Corby contractor launches new fund to help local community
Charities and community groups in Corby are now able to access a new funding pot thanks to local building contractor Kori Construction.
The business, based on Headway Business Park in Corby, has launched an annual fund of £10,000 and is encouraging charities and other groups from the town to apply for a share of the money.
The fund has been set up to celebrate Kori Construction’s roots in Corby and to enable the town to share in the business’s ongoing success.
The money will be allocated in two sums of £5,000 each year, and any organisation working in sustainability, social inclusion, or strengthening local communities is free to apply.
Kori Construction Managing Director Jordan Connachie said the company had always been a keen supporter of its hometown and as it had grown as a business, the directors wanting to extend that support.
He said: “Although we now have a national footprint in terms of our developments, we are very much a Corby business. Many of our employees live in Corby and our name, Kori, dates back to the first settlers who created the beginnings of a town here.
“We’re launching this fund to help make a small difference to the lives of local people and communities, and we’re looking forward to receiving applications from a range of charities and organisations.
“With so many worthwhile causes out there, it is going to be difficult to decide which ones to support. However, knowing the money pledged will have the biggest positive impact it can is very important to us, so that will be high on the list of priorities when it comes to making a decision.”
The idea is the brainchild of Elaine Kendall, Kori’s Head of Sustainability and Communications, who was featured in the NFB’s 2023 list of Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction.
As well as pledging £10,000 to Corby-based charities and community groups, Kori Construction is also making £2,500 available to community groups around each of its developments.
Elaine said: “At Kori, we believe that construction doesn’t stop with creating a new building. Buildings, after all, are all about people – the people who will live in them, work in them, and live around them. They have a huge impact on people’s lives.
“Our philosophy is to always maximise the positive impact of our developments as far as we possibly can. By launching these funds, we’re trying to create real and tangible differences for local communities.”
The £2,500 funding, which will be part of each individual scheme Kori is appointed to, will provide support for community-based activities or projects aligned to Kori’s sustainability strategy, to promote inclusion and positive change, strengthen communities or safeguard the world.
The Luxury Food Collective launches exclusive corporate gift hampers in time for Christmas
Specialist online retailer The Luxury Food Collective has unveiled a new range of exquisite corporate hampers and gifts, perfect for sending a very special thank you to clients this festive season.
Bringing something different to the corporate gifting market, The Luxury Food Collective launched in summer 2023 by entrepreneur Peter Ahye. Peter devoted almost two years to sourcing the finest food and drink offerings from producers, growers and artisans across Europe. By nurturing relationships with the people who hold these traditional and time-honoured methods of production, he has been able to bring a unique portfolio of products to the UK for the very first time to create something truly special.
Starting from £38 and ranging to £240, each hamper has been expertly crafted by the team at The Luxury Food Collective for every taste. With products from artisans such as Fauchon, the French delicatessen, H Forman and Son’s delectable smoked salmon range, and champagnes and wines from the very best vineyards in Europe, the gifting range is the perfect solution for businesses searching for gifts with a personal touch for clients and colleagues.
Around 90% of the products available from The Luxury Food Collective are exclusive within the UK, meaning that a hamper or gift box is a totally unique way to spread joy this festive season. Each delivery from The Luxury Food Collective comes with a personalised information card detailing the products and their provenance. The card includes a scannable QR code for recipients to learn more about their gift.
Highlights from this year’s Christmas range include the Non-Alcoholic Wines, Juices & Tea (£95.00), a selection of six delicate beverages designed to toast to the party season without the alcohol content. Featuring French Bloom’s iconic Le Rosé Organic Bubbly as well as Alain Milliat Jus Raisin Rouge, a luxury Merlot grape juice.
Also available is the Hand Selected Crisps & Snacks Gift Box (£42.50) – the perfect selection of nine luxury snacks including artisan popcorn from Popcorn Shed, Fauchon’s Mini Crepes with Cheddar and Brusa’s Grissini Piemontesi breadsticks from Italy. For the season that’s peppered with guests popping by, it always pays to have some delicious snacks to tempt.
For a classic option, the Champagne, London Cure Smoked Salmon & Caviar Gift Box (£150.00) offers a timeless combination to ring in the festive season. This set comes with a mother-of-pearl serving spoon for that perfect final touch.
Founder of The Luxury Food Collective, Peter Ahye says: “Businesses are built on relationships, and we believe that there is no relationship more important than our connection with food.
“It’s that time of the year when many of us are searching for ways to show appreciation for clients and professional contacts across our networks, and we wanted to offer something that is truly special. A hamper or gift box from The Luxury Food Collective is unique and meaningful, as our range is meticulously curated to offer delicacies that you simply can’t find anywhere else.”
Thanks to The Luxury Food Collective’s close relationships nurtured with the producers directly, it is committed to championing ethical and sustainable products. The full range is responsibly farmed, prioritises animal welfare and minimises environmental impact. Additionally, there is a range of year-round gifts, prices from £60.
The Luxury Food Collective delivers throughout the UK. For more information and to purchase, please visit www.theluxuryfoodcollective.com/collections/corporate-gifting.
