New partner at Timms Solicitors
Family lawyer and Resolution-trained family mediator, Adrian Rose, has become a partner with Timms Solicitors which has offices in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter, Burton-upon-Trent, Swadlincote and Ashby.
Adrian joins the leadership team of Fiona Moffat, Dee Khunkhuna and Jo Robinson having made such a positive impact on the work of the Family Law team with the development of mediation services for clients.
Managing partner Fiona Moffat explained: “We are delighted that Adrian has become a partner with the firm and this promotion is well-deserved.
“His expertise and his excellent reputation on family law matters and mediation services has greatly enhanced the fast-growing team and this timely and cost-effective resolution has had a hugely positive impact on clients during difficult times in their lives.”
Adrian has worked exclusively in family law for almost thirty years and specialises in all areas of family law, including divorce and cohabitation, financial matters and disputes relating to children.
His area of practice focusses on more complex and medium to high net worth financial cases, he has a particular interest in cases which involve pensions, businesses and farms, trusts, and property portfolios.
He also advises in respect of wealth protection and relationship planning, dealing pre and post nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and declarations of trust.
Adrian also has a wealth of experience of dealing with issues relating to arrangements for children, dealing with these in a practical and sympathetic manner. He advises clients of the realistic prospects of any application and ensures that the welfare of the child or children remains at the forefront throughout.
In his spare time, Adrian enjoys the great outdoors, especially hill and mountain walking, gardening and horticulture as well as sport and is a long-time supporter of both Derby County Football Club and Leicester Tigers.
Business optimism flatlines as output and employment slump
Business optimism stagnated in January as output significantly declined and firms cut back on hiring staff, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO.
For the third time in just six months, all four of the Indices tracked by the report – Output