Trebor Developments exchange off market deal on Northampton employment site
Property specialist appointed to operate multi-million-pound build-to-rent development in Leicester
Property specialist Centrick has been appointed to launch and operate a new multi-million-pound build-to-rent (BTR) development in Leicester.
Centrick will provide its BTR services, through its VICI platform, on behalf of developer and investor Oblix Living for its latest development, The Saxons, comprising 100 one and two-bedroom homes.
Centrick founder James Ackrill said: “It is enormously exciting to be working alongside Oblix Living once again, watching The Saxons coming to life, and we are very pleased to be launching this scheme.
“Working with Oblix Living is always a pleasure. It is great to see their BTR vision come to fruition and to be able to share in the success of launching a high-quality scheme which focuses on the residents and addresses their needs in so many ways.”
Centrick BTR director Clare Johnson said: “The Saxons is a fabulous boutique scheme, and we are looking forward to working alongside Oblix Living to deliver outstanding consulting, pre-launch, branding and of course operational BTR services which we have continued to grow over many years of experience and expertise in this key growth sector. “With community-led technology and a dedicated residents’ experience team, we will work hand-in-hand with residents to create a thriving, sustainable community.”Rishi Patel, CEO of Oblix Living, said: “At Oblix Living we’ve always focused on service, design, and amenities in key locations to provide design-led, well specified apartments that residents are proud to call home.
“I’m delighted to be launching The Saxons, which is our second Build to Rent development and our first in Leicester, and excited for residents to enjoy not just the convenience and opportunity of the city, but the living spaces and exceptional communal spaces within the development.”
Nottingham housebuilder secures £1m funding facility to deliver first development
Nottingham-based Infinity Homes has secured a £1m funding facility to deliver the company’s first development which will be located off Holmgate Road in Clay Cross.
The development will comprise five three-bedroom bungalows and, once complete, will have a gross development value of £1.6m.
The £1m funding facility has been secured by Infinity Homes from merchant banking group Close Brothers.
A team from law firm Gordons, led by partner and head of residential development, Michael Finnett, advised Infinity Homes on obtaining the facility.
Work started on site in January, with the first residents expected to move into their new homes this August.
Infinity Homes director, Joshua Greveson, said: “It’s fantastic to have secured this facility to deliver our development. Michael and the team at Gordons are highly experienced in securing funding for residential developers, so they were able to expertly navigate the funding process for us.
“We know there is strong demand for new bungalows within Clay Cross, particularly of the type that we are building and with the specification we have. We’ve already made a great start on site having received our first plot reservation and sales interest in the remaining available plots.”
Commenting on the funding deal, Gordons’ Michael Finnett said: “Infinity Homes is an ambitious housebuilding start up business so we are very pleased to have been able to help them with their initial development.
“We are sure it will be the first of many and we look forward to supporting the business and it continues to grow and evolve over time.”
Clowes Developments appoint estate agent to Matlock apartments
Successful Derby IT boss raises money for charity after it gave him a valued start in life
A Derby IT boss has thanked a much-loved children’s charity for helping him start off on the right foot.
Lee Jepson, director of L.E.A.D. IT services, has never forgotten his time with the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness.
Lee, whose company provides IT services to schools across the country, had a holiday at the centre while a pupil at Nightingale Primary School in Allenton – and has kept warm memories of his time there ever since.
He said: “It meant a lot. I wasn’t having any holidays and I think that must have come up in conversation at school, and I think I was nominated by my head teacher to go. It would have been my only opportunity to have a holiday.”
Lee said his abiding memories of the holiday centre were of the games room, where he got an early experience into the world of tech as it was kitted out with retro-classic Atari and Commodore games consoles.
“I was a tech head even then,” said Lee, who also remembers trips to the beach – his first memory of the seaside – playing board games, and getting to know children from different Derbyshire schools.
He said: “I was with other children who weren’t from the same school and that mix was really nice – and it was a first for me.”
Lee is now a successful entrepreneur running his own company, and is committed to giving back to charity having benefited from it as a child.