Finch Consulting makes new appointment
Leicestershire-based health and safety risk management experts; Finch Consulting, have appointed mechanical and electrical Chartered Engineer Tom Leach.
With over 20 years’ of practical experience starting with an NVQ in welding, more recently in various roles including surveying, project management, consultancy, and as an associate director, Tom will be joining Finch as a senior consultant.
In his new role, Tom will be fluid in his skillset working in both Finch’s Consultancy and Expert services able to win and deliver work.
Tom said: “I am thrilled to be joining such an agile and multi-disciplined team where I feel I can make my mark and add value to the business. I will also be furthering my professional development through Finch taking on several courses.”
Dom Barraclough, Managing Director, said: “Tom compliments our resources and competencies, mainly in Asset Management but also Health and Safety Management capabilities, by bringing additional infrastructure M&E experience and contacts to boost our plan.
“Our plan sets out to build work in manufacturing while diversifying with infrastructure, energy and defence, and build our reputation as the people to come to for highly qualified, highly experienced real-world experts in criminal and large complex technical cases (UK and International arbitrations).
“Tom is our first recruit through our new in house recruitment process designed and led by Jade which is a real testament to the growth of the company.”
E.ON worker steals £70k from employer
A customer service advisor stole almost £70,000 from her employer and sent it to seven others in order to launder the proceeds from her crime.
Gina Rani used her position at E.ON to facilitate a series of refunds that she paid to family members and friends who in return refunded some of the money to her.
Police launched an investigation after E.ON reported £69,844 had been issued as false refunds by Rani between October 2016 and March 2021.
The company told detectives it had uncovered evidence that indicated Rani, aged 36, had abused her position in order to create the false refunds, which she passed onto friends and family in the form of cheques.
The police investigation found Rani had made changes to the E.ON systems in order to process the fraudulent refunds.
She attended a voluntary police interview in which she confessed to her offending, adding that she had “fully messed up.”
She admitted processing refunds totalling £69,844 and that the amount of money deposited back into her own account was approximately £24,000.
Rani, of Lamcote Street, The Meadows, was charged and put before Nottingham Crown Court, where she pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and acquiring / using / possessing criminal property.
She appeared at the court on Thursday, 26 October, for sentencing and was jailed for two years, suspended for two years.
She appeared alongside her seven co-defendants, who all live in Nottingham and each pleaded guilty to acquiring / using / possessing criminal property. They were sentenced as follows:
- Azim Aroon, 35, of Stotfield Road, Wollaton – given a community order comprising 120 hours unpaid work;
- Ryan Aziz, 35, of HMP Nottingham – jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years;
- Paula Fryer, 56, of Woodfield Road, Broxtowe Estate – jailed for 9 months, suspended for 18 months;
- Kirpal Kaur, 62, of Parkdale Road, Bakersfield – jailed for 9 months, suspended for 18 months;
- Shauna Kemp, 22, of Woodfield Road, Broxtowe Estate – discharged conditionally for 12 months;
- Mark Thompson, 36, of Minver Crescent, Aspley – jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years;
- Aisha Xavia, 40, of Eltham Drive, Cinderhill – jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years.
Plans approved for new homes at Chesterfield Waterside
A planning application for more than 100 houses, along with more than 40 apartments at Chesterfield Waterside has been approved.
Following the submission of a detailed planning application in summer 2022, Woodall Homes has secured permission for a residential development and two commercial units as part of the regeneration scheme.
The residential development features 103 contemporary homes and 41 apartments, comprising a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties.
Darren Abbott, planning director at Woodall Homes, said: “We are thrilled that our Chesterfield Waterside application has now been approved.
“Sitting alongside the River Rother corridor, this development will transform the local area with modern, bespoke and energy-efficient properties plus comprehensive landscaping proposals, which include a linear riverside park with trim trail and a natural habitat edge that will provide a significant net gain in biodiversity.
“We can’t wait to reveal more details about the development over the coming months and see the exciting work getting underway as we look to further enrich the community.”
Pedestrian and cycle links are to be provided throughout the site to encourage residents to take advantage of local commuter facilities and nearby amenities of Chesterfield town centre, including the railway station, Chesterfield College and Tapton Golf Course.
Development at Chesterfield Waterside is rapidly continuing, following the completion of One Waterside Place, a seven-storey office building which has already been fully-let to new tenants. Companies now operating from One Waterside Place include two financial firms, BHP and Rosewood Wealth Management, along with Fashion brand, Varley.
New College Leicester’s Business Development Manager shortlisted in national education awards
New College Leicester is celebrating the shortlisting of its Business Development Manager, Wayne Allsopp, in the “Business Development Manager/Bursar of the Year” category at Education Today’s Schools & Supplier Awards.
The School & Supplier Awards, with Education Today, recognises and rewards the suppliers, schools, and individuals who work tirelessly for the greater good of the education sector.
Wayne was nominated by his colleagues at New College Leicester for his commercial acumen, commitment to collaboration and partnerships, as well has his marketing approach to raising the school’s profile among students, parents and the wider community.
