£3.5m of funding delivered to East Midlands life sciences companies
G F Tomlinson partners with Austrian training provider for international skills exchange
Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson, has extended its reach internationally by linking up with an Austrian training programme, known as ‘The Dual Academy’, to welcome international student Konstantin Pata for a four week internship, to learn about UK construction methods compared to those back home in Austria.
G F Tomlinson were approached via a mutual contact in the UK to see if they could help Konstantin fulfil the requirements of his training programme in the UK.
Konstantin is a 21-year-old student who works for Austrian construction company, Filzmaier Dach Fassade GMBH, who are sponsoring and supporting his apprenticeship, alongside The Dual Academy.
This unique partnership between construction companies from different countries will provide an insight and transferable knowledge for both parties, giving Konstantin first-hand experience of the UK construction process, whilst also enabling the G F Tomlinson team to learn more about Austrian construction methods.
G F Tomlinson developed an enriching placement plan which enabled Konstantin to be both office-based and in an on-site environment, working closely alongside senior contracts manager, Paul Thornewill, and the G F Tomlinson team at Foston Park in Derbyshire – where work has recently started to deliver a 127,000 sq ft warehouse for logistics company Ascott Transport Limited (ATL).
On his placement, Konstantin said: “I’m excited to not only be working abroad but also to be working alongside a well-respected regional contractor such as G F Tomlinson, with over 130 years of experience to call upon. This hands-on experience in the UK within the construction sector will be valuable learning to help me to successfully complete my apprenticeship.”
Andy Sewards, chairman and Managing Director of G F Tomlinson, said: “We were only too pleased to step in and assist Konstantin with his quest for vital construction experience in the UK, following a call from a mutual contact.
“It is a very unique partnership that both parties can benefit from, and it is fantastic to get to know Konstantin and work closely with The Dual Academy enabling us to mutually educate our skilled teams in international construction best practices.
“We’ve provided apprenticeships and work experience placements for years for our own local young people, and we are due to receive five new starters this September. We are incredibly proud that our remit is now extending across international borders, providing opportunities for oversees students and our own teams to collaborate jointly to improve construction methods in the future.”
Affinity lands top recognition as it continues to back UK SMEs
Nottinghamshire’s Affinity Asset Finance has been officially recognised as one of the top volume performers in the UK by one of the country’s largest asset finance businesses.
Affinity has been crowned Top Hard Asset Broker of the Year by Novuna Business Finance, a leading financial services company, which annually awards its brokers across the Midlands, South East, South West and the North regions.
Affinity has a long and successful relationship with Novuna Business Finance, which is part of its extensive panel of funders, regularly introducing and completing business funding for the firm.
Neil Kimberley, director at Affinity Asset Finance, said: “We’re thrilled to be recognised by such a renowned name as Novuna Business Finance and we’re incredibly proud of the relationship we’ve cultivated with the company.
“This award recognises the volumes of business we introduce, as well as very high acceptance and conversion rates for our introduced business over the year.
“We’ve now proven that Affinity is the top volume performer across the Midlands. We can boast £6m+ of brokered finance through Novuna Business Finance across a 12 month average – and this figure is growing.”
Novuna Business Finance is amongst the UK’s top five largest asset finance providers, powering the growth aspirations of SMEs and larger corporations across multiple sectors through bespoke, flexible finance solutions.
It was the first asset finance provider in the UK to be accredited to offer the British Business Bank’s CBILS and played a prominent part in helping businesses navigate the pandemic.
Matthew White, sales manager at Novuna Business Finance, said: “Affinity have been a key funding partner of Novuna for many years. We work exceptionally well together and understand how each other’s businesses operate.
“Knowing where to place deals and getting everything right, first time, is key to a good broker / funder relationship. Neil and Tom deserve to be recognised with this award. Thank you both for your continued support.”
70 new houses set for North Wingfield
Logistics supplier expands into Alfreton warehouse facility
PwC Midlands transaction and lead advisory teams deliver £2.1bn of deals
PwC’s transaction services and lead advisory teams in the Midlands completed 19 deals with a total value in excess of £2bn in FY22/23.
Simon White, deals partner and Midlands private business & private equity leader, at PwC, said: “We have seen a good level of activity over the last 12 months, despite the economic and geopolitical challenges that have been impacting the market.
“ESG, technology and transformation continue to be the focus areas for our clients and the team in the Midlands has a variety of experts able to deliver these services. As we move into the new financial year, activity remains buoyant and we’re seeing green shoots of economic recovery.
“Sectors including technology, healthcare, industrial products, business services and energy & infrastructure were leading in FY22/23 and we expect to see activity continue into FY23/24.”
The TMT sector in particular continued to see high activity levels across both corporate and private equity transactions. Key deals included Uniphore’s acquisition of Red Box Recorders, Node4 investing in Risual and Bowmark Capital investing in Littlefish.