This summer he and his son will be volunteering at Derby Kids’ Camp – which also provides free holidays to Derbyshire children who might otherwise not get a break.
On May 18 he is also taking on the SkegVegas100 – a 100-mile bike ride from Derby to Skegness that is raising funds for the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre and Derby Kids’ Camp.
Lee said: “Going to the holiday centre meant a lot to me. It’s the reason why I want to give back and help other children in the same way I was helped.”
Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre chair Alan Grimadell said: “Our charity has been going since 1891 and it’s always very moving to hear stories such as this one from Lee Jepson who has gone on to be such a successful entrepreneur.
“It’s wonderful that he has such happy memories of going to the centre as a child and that now he is grown up, he is giving back by undertaking the SkegVegas100 for us. We know that time at our centre means a lot to the children who come to us, not just because it gives them a break, but it gives them a lot of confidence too.
“I wish Lee all the very best with the ride and hope he enjoys seeing inside the centre again when he arrives in Skegness. I look forward to welcoming Lee and all of the Skeg Vegas cyclists when they arrive at the DCHC holiday centre on May 18.”
To support the SkegVegas100 bike ride on May 18, see www.skegvegas100.co.uk and click ‘donate’.
Cheers! Chesterfield firm wins King’s Award for Enterprise
Covid casualty pub gets new lease of life as part of £39m investment by Heineken
Construction partner chosen for expansion work at Rolls Royce’s Raynesway site
Nottingham and Leicester student accommodation properties sold
Unite Students, the owner, manager and developer of student accommodation, is selling six properties to PGIM Real Estate for £184m, of which Unite’s share will be £76m.
The properties, comprising 2,948 beds, are located in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leicester, Liverpool, Nottingham and Sheffield.
The disposal is part of the Group’s portfolio management strategy to increase alignment to high and mid-ranked universities which have the strongest outlook for student demand and support sustainable rental growth.
In Leicester the 219-bed The Grange has been sold, while in Nottingham the 808-bed St Peter’s Court has been sold.Joe Lister, Unite Students Chief Executive, said: “These disposals continue our disciplined approach of recycling capital for reinvestment and further increases our alignment to the strongest universities.
“The growth outlook for purpose-built student accommodation remains compelling and we are tracking a number of new investment opportunities at attractive returns.”
Car finance fraudster gets six years in prison
Work underway on Loughborough arts hub project
Work has begun on a 1930s derelict building in Loughborough to transform it into a multi-media arts hub.
The Generator project, which is supported by a £1.6 million grant from Loughborough Town Deal, will become a new multimedia arts centre for performances, exhibitions, and community engagement.
Support has also come from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund, an Arts Council England Project Grant, and a successful Crowdfunding campaign.
Based on Packe Street in Loughborough, the Generator received further funding in December 2023 of £700,000 from the Community Ownership Fund and it has just been announced that the project will benefit from a further £400,000 through an Arts Council England Capital grant.
The work has now begun with the building expected to be completed and open to the public in spring 2025.
It is one of 11 projects Loughborough Town Deal is backing after securing £16.9 million of Government funding. In total, the projects are worth over £40 million of investment for the town.
Martin Traynor OBE, Chair of Loughborough Town Deal, said: “I am delighted to see work under way at the Generator project now that additional funding has been secured.
“This important project has the potential to be a significant feature in Loughborough’s expanding arts and culture scene.
“This is a building with tremendous architectural heritage and character that will be brought back into use following an extensive refurbishment. I look forward to following the progress of this project and joining the team for the opening of this new facility in 2025.”
The project is being led by the Generator Loughborough Community Interest Company.
David Pagett-Wright, Chair of The Generator Loughborough CIC, said: “With the building work underway, to achieve an opening in Spring 2025, this additional funding will let us realise even more of our goals, providing high quality creative and cultural experiences for people in Loughborough, Leicestershire and beyond.”
The recent funding announcements have meant that work on the building could start. It will include structural work to the roof and basement, the installation of a new mezzanine viewing platform, stairs and lift, toilets, doors, windows and flooring, sound and heat insulation and a bar being installed.