Since his arrival at the school, Wayne has had a huge impact on the commercial operations at the school. He has introduced several new income streams, leading to the school now turning over half a million pounds in extra income annually. He is also driving additional income and community involvement through an asset-based community development approach, positioning the school at the heart of the local community.
Wayne has been instrumental in insourcing the catering provision that the school provides and creating an onsite coffee shop to increase footfall through the school at evenings and weekends.
Other projects he has worked on include Building Schools for the Future, the Closed Road Cycle Circuit, The Football Development Centre, The Gymnastics Centre, The Netball and Tennis Courts, the Salix Sustainability Scheme, the Data Centre and the Section 106 Funding from a local housing development, providing extremely welcome sources of income to improve and maintain the school’s estate, during increasingly challenging economic times.
Jane Brown, Principal at New College Leicester, said: “Wayne is always exploring new opportunities and ways of collaborating with additional stakeholders. He is an expert in developing and leading partnerships.
“Key organisations like the NHS West Leicester Children’s Mental Health Team now lease office accommodation from us and their support has been invaluable in dealing with the mental health crisis post the pandemic. Leicestershire Music Service are another partner now based at the school and in return for space they provide tuition for the students.”
Set in New Parks in Leicester, an area of above average levels of social deprivation, New College Leicester places itself at the heart of the local community and has become an over-subscribed school following the success of the team. It has recently increased their pupil admission numbers to cope with the demand.
Wayne Allsopp said: “I am so pleased that the hard work the team at New College has put into improving our school has been recognised by Education Today. It’s not just me, it’s for us all and its fantastic to be considered amongst the best in the UK for our work in providing included, rounded education for all.
“It’s a critical time for students and parents to make their secondary school choices and this kind of recognition helps us to demonstrate the range of opportunities we can provide here at New College.”
Winners will be announced at a black-tie celebration dinner at River Bank Park Plaza Hotel in London on Friday 8th December.
New College is judged to be ‘Good’ by Ofsted.
Council buys converted factory building for affordable homes
Work is now underway to remodel and prepare 58 flats and bedsits to help address the urgent need for more affordable council housing in Leicester.
The city council has recently completed the purchase of the Zip Building – on Rydal Street, close to the city centre – as part of plans originally announced last year.
Leicester City Council bought the building for £5.55million, part-funded by £2.4million of cash from the sale of council properties under the Government’s Right to Buy scheme. This is the maximum allowed under the current rules. The remainder is through a mix of permitted prudential borrowing and allowable debt, which is common for council investments of this type.
The three-storey former factory building will provide 58 affordable flats and bedsits, all of which will be added to the city council’s housing stock and help meet the growing demand for one and two-bedroom affordable homes across the city.
Refurbishment work is now underway and the first council tenants are expected to be able to move into the property by March 2024.
The majority of the units within the Zip Building will be one-bed flats and bedsits. The remaining units will be a mix of two-bed flats – including two wheelchair accessible properties – and three and four-bed cluster flats, some of which will provide support to help people with independent living.
Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, assistant city mayor for housing, said: “The acquisition of the Zip Building will help meet the increasing demand for one and two-bedroom council housing. But we still face a desperate need for more affordable housing in the city.
“The Right to Buy scheme has hit the supply of council housing hard. We’re losing homes much faster that they are being built and it’s time the Right to Buy scheme was abandoned. We have been forced to sell thousands of council houses over the past 30 years.
“That makes it absolutely vital that we invest our Right to Buy cash receipts into schemes like this, which help addressing the critical need for more affordable homes.”
Whenever a council property is sold under Right to Buy, the proceeds of the sale must be used in line with strict Government guidelines. This means that only some of the proceeds can be used to support the costs of building and/or acquiring new affordable homes.
Each year, Leicester City Council loses an average of 400 council homes through the Right to Buy scheme.
To help address the local housing crisis, the city council aims to help provide an additional 1,500 affordable homes in Leicester by 2027.
The Zip Building dates back to around 1900 and was built to the designs of regionally renowned Stockdale Harrison for Thompson & Co wholesale boot and shoe manufacturers. By the mid-20th century, it had been converted into a hosiery factory. The building was redeveloped as residential accommodation around 12 years ago.
As part of the sale negotiations for the building, the city council agreed that all previous tenancies should be honoured until the end of summer 2023, to minimise any disruption.
Gateley Legal bolsters East Midlands construction team with four appointments
Gateley Legal has bolstered its Nottingham-based construction team to a total of nine legal professionals servicing the East Midlands region following four new appointments.
Della Copley joins Gateley Legal as a senior associate. Prior to this, Copley spent five years at Geldards LLP and brings a strong construction background to the team, specialising in contentious matters including dispute resolution methods such as litigation, adjudication and arbitration.
Catherine Everington completed her training at Gateley Legal and spent a year with the construction team post-qualification before joining Shakespeare Martineau for eighteen months. Everington re-joins the Nottingham team as a solicitor and will work closely alongside legal director, Charles Jakeman, to support clients with the Government’s developer remediation contract, as well as core development matters.
Copley and Everington will both add significant specialist resource to strengthen Gateley Legal’s service offering which sees the team advising housebuilder and developer clients on a wide range of fire and building safety matters.