Deals in the industrials and business services sector also remained strong, particularly in the infrastructure services sector where PwC saw a cluster of transactions including H.I.G Capital Partners’ acquisition of CPS Building Services, PEXA’s acquisition of Optima Legal Services and Arcus Infrastructure Partners’ acquisition of Workdry International Group Limited. More recently PwC lead advisory and transactions combined to advise Augean on its acquisition of Future Industrial Services from NorthEdge Capital and advised on another three deals in the waste and circular economy segment.
To support the pipeline of activity, PwC has recently announced further investment into the deals team in the Midlands, with 44 promotions taking place in July, including six directors and two new partner admissions – Rebecca Elnaugh and Sally Graham.
Rebecca Elnaugh, deals partner, joined PwC in 2021 and has specialised in valuations for 15 years. Rebecca focuses on mid-market private equity clients, working with them to enhance value through the design, implementation and valuation of management incentive plans.
Sally Graham, deals partner, joined PwC in 2006 from university and is a specialist in PwC’s Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA). Sally focuses on helping private equity and corporate clients across a range of sectors and deal sizes to maximise and protect value through their M&A transaction pricing mechanisms.
East Midlands care provider opens new home for people with brain injuries thanks to £1.6m funding
Innovative fitness business expands into West Bridgford
An East Midlands-based provider of innovative fitness classes and complimentary holistic practices has expanded into West Bridgford in a deal brokered by Landa Associates & Savills.
The Reformer Studio, a self-styled “inner-city holistic retreat for mind, body, and soul” owned and operated by entrepreneur and fitness guru Holly Essuman, specialises in Pilates classes at its studios in Nottingham’s Lace Market, Derby and Loughborough.
Now, after mining Landa Associates director Sunny Landa’s forensic knowledge of the local market, the company has taken the lease of 10a Gordon Road in the affluent Nottingham suburb of West Bridgford.
Landa, well-known for completing a string of high-calibre deals in the area, was retained by the client to advise on lease terms and acquisition strategy.
Luke Epps of Savills in Nottingham acted for the landlord.
Sunny Landa said: “Working with Luke on this deal was a pleasure and I am delighted for Holly at The Reformer Studio. There are few things in life more important than wellbeing, so it’s great that even more people will be able to benefit from Holly’s expertise now! The business is a true East Midlands success story and I wish the team all the very best.”
Holly Essuman, founder and owner of The Reformer Studio, said: “Sunny was the first name that came up when we decided the time was right to expand again. We’re over the moon with the location. Locals have been signing up in droves and I’m excited to welcome even more of the good people of West Bridgford to the studio over the coming months.”
Luke Epps, of Savills, added: “I’d like to extend my congratulations to Holly and thank Sunny for his work in getting this deal across the line swiftly and smoothly with me. My landlord client was delighted with the professionalism shown by all parties. They’re thrilled to welcome The Reformer Studio to Gordon Road and looking forward to watching the company go from strength to strength in its new home.”
Workwear company fined £400,000 after woman suffers horrific injury
Third-party logistics provider signs long-term lease for 163,000 sq ft warehouse
TC Group completes merger with business advisory and accountancy firm’s Midlands and East regions
Carly Liston, managing partner of the East region, says: “We’re delighted to be joining TC Group. It’s a great opportunity for us to share in the depth of knowledge, expertise and structure the group offers to both our clients and team. We have a shared vision for the quality of service we offer our clients, both in accounting and our extensive business-related service lines.”
Stephen Watts, managing partner of the Midlands, adds: “We’re thrilled to announce our merger with TC Group at a time of significant growth and opportunity.
“With the support of TC Group’s strong national and international network, this merger allows local Partners to retain control to better serve our existing clients, expand opportunities for our fantastic people as well as support future M&A growth in some key strategic locations.”
Make your entry now for Architects of the Year at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023
Submit your nominations for Architects of the Year here before entries close on Thursday 31 August.
Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 28 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening also offering an opportunity to establish new connections with property and construction professionals from across the region.
Other award categories open for entry include: Commercial Development of the Year, Contractor of the Year, Responsible Business of the Year, Residential Development of the Year, Developer of the Year, Deal of the Year, Most Active Estate Agent, Excellence in Design, and Sustainable Development of the Year. All entry forms can be accessed here.
The Overall Winner award will also be presented at the event. This award cannot be entered, with the winner selected from those nominated. The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 will also receive a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000.
Book your tickets now
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 – click here to secure yours. The special awards evening and networking event will be held on Thursday 28 September 2023 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from 4:30pm – 7:30pm. Connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region, and hear from Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council, our keynote speaker. Dress code is standard business attire. Thanks to our sponsors:
To be held at:
University joins Nuclear AMRC to work on research and skills development
Notts firm digs deep to fund new charity scheme
Government announces financial backing for SMR nuclear power
“We look forward to working with all interested parties – technology vendors, the supply chain, the wider industry and local communities as we move this essential programme forward.”