The 1930s building was originally home to diesel generators that powered the then Loughborough College’s many town centre departments.
Charnwood Borough Council has also supported the project with funding.
Cllr Jennifer Tillotson, the Council’s lead member for economic development, regeneration and town centre, said: “This is such an exciting project and it is fantastic to see the work on the building underway.
“It is key that we offer residents, students and visitors a place to come and be creative and the Generator certainly will be that. There will also be economic benefits to this project with it attracting more footfall to the town centre as people come to see and work in this intriguing building.”
Rural Bassetlaw businesses encouraged to bid for funding
The Access Group swoops for automation provider
The Access Group, a Loughborough-based provider of business management software to mid-market organisations in the UK, Ireland, the US and Asia Pacific, has entered into an agreement to acquire Lightyear, a provider of finance automation solutions.
This latest acquisition will extend the Group’s offering in ERP software globally and transform the purchasing and AP customer experience. Founded in 2017, Lightyear has grown rapidly across APAC, EMEA and North America.
Claire Carter, Managing Director of Access ERP, said: “Lightyear is a great fit for our business. The proven success and innovation of the Lightyear team excite us and show huge potential for the future of this world-class product in conjunction with the other solutions we provide today. Following completion of regulatory reviews, we will be delighted to welcome Lightyear into our Access ERP eco-system.”
Chris Gregg, Lightyear CEO, said: “Joining the Access Group is a tremendous milestone for our team and our customers. Together we can innovate faster and deliver more benefit to our mutual customers. I have been thoroughly impressed with their customer focus, ambition and culture. We are excited to be joining their mission.”
Claire Carter summarised: “This latest acquisition supports our growth strategy and focuses on delivering solutions that meet the needs of our expanding international customer base. We look forward to welcoming Lightyear customers, partners and employees into The Access Group.”
Leicester cleaning services company keeps it in the family with acquisition
Contractor raises money for life saving charity with 100km challenge
G F Tomlinson colleagues are donning their hiking boots to complete the Lake District ‘Ultra Challenge’ in June, raising money for the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust.
Already underway with training, site managers Ed Smith and Phil Laverick will be walking 100km in 24 hours as part of the challenge, crossing the complex terrain of the Lake District on the 8th and 9th of June.
The Midlands contractor announced the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust as its chosen charity of the year back in January and alongside the Ultra Challenge, G F Tomlinson will be hosting a variety of events over the next 12 months to raise further funds for the trust’s research.
Aortic Dissection is a serious heart condition caused by a partial tear in the wall of the aorta, which prevents blood supply and can lead to the rupturing of organs.
Seventy people are diagnosed with the condition each week in the UK and Ireland with only an average survival rate of 50%.
The trust aims to help raise awareness and funding for research into early detection, supporting prevention, treatment, and cures for the condition, which if diagnosed and treated in time, can have an 80% survival rate.
Senior site manager, Phil Laverick, said: “While this Ultra Challenge is going to be a mammoth undertaking, it is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness for the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust.
“Ed and I are currently training hard for this event and adding up the blisters by the week. We look forward to the 8th June and thank you for your support.”
Patron of the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust, Pauline Latham, said: “I would like to thank G F Tomlinson for their fundraising efforts on behalf of the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust. This fundraising will help the trust to develop further research to improve diagnosis and save lives, as well as to raise awareness of this little-known condition.
“G F Tomlinson’s have already done so much for this cause, and once again, I am very grateful for their support.”
Chairman of G F Tomlinson, Andy Sewards, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust as our chosen charity for 2024. When Patron, Pauline Latham contacted back in January, we were only too happy to get involved and help create a greater awareness of this serious medical condition, to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and ultimately, survival rates for over 3,500 sufferers every year.
“As well as the sterling efforts of Ed and Phil, the Company have an extensive programme of fundraising events organized throughout the year including a charity quiz night, raffle, and staff sporting events.”