Miriam Forman and Davis Barwell join as trainee solicitors and will support the team with contentious matters for housebuilder, developer, contractor and subcontractor clients, as well as managing construction documentation for major projects.
Piet van Gelder, partner and head of the Nottingham construction team at Gateley Legal, said: “Our Nottingham construction team has grown to be one of the largest specialist teams in the East Midlands region through our work for major housebuilders and developers, as well as other construction stakeholders.
“The team has not only identified but is also leading on the implementation and scope of the Building Safety Act and so we have brought in Della and Catherine to strengthen the team and support clients with overcoming all the issues arising out of that piece of legislation. It’s also great to have new talent like Miriam and Davis on board to really boost the team.”
The four new appointments join partner – Piet van Gelder, legal director – Charles Jakeman, solicitors – Jaclyn Nelson and Ryan Ball and paralegal – Beth Eady to total nine construction team members in Nottingham.
Planning consent secured for industrial/storage and distribution facility at Leicestershire business park
National property consultancy Carter Jonas has secured planning consent on behalf of Euro Property Investment Limited and its development delivery partner Henry Davidson Developments to deliver an industrial / storage and distribution facility with ancillary offices at Meridian Business Park in Leicestershire.
The 1.38 acre (0.56 ha) site is located in Meridian Business Park. The scheme will deliver 21,062 sq ft (1,956.74m2) of warehouse / office floorspace and will help to boost the local economy by creating jobs for local people. The end user of the site is yet to be determined.
Laura Stops, associate partner at Carter Jonas in Birmingham, said: “We are working with Euro Property Investment Limited and their development delivery partner Henry Davidson Developments on a variety of schemes across the Midlands and we are delighted to have worked alongside the project team, addressing concerns to receive unanimous approval at Planning Committee for the Meridian Business Park site.”
Scott Davidson, Managing Director of Henry Davidson Developments, said: “The team have worked closely with the Local Planning Authority over the past few months, and we are extremely pleased that a resolution to grant has now been awarded. We look forward to commencing the delivery phase of the project and seeing the development come forward and provide jobs for the local community.”
In achieving planning success, Carter Jonas worked alongside Stephen George + Partners LLP (architects), John Davies Associates Limited (highways and flood consultant), FCPR Environment and Design Limited (landscape consultant), Midland Ecology Limited (ecologists).
Jobs saved at Derbyshire security firm
The sale of a Derbyshire security company has rescued every role and kept 38 people in work.
Mike Dillon and Rochelle Schofield of Leonard Curtis were appointed administrators of Buxton & High Peak Security Services Limited on Friday 13 October 2023.
A sale of the company’s business and assets was subsequently completed to BHPSS limited – with all 38 jobs transferred under TUPE to the purchaser.
Leonard Curtis administrator Mike Dillon said: “The pre-packaged sale has allowed business continuity, maximising the outcome for creditors as a whole.
“In addition, the sale has allowed all staff to continue employment by the purchaser.”
An interview with Waldeck trainee technician, Connor Penlington
Waldeck and their sister company Morson are proud of the support and developmental opportunities they offer to the younger community.
We caught up with Waldeck trainee technician, Connor Penlington to hear about his career journey so far:
Hi Connor, tell us a bit more about your time at Waldeck so far?
My career at Waldeck started following the realisation that I was in a role in the manufacturing industry which I felt had no clear opportunity for progression and didn’t suit my long-term career ambitions.
Following a successful interview process with Waldeck, I joined the team in February 2022, and have since been in a new hybrid role of “Trainee Technician” which sees me working cross-disciplined between both our Lincoln-based Architecture & Digital Captures teams. The role has also seen me working on both single and multi-discipline projects, collaborating with other branches within Waldeck such as Civil, Structural, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.
My role as Trainee Technician was a brand-new role as of Feb 2022 for the business, which came about following the amalgamation of two of the teams (Architecture and Digital Capture) under one Director (Stuart Denniss).
This organisational change created an opportunity for this new hybrid role, seeing me supporting both of the established teams by operating as the linchpin between them, with the aim of improving the collaboration between the two departments to enhance Waldeck’s offering to clients and overall project delivery, through better combining, aligning and utilising the skills from both teams.
My day-to-day role includes a mixture of office and on-site working, with support from senior members of the team to develop my skills and knowledge across the two different workstreams.
As well as this core role, I have also trained as a Fire Marshal for the office, and completed by First Aid at Work course. I have recently been asked to take on the role of Health & Safety Champion for the Wellingore office too, which will include working with the wider SHEQ team to ensure the office remains safe and up-to-date.
What has your professional development journey looked like?
When I joined Waldeck I was in the middle of undertaking an HNC in Mechanical Engineering at Lincoln College. Even though I changed roles during the course, I was committed to finishing it, and Waldeck offered me an opportunity to complete the course alongside my new role, with day-release to College.
On completion of the course through Lincoln College, I was delighted to come out with the top mark of a distinction whilst also picking up the ‘Student of the Year’ Award. Although this was associated to a different field of work, I picked up lots of different transferrable skills which have helped my transition into the construction industry.