On top of today’s GBN competition launch, the government is also announcing today a grant funding package totalling up to £157 million: Up to £77.1 million for companies to accelerate advanced nuclear business development in the UK and support advanced nuclear designs to enter UK regulation, maximising the chance of small and advanced modular reactors being built during the next Parliament. Up to £58 million funding for the further development and design of a type of advanced modular reactor (AMR) and next generation fuel. AMRs operate at a higher temperature than SMRs and as a result they could provide high temperature heat for hydrogen and other industrial uses alongside nuclear power. Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: “The launch of GBN marks a new era for nuclear deployment in the UK – helping drive a programme of construction at pace and at scale to strengthen our energy security, create good jobs across the country, and advance our net zero future by providing up to 25% of our future power needs. “Focus on the SMR selection will demonstrate the commitment to deployment of innovative technologies and open up new opportunities for the UK industrial supply chain here and abroad. There a range of sites and communities across the country ready to host SMR technology, alongside the large scale nuclear capacity we will also need.“Britain has an important leadership role in the global nuclear industry, and nowhere more so than in our determination to drive Russia out of the nuclear fuel markets. The government’s Nuclear Fuel Fund will bolster those world-class capabilities that make us uniquely placed to help our allies replace Russian supplies with Western nuclear fuel.”
New support set for Ilkeston and Long Eaton town centre shops
Flooding hardship fund opens to provide emergency payments to Derbyshire businesses
Plans submitted for Edwalton retirement apartments and convenience store
Developer Charterpoint and retirement housing provider Anchor have submitted a joint planning application for 77 retirement apartments at Edwalton, near Nottingham. A convenience store, which will be operated separately, is also part of the plans.
Earmarked for land on the corner of Rose Way and Melton Road, the retirement scheme would provide a range of one and two-bedroom apartments in a three-storey block.
The proposals also include a residents’ restaurant, lounge, outdoor dining terrace, hairdressing salon, beauty and treatment studio, guest suite, and a courtyard garden and will be operated by Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life.
The apartments will be a mix of shared ownership and rental properties – filling a gap in the market in the West Bridgford area.
A single-storey convenience store is also planned for the 2.2 acre site, both accessed off Rose Way, which will be operated separately from the retirement scheme.
The site has outline planning permission for development, but now Charterpoint and Anchor have submitted detailed designs for the land to Rushcliffe Borough Council.
Charterpoint CEO Adrian Goose said: “This is a prominent site in an area of Edwalton which has seen considerable development in recent years, providing a range of housing and community facilities.
“Our integrated plan will introduce a handy convenience store for local shopping needs to augment what is there already. This plan, submitted in conjunction with Anchor, will fill a gap in the market and create much-needed retirement apartments for the area, helping to free up larger family homes in Edwalton and West Bridgford too.”
Victoria Mager, director of development delivery at Anchor, said: “We are looking forward to working with Charterpoint on the development of high quality, affordable independent living apartments in Edwalton. In line with Anchor’s vision, this development takes us one step closer to delivering 5,700 homes where people can love living in later life over ten years.”
The plans for the Edwalton site have been designed by Brewster Bye Architects.
Developer submits plans to build 79 new homes in Syston
Bellway Strategic Land is looking to secure planning permission for up to 79 new homes in Syston. The housebuilder has submitted an outline planning application for a 16.8-acre site identified for housing off Barkby Lane, to the south of the town.
The land is bordered by the railway line to the east, existing properties to the west, and Barkby Lane to the north. The site forms the northern part of a site identified as an allocation for residential development by Charnwood Borough Council in their emerging Charnwood Local Plan. The plan is currently being considered by the government and Charnwood Borough Council will be looking to adopt it as soon as they can.
Bellway Strategic Land has also submitted a planning application for up to 130 homes on the southern portion of the site, which is accessed off Barkby Thorpe Lane in Thurmaston. Together, the two applications, which are separated by a green corridor, will help deliver the housing allocation and improve land supply in Charnwood in accordance with the local plan.
The proposals for the Barkby Lane site in Syston delivers 30 per cent of the homes as affordable housing for low-cost rent or shared ownership, with 10 acres of open space created including a children’s play area and a network of footpaths and cycleways, along with areas for Biodiversity Net Gain.
Fergus Thomas, Bellway Strategic Land Director for the Central region, said: “We have worked closely with Charnwood Borough Council to develop our plans for Barkby Lane in Syston and ensure the proposed scheme meets the needs of the local community.
“There is an identifiable need for new housing in the area and this is a site which is close to town centre amenities and will align with the emerging Charnwood Local Plan.
“Our outline proposals include a primary tree-lined street which will lead into the site from Barkby Lane while an ‘arrival space’ in the north-western corner of the site will greet pedestrians entering the development via a new footpath link.
“Our sustainable design sets aside an area of 10 acres of open space within the development, which includes an area for children to play, recreational walking, and would feature new planting alongside the retention of trees and hedgerows wherever possible. Areas of green infrastructure in the east and south of the site will create new habitats of ecological value, such as scrub and wildflower grassland, to help protect and promote local wildlife.
“Care has been taken in the preparation of the illustrative layout to show how a detailed scheme could be brought forward as the next stage of the planning process that positively responds to local character. In particular, assessments are presented in the submitted documents that show an understanding of local materials and of how built form and massing create interest along Barkby Lane.”
Industry continues to drive forward digital revolution towards Net Zero