You can support Ed and Phil’s efforts to raise money for the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust here.
New 800-home community proposed in Narborough and Enderby
Basware acquires Northamptonshire cloud-based platform
New owner for Loughborough pharmacy & Post Office business
Acres teams up with Vegas
Melbourne-based Acres Engineering, best known for its work in the aerospace, rail and automotive industries, has a new niche, after teaming up with much loved entertainer Johnny Vegas for his new exhibition at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery.
Vegas has collaborated with the esteemed Wirral artist Emma Rodgers on a joint exhibition titled “Metamorphosis,” an apt title given Johnny graduated in art and ceramics at the University of Middlesex three decades ago.
Indeed, he calls this “my rebirth.”
Both artists have presented two-dimensional pieces as well as sculptures in bronze, clay, and 3D printing, all unified by the theme of flight.
One of Johnny’s artworks featured angels perched on metal RSJs, which provided a contrasting finish that completed the display.
However, the RSJs were too heavy, so after Emma suggested they could mix sculptural materials Johnny reached out to Acres to create replicas of the RSJs from a thinner, lighter material, with the condition that they retained the same industrial appearance as the original pieces.
Johnny visited Acres on two occasions to communicate his requirements and after a number of variants testing out different thickness of material, the perfect balance of weight vs aesthetics vs functionality was found.
Johnny even joined in with the team during the final manufacture.
Luke Parker, Managing Director at Acres Engineering, said: “We are proud that Johnny selected Acres to work with on this important project so close to his heart. Johnny was really impressed with our facilities, our craftsmanship and most importantly our team.
“It was great to see him getting so involved and engaged but he’s a born entertainer as well as an incredibly talented artist so we had a tonne of fun along the way. We look forward to working with Johnny in the future on bigger projects – watch this space!”
Johnny’s work draws massively from his experiences of living with ADHD which he describes as an “accursed blessing,” with concepts of flight, faith, and fear of failure prominent.
As he put the finishing touches to the display at The Walker, Vegas was understandably proud and a little emotional: “I think I’m going to cry…but they’ll be good tears.
“I’m living my best life right now and I can’t tell you what it means to be exhibiting here at The Walker. I want to give a massive shout to Luke and the team at Acres. They’re a family firm and that means a lot to me, I wish my dad (Laurence Pennington, who died from cancer in 2017) could walk in here with me and see this.
“He used to get grief when I was at art school because ‘your lad’s doing pottery’ but he had a deep appreciation for anything creative, and for breaking free from social expectations. He would have absolutely loved it.
“I hope to be able to nip down to Acres with Emma to show her the range of tech and skills the team has because they’ve helped to make this possible after Emma’s bright idea to mix sculptural materials – see you soon team!”
Work commences on 128 affordable homes in Wellingborough
The construction of 128 new homes at Roundhouse Way in Wellingborough has been marked by a site visit from key stakeholders.
The event, held at the new development site that will be known as Station Island, was attended by senior development representatives from national affordable housing provider, Stonewater, members of Vistry Group, the construction partner for the project, as well as consultants Ridge and Partners LLP.
From the creation of the 128 new homes, 11 will be available for affordable rent, with a further 14 available on a Rent to Buy scheme, meaning customers can rent a home at 80 per cent of the market rent, allowing them to save for a deposit and purchase their own home after five years. 39 of the homes will be allocated for shared ownership and the remaining 64 homes available for social rent.
A piece of public art will be installed at the scheme, a key feature that Stonewater has strived to include in all of its developments since 2012, to encourage a sense of community among customers.
Chris Montague, Development Director for East and North at Stonewater, said: “These new homes on Roundhouse Way will help to fill the gap for affordable homes within Wellingborough.
“The range of housing options will mean that people in the local area will be able to choose a home that best suits their needs. We’re excited for work to be starting and look forward to this new community beginning to grow.”
Andy Reynolds, Managing Director of Vistry South East Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Stonewater on this development in Wellingborough. Once complete, it will not only meet the housing needs of the area but will help create a new thriving and sustainable community.”