Since completing my HNC, I have chosen to continue my learning journey through starting a degree in Architectural Technology at Sheffield Hallam University. This is with the aim of becoming an Architectural Technologist on completion of the course.
Between work and university, I often find myself doing research into new technologies and trends within the construction industry. This is with the aim of not only my own development, but also wanting to help the company adapt to these trends and be at the forefront of championing these new technologies.
Director of Architecture & Digital Technologies, Stuart Denniss, shared: “Connor and his role have been pivotal to the success of the Digital Capture & Architecture team over the past 18 months. It’s clear to see the hard work and passion that Connor has for his career and own personal development, but more than that, Connor is a team player and has already proved himself as a valuable asset to the Waldeck team.
“When I first met Connor, he excelled in his interview for his attitude, and although employing someone with no industry experience for such an important role was a risk to the business, I truly believe it has been one that has paid off.
“Connor and his role have had such a positive impact on the team, not only due to the streamlining and collaboration aspects which have improved efficiencies and project delivery, but also due to the flexible nature of his role and his ‘can-do’ attitude.
“Connor has been a valuable team player in terms of our resourcing, supporting the peaks and flows of the workload curve as projects progress and as the team has continued to grow. By taking each opportunity to say ‘yes’ to getting involved in projects, Connor has benefited the team’s success and turbo-charged his own learning.
“Connor has proved himself so far and has set himself up well to build a successful career at Waldeck and within the construction industry.”
Director of Architecture & Digital Technologies, Stuart Denniss, shared: “Connor and his role have been pivotal to the success of the Digital Capture & Architecture team over the past 18 months. It’s clear to see the hard work and passion that Connor has for his career and own personal development, but more than that, Connor is a team player and has already proved himself as a valuable asset to the Waldeck team.
“When I first met Connor, he excelled in his interview for his attitude, and although employing someone with no industry experience for such an important role was a risk to the business, I truly believe it has been one that has paid off.
“Connor and his role have had such a positive impact on the team, not only due to the streamlining and collaboration aspects which have improved efficiencies and project delivery, but also due to the flexible nature of his role and his ‘can-do’ attitude.
“Connor has been a valuable team player in terms of our resourcing, supporting the peaks and flows of the workload curve as projects progress and as the team has continued to grow. By taking each opportunity to say ‘yes’ to getting involved in projects, Connor has benefited the team’s success and turbo-charged his own learning.
“Connor has proved himself so far and has set himself up well to build a successful career at Waldeck and within the construction industry.” Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged
The Bank of England has decided to hold interest rates at 5.25%.
Its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 6–3 to maintain Bank Rate, with three members preferring an increase of 0.25 percentage points, to 5.5%.
It marks the second interest rates pause following a run of 14 increases as the Bank tried to get inflation under control.
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) national chair Martin McTague said: “This will at least be a relief for small businesses that we seem to be at the end of continually rising rates. This means they can now strategise for growth, given that we’ve, hopefully, hit inflation’s peak.
“However, rates have got to start dropping soon as many businesses are reeling from the unwelcome effects of 14 consecutive base rate hikes. Our latest Small Business Index (SBI) has begun to show business confidence creep up, from -14.2points in Q2 of 2023 to -8 points in Q3. Now, in order for that figure to stabilise or even climb, targeted interventions are needed.
“Small businesses are really feeling the double impact of high borrowing costs and reluctant customers – an unwelcome mix in an era where the cost of doing business remains notably high.
“With the Autumn Statement on the horizon, businesses are holding their breath for supportive policies. Top of the agenda should be maintaining the 75 per cent business rates relief for SMEs in retail, hospitality, and leisure. It’s currently set to expire in March and losing it could be a knockout blow to sectors already on the ropes. It’s time the promised business rates overhaul actually happens.
“The Chancellor should also tackle the late payments issue head on by making clear that it’s not acceptable for large businesses to finance their working capital at the expense of small businesses. We’d also like to see the self-employed being able to deduct the cost of training from their taxable income. This could be a transformative policy in an era when entrepreneurs need to adapt constantly to new developments.”
Alstom secures eight-year services contract extension worth €950m from CrossCountry
Alstom has signed an eight-year extension to its Train Services Agreement (TSA) with CrossCountry. The contract extension is valued at around €950 million.
Alstom is the UK & Ireland’s leading supplier of new trains and train services, having built, or building, just under 40% of the UK mainline train fleet; as well as the entire fleets in service with London Underground.
The company is one of Derby’s largest private sector employers, where the future of its Litchurch Lane factory is currently unclear.
Under the agreement, Alstom will continue to maintain, overhaul, service and clean 252 vehicles of the CrossCountry fleet (34 Class 220 Voyagers and 24 Class 221 Super Voyagers) at their primary depot, Central Rivers.
In addition, seven Voyagers will move to CrossCountry when they are released from service with Avanti West Coast to bolster the CrossCountry fleet and enable service uplifts in due course.
“We’re delighted to continue our relationship with Alstom as we embark on our National Rail Contract. Improving the onboard experience is critical to ensuring our customers view us as a long-distance operator of choice and we look forward to working closely with Alstom in the years ahead to deliver these improvements,” says Tom Joyner, Managing Director, CrossCountry.
