted landlord that delivers the homes and services that our customers need and expect.”
Reflecting on the integral role Aileen Evans has played in Grand Union’s growth and success over the years, Emma Killick added: “Aileen has been pivotal to ensuring that Grand Union has continued to deliver on its purpose of providing homes for those that need them.
“In recent years, she’s continued this fantastic work despite the sector experiencing some of the most challenging environments it has faced in years, including the pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Aileen. With her fantastic reputation and profile in the housing sector, a sector I know she retains huge affection for, I’m sure she’ll continue to be a force for good and drive change and improvement.
“I, along with the rest of the Board and all Grand Union colleagues, thank her wholeheartedly and wish her all the very best for the future.”
Aileen became Group Chief Executive in July 2017, having previously been Group Operations Director. Under her leadership, Grand Union came together as a single organisation following a unification, then moved to a single office in Milton Keynes. From there, the organisation has started to transform and modernise the way it works, by using data and technology to improve services for customers and colleagues.
Aileen, who will still serve on the board of the Chartered Institute of Housing and volunteer for Furnishing Futures – a charity that creates healing homes for domestic abuse survivors – said: “Stepping down from Grand Union is the hardest decision I’ve ever made.
“It’s a bit of a cliché, but it genuinely has been a privilege to lead Grand Union over the last seven years and I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved in my time as Chief Executive.
“I’m incredibly grateful to those who have helped us achieve what we have. Every day I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside amazing colleagues and board members and got to see the positive impact they consistently have.
“Julie will be a fantastic CEO of the newly merged organisation, her values and integrity guide everything she does, and I feel happy in entrusting Grand Union’s proud legacy to her.
“After a bit of a break, I’ll still be around in the sector. As well as all the other issues facing the sector, there’s a housing crisis to solve.”
Northampton College will tackle the UK’s acute shortage of construction workers with up-to-date ‘green skills’ head on with the opening of a £500,000 renewable energies education and training facility.
The new Green Skills Centre at Booth Lane will provide up to 250 students with daily access to the latest green technologies each year, reskill adults who want to move into the construction industry and upskill existing professionals in the sector.
It will also support a variety of green initiatives run by Northampton College, such as the Big Rig Low Carbon Challenge, which promotes sustainable construction careers to secondary school students across the county.
Designed by decarbonisation specialist and renewable training provider Quantum, the centre features rigs and bays for air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar PV, solar thermal, wind generation, electrification of vehicles and EV charging and promotes sustainable construction methods and materials.
Students will receive training on top-of-the-range low carbon technologies such as Daikin air source heat pumps.
Deputy Principal Patrick Leavey said: “We tasked Quantum with creating one of the best renewable technology centres in the country for us and they haven’t disappointed.
“This incredible facility will support the UK’s targets around carbon reduction and help to address the acute skills shortages within construction personnel to meet the rising demand for green technologies.
“This is a fantastic resource for Northamptonshire and the region and will strengthen the area’s construction and built environment workforce by providing them with specialist green construction skills which are needed across the UK.”
Construction Curriculum Manager Mark Bradshaw added: “The technology in our Green Skills Centre is highly sophisticated and we’re replicating the best contemporary professional practices there to help our region get to net zero.
“With support from Castle Climate Control and Thorn Electrical we’ll be offering master classes, we’re developing a range of competency and licence-to-practice courses in various green technologies and we’re also creating a sustainability course.”
The new facility, which is next to the College’s existing Advanced Construction Engineering Centre, will also be used to support an ongoing partnership Northampton College has with the University of Northampton to research efficient design and implementation of low carbon adoption.
Green skills was identified as a priority skills development area within the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), with the centre partially funded with support from the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF).
With the rise of Ai, Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR, stresses the importance of being more ‘I’.
I had an interesting exchange with someone recently, when discussing branding, Ai and marketing.
For some, Ai, images-wise for blogs as far as I’m concerned, has been a game-changer. I have been able to be even MORE prolific in my content. It has freed me up no end in terms of productivity and getting things done that look waaaaay better than a woeful stock image would muster.
For others, they have finally begun making some marketing moves. I love this. However, whilst Ai has made content so much easier to create, with that ease has come a tidal wave of tedium. There is less personality, simply by dint of it being way easier to bash out some copy and conjure a clever picture. It is almost too easy and with that, there is always a danger of even more “Meh” in your marketing.