Health and well-being will be main focus of £60m redevelopment
Building designs that advance health and wellness will be considered as part of £60m redevelopment plans.
The WELL Building Standard is the world’s first evidence-based system designed for measuring, certifying, and monitoring building features that impact on health and wellbeing. The trend is increasingly on the rise around the globe as emphasis shifts to how indoor spaces can improve quality of life.
Now, an expert in the field will be sharing his knowledge with the team who are behind the redevelopment of Leicestershire County Cricket Club’s Uptonsteel County Ground.
Rob Day is the newest recruit to the working party formed to push through plans for the £60m rebuild. With 40 years of experience, the Chairman and Founder of Blueprint Interiors, based in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, will add a wealth of experience and passion to the group which also includes the likes of Steve Kind, who was instrumental in Leicester City moving to the King Power Stadium.
Day has a strong background in commercial property and has expertise in implementing the international WELL standard and will be working with the group to ensure the standard forms part of the planning and design.
Rob said: “When the ground redevelopments were announced it definitely piqued my interest and when Sean approached me to ask if I’d like to be a part of it there was no doubt. Leicestershire has a phenomenal asset there in terms of the ground itself and it is clear there is a strong team coming together with representation from ECB and the City Council. I think we’re all inspired, and we’re all driven by that shared passion for the club and the desire to see it succeed.
“At Blueprint we’ve evolved into more of a workplace consultancy-led business and that’s because we have a clear understanding of what people need to function and that undoubtedly will be of value to the club. We work to the WELL standard which is a global standard that concerns itself with the suitability of a building being for the people that are using it and because our own approach to the workplace is so human-centric, I’ll be able to feed this in through the working group to help create a space that is designed entirely around the people using it.
“I absolutely see the opportunity for Leicestershire as both a club and a business. There’s a real opportunity there to develop relationships with local schools and students that are surrounded by some particularly challenging demographics and cricket has got terrific potential to help us overcome that, I’m excited to get stuck in.”
Sean Jarvis, CEO of Leicestershire County Cricket Club, added: “It’s great to have Rob on board to help the ambitious plans we have for the club. He brings some really important insights to the team which will prove invaluable as we move into the next stages of the development.”
Other members of the working party include Bruce Cruse, Director of Facilities at the ECB, Tom Lomante, Head of Capital at Leicester City Council, Ian Kendall, Director of Leisure Projects at LCCC, and Chairman, John Thorpe.
Deep-fat flyer: Rolls-Royce succeeds in sustainable aviation fuel tests
Rolls-Royce has succeeded in a series of tests with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel on its latest generation of business aviation engines, the Pearl 15 and the Pearl 10X.
The fuel was made from waste-based sustainable feedstocks such as used cooking oils and waste fat, delivering the potential to significantly reduce net CO2 lifecycle emissions by about 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.
The Pearl 15, the first member of the Pearl engine family, powers Bombardier’s Global 5500 and 6500 aircraft, while the Pearl 10X will power Dassault’s ultra-long-range flagship aircraft, the Falcon 10X. Tests on the Pearl 700, powering Gulfstream’s G700 and G800 business jets, have already been completed in 2021.
Rolls-Royce says its tests demonstrated that its current engine portfolio for large civil and business jet applications can operate with 100% SAF, laying the groundwork for moving this type of fuel towards certification. At present, SAF is certified only for blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel. By the end of 2023 Rolls-Royce will have proven that all its in-production Trent and business aviation engines are compatible with 100% SAF.
Dr Dirk Geisinger, Director Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce said: “Sustainable Aviation Fuels are a key element of our sustainability strategy, as they will play an important role in decarbonising long-haul flight. With its outstanding environmental performance, the Pearl family is already setting new standards in the ultra-long-range corporate jet market.”
The tests took place at Rolls-Royce’s Business Aviation headquarters in Dahlewitz, Germany, and are part of the company’s ongoing ambition to play a leading role in the journey to achieve net zero flight by 2050.
As well as proving compatibility with 100% SAF another target of the test campaign was to run a back-to-back engine test with both Jet A-1 and SAF on the same Pearl 10X engine. The aim was to confirm further improvements in the environmental footprint when switching to SAF. The results from this first back-to-back engine emission test under standard certification conditions provides important correlations for the evaluation of future SAF within our environmental strategy.
The back-to-back tests conducted with conventional fossil-based fuel and subsequently SAF also confirmed a cleaner combustion of the sustainable fuel, with significantly lower levels of non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM). In combination with the low NOx combustor technology of the Pearl 10X and its additive manufactured combustor tiles a reduction of all emissions was achieved.
Contractor named for Birstall games area project
Ten Construction has been appointed to create a multi-use games area on School Lane Playing Fields in Birstall with support from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The project is receiving £150,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is one of 10 projects chosen by Charnwood Borough Council. The Council has been allocated £4 million from the fund to invest in communities, support local businesses and improve skills.
Cllr Jennifer Tillotson, Charnwood Borough Council’s Lead Member for Economic Development, Regeneration and Town Centres, said: “I am delighted to see this project progressing as the multi-use games area will be a great asset for the Birstall community. Now the contract has been awarded, we look forward to seeing work start on the facility.”
Birstall Parish Council Vice-Chairman Tony Fowler has been campaigning for many years for a MUGA. He said: “I am really pleased we have been able to secure the funding as this is a facility the community really needs.
“We were very impressed with the design put forward by the contractor, particularly as there was a focus on making this games area very accessible for people of all ages and abilities.”
The MUGA will be located in the central area of the playing fields and will be available to use for football, basketball, cricket and a host of other activities. It will also include games that can be played by people of all abilities.
Charnwood Borough Council is backing 10 projects across the borough utilising the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
They include extending Jubilee Hall in Anstey, regenerating Sileby Memorial Park and Pavilion, expanding sports facilities in Mountsorrel, backing a three year youth support programme, improving the wellbeing and skills of young people as well as regenerating Shepshed’s Market Place.
Gateway at PEAK Resort makes new progress
Revised Phase 1 planning applications have now been submitted to Chesterfield Borough Council for the Gateway at PEAK, which has been consented on 300 acres of land regenerated from opencast mining located on the eastern boundary of the Peak District National Park, outskirts of Chesterfield.
The Gateway is intended to play an important role in cementing Chesterfield as a destination town and as part of the Peak District experience providing visitors to the region and the local community with low impact ways to explore the National Park thanks to a zero-carbon travel hub.
Like a ski resort, PEAK Resort will be built around a carless mobility service, not in this case to mountains and skiing, but into the Peaks for biking and hiking, for nature, heritage, sport and culture. The commercial village will comprise of experiential retail, locally sourced dining and unique spaces for events, artisan craft and learning experiences.
Phase 1 of the development will create around 1,000 jobs across these sectors with a commitment to education and green skills delivered via an onsite skills academy.
The planning consents for PEAK Gateway Resort were implemented and safeguarded in 2016. The founders of Birchall Properties, the landowner, have already invested over 35 years in nature recovery, passive rewilding and preparation for the development on the 300-acre Birchall Estate which had been the subject of extensive open-cast activities.
The development footprint for Phase One of PEAK Resort is just 10% of the 300-acre reclaimed estate. The rest of the estate continues to facilitate ongoing work and experimentation to improve biodiversity net gain and research into suitable building materials for the future development which can be gathered and replenished. It is also currently home to Forest Schools, helping bring children from urban environments into the great outdoors in safe, educational settings.
Stanton Williams were recently appointed to design the Gateway at PEAK and in recent months key, strategic agreements have been entered into, which will be announced soon. These include:
- Heads of terms with national retail brands to become anchor tenants for the commercial village element of the Gateway.
- An agreement with a hotel operator to bring a flagship concept to Gateway and operate the 165-room hotel.
- Heads of terms with vehicle and transport partners to operate the zero-carbon travel hub.
- Agreements with regional education providers to develop education and learning opportunities at the Gateway.
- Heads of terms with a leading UK Waste Management partner to deliver waste management solutions and enable an innovative circular economy with a focus on waste reduction and recycling.
Liqueur producer wins accolade at Great British Food Awards
North Derbyshire fruit liqueur producer Hogg Norton has won Silver at this year’s Great British Food Awards for its Passion Fruit Liqueur product.
The latest accolade is Hogg Norton’s third Great British Food Award, which sits alongside 10 Great Taste Awards the business has won since it was founded. Find out more about Hogg Norton’s latest Great Taste Award win.
Explaining his delight at being recognised once again, Mike Norton, co-founder of Hogg Norton commented: “The Great British Food Awards provides us with the opportunity to have our food and drink tasted by some of the UK’s most acclaimed chefs, critics and influencers.
“This is why it is so important as we are judged by experts in their fields and we are proud that we have achieved 3 of these awards which shows we produce our liqueurs to a consistently high standard.
“Winning this award shows that our products are recognised throughout the country. All produced in Chesterfield and made with no artificial colours or preservatives. Our liqueurs are great on their own, with Prosecco, added to tonic or a lemonade for a long drink or can flavour Gins, Vodkas, Whiskeys or Rums or even poured over desserts and ice cream.”
Speaking about how Chesterfield is the ideal location for the producer, Mike added: “Being based in the Chesterfield gives us inspiration, as we have the best of both worlds – being on the edge of the Peak District and close to all the amenities of the town.”
Mansfield District Councillors to consider plan to relocate council HQ
Mansfield District Councillors are set to consider a report regarding moving the council’s operational headquarters to the planned Mansfield Connect hub.
Details of the scheme are due to be presented to the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 November to give members a chance to reflect on and comment on the project ahead of an expected delegated decision by the Executive Mayor, Andy Abrahams, later in November.
A report by the council’s Strategic Director, Mike Robinson, to the committee says the plan to redevelop the former Beales department store into a multi-agency civic hub forms a key part of the council’s adopted town centre Masterplan.
The council was last year awarded £20m from the government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) in ring-fenced funding to enable the redundant landmark 1930s building to be extended and modernised.
It would house a variety of public, enterprise, and health and wellbeing services, alongside spaces for private sector investment.