It doesn’t have to be like this! That’s why when I do media stories about me working with my clients, there is zero Ai. There is ME, with my client, being human and…hold the phones…having FUN! Dun, dun, durrrrrr!
Take the press release I put out this week about working with business psychology expert Penny Strutton. Penny is FUN. She is not from a corporate background and has a wonderful vibrancy about her. So, the photo we did to illustrate the story was dynamic.
Was it a faff? Yes! Did we have to carve out 2 hours for travel and logistics? Yes. Did Penny forget the Twister mat thingy she uses and had to go back and get it? Yes. But the point is, she did. Did I fall over attempting to stretch in an unnatural way? No comment.
The result is that people know we are working together, and they know why, mainly because Penny is rebranding from her “Think Forward” corporate identity, which all sounds very nice and professional BACK to her name. Why?
You’ve all heard the phrase ‘People buy from people’, so put the people back into the brand.
Penny’s brand is actually HER. Here’s Penny’s take: ‘‘In today’s landscape, where Ai is automating many tasks, people want to work with real people, not faceless brands.
“My work has always been about helping individuals and teams thrive and by bringing my personal brand to the forefront, I’m better able to connect with clients who value that human touch. Think Forward remains the core methodology I use to deliver results but this partnership with Greg will ensure that personal touch and human message is heard clearly.”
Note Penny used my name, not ‘Press For Attention PR’.
In a world of Ai, be more ‘I’. Maybe the penny will drop for a few folk reading this too.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this column in the October issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine, here.
A bakery has been fined more than £360,000 after one of its employees lost a finger in machinery at a site in Northamptonshire.
Jacksons Bakery, a supplier of bread used in the commercial making of sandwiches, was given the fine after an engineer had a finger on his right hand caught in a flour sifting machine.
The then 31-year-old was assisting colleagues as they attempted to maintain the machine by clearing a blockage at the plant in Corby on 2 February 2023.
Following removal of a guard, as the engineer assisted with the task, he checked the tension of a drive belt and his hand got pulled around the bottom pully which resulted in the amputation of part of his right middle finger. The engineer was unaware that the machine had been switched back on.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Jacksons Bakery Limited failed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all their employees.
In this instance there was a failure to implement a safe system of work ensuring that machinery was isolated and then locked off during maintenance work when fixed guards would be removed.
Additionally, HSE found that engineers were unclear on when to isolate and ‘lock out tag out’ machines due to an absence of adequate training and instruction – and the fact that it was custom and practice to not robustly isolate and lock off illustrated an absence of adequate supervision and monitoring.
Jacksons Bakery Limited of The Riverside Building, Liverstone Road, Hessle, East Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to contravening a requirement of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The company was fined £366,666 and was ordered to pay £5,386 costs at a hearing at Wellingborough Magistrates Court on 3 October 2024.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Rebecca Gibson said: “This unnecessary incident highlights the duty on employers to ensure that there are robust procedures in place relating to maintenance activities.
“If an appropriate ‘lock out tag out’ procedure had been produced and implemented and with suitable training, the serious injury would have been avoided.”
The monthly number of East Midlands businesses with late payments on their books has fallen for the first time this year, while there has also been a drop in insolvency activity in the region.
According to the Midlands branch of R3, the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body, the quantity of East Midlands companies with unpaid invoices past their due date fell to 24,145 in September, which is the region’s lowest number for 2024. It is also the lowest figure for the month across all English regions, except for the North East.
R3’s figures, which are based on an analysis of data from business intelligence provider Creditsafe, also show a decrease in insolvency activity in the East Midlands, which includes liquidator and administrator appointments as well as creditors’ meetings.
R3 Midlands Chair Stephen Rome, a partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper in the region, said: “There are signs that the local economy is shifting from a period of high inflation, stagnation and recession to conditions which are more favourable for growth.
“We have seen retail sales rise over the summer, and the construction and tourism sectors have also received a boost. However, despite some improvement in the local economic picture, there are still significant obstacles to overcome as we head into the critical pre-Christmas trading period.
“It is therefore absolutely crucial for both new and longer-established businesses to keep a careful eye on cashflow and to plan ahead. As soon as any significant financial difficulties arise, professional advice should be sought so that rescue options can be maximised.”
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