By bringing together a variety of public services under one roof in the heart of the town centre, the development is expected to have a number of benefits.
As well as improving the co-ordination and delivery of public services, it is expected to generate extra footfall in the town centre from the people who will work in the hub and from people who visit it. This should act as a catalyst for wider development, stimulating both the local day and night time economy.
Deputy Mayor Craig Whitby, who is also the council’s Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Finance, said: “Everyone knows our town centre needs a kick-start and new vision.
“In an age of internet shopping, the high street now needs to be a place where people live and work, as well as shop.
“Revitalising a building that had no longer had a commercial purpose or future, and represents the decay of the past for as long as it remains empty, demonstrates considerable civic leadership after decades of decline.
“Mansfield Connect represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to initiate a renaissance of our town centre as well as helping us improve the delivery of our services by being able to work more closely with our partners in a purpose-built one-stop shop.
“This is a key component of a comprehensive approach towards the regeneration for the town centre, steered through the Masterplan.
“These are exciting times for Mansfield town centre. Private plans have already come forward for redevelopment of the Rosemary Centre site; the former bus station site is already partly redeveloped and the White Hart Street area has been acquired for residential redevelopment.
“We are thrilled to see this flagship scheme taking shape from a wish-list to a reality. We believe we have proven there is a business case for this scheme and that it is affordable, but there is still a way to go.”
Mike Robinson added: “The council has been working with Partnering Regeneration Ltd to develop the business case for the project. This demonstrates that from an operational position, the council will be no worse off than the current operational position at the Civic Centre. Indeed, it is expected to achieve a saving year on year.
“The scheme also sits side by side with the council’s four key corporate priorities of Growth, Wellbeing, Aspiration and Place, with educational opportunities for local people to upskill and improve their life chances.”
The current plan would see the space requirement met from refurbishment and rebuild. This would see the retention of the former Co-op building, with the remaining parts of the former Beale’s store building being demolished and a new-build being incorporated. Two existing shopping link footbridges over Stockwell Gate would be removed.
The submission for LUF funding costed the project at just under £26m. Inflationary pressure impacting on construction costs since the award of this funding means the costs are now estimated at £30m.
Negotiations are under way with the government to secure an additional £5m to enable the project to become a beacon of green, low carbon, energy efficient regeneration. Any formal decision to relocate the council from the Civic Centre would be conditional on a full funding package being in place and being able to present an affordable scheme.
The Department for Work and Pensions, Nottinghamshire County Council, NHS health partners, and volunteering co-ordinator Mansfield CVS have all expressed interest in taking offices at the new hub.
Nottinghamshire County Council is a vital partner in the project and is expected to locate its administrative centre within the hub and be a co-funding partner of it.
Vision West Notts College could potentially use the hub to locate students on its catering courses, including a dining facility and possibly a fitness suite.
NHS health partners are expected to occupy a multi-function suite providing a vaccination hub, plus women and children’s support and men’s health unit. Retail space in the building is expected to be suitable for a small scale convenience store. There could also be scope for a small scale enterprise hub, focused on creative and digital businesses and start-ups.
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company invests over £10m in Northampton Brewery to boost sustainability
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is to invest more than £10m in upgrading equipment at its Northampton Brewery, increasing capacity for producing its Snap Pack packaging and reducing its water usage.
The investments will see three significant upgrades realised, with all three set to go live in Q1 next year; a second-generation machine for packaging cans in Snap Pack is being installed, alongside a new laser can encoder and an improved can filler and seamer.
First launched in 2018, Snap Pack uses innovative glue dot technology to hold cans together, removing the need for plastic rings and making multipacks more sustainable. Snap Pack was co-developed by Carlsberg Group and KHS GmbH, an international manufacturer of filling and packaging equipment.
This technology has been used across some of the best-known and most popular beers in CMBC’s portfolio, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, San Miguel, Birrificio Angelo Poretti and Brooklyn Pilsner.
By the end of 2022, Snap Pack was used for 65% of the four- and six-can multipacks produced at the brewery. The new second-generation Snap Pack machine will allow double the number of Snap Pack multipacks to be produced, with the company aiming to fully transition by the end of 2024.
By eliminating plastic rings from packaging, once fully rolled out across four- and six-can multipacks it is estimated that Snap Pack will reduce CMBC’s plastic usage by up to 76%, compared to previous multipacks.
The replacement KHS can filler, which will be attached to a new seamer from Ferrum, and a Domino Laser Can Coder are also being installed, bringing a number of improvements across efficiency and safety. Combined, these new machines alone will see an estimated reduction of around 10% in water usage, around 18 million litres every year – equivalent to more than seven Olympic-size swimming pools or almost 32 million pints.
Paul Davies, CEO, CMBC, said: “We take our responsibility as a brewer very seriously and ensuring we reduce our impact on the planet is a hugely important part of this. This major investment of more than £10m in Northampton demonstrates our clear commitments to eliminating packaging waste, reducing water waste, and improving efficiency at our breweries.
“By taking ambitious action now, we can deliver on our sustainability goals and enable even more of our innovative Snap Pack multipacks to make their way to consumers.”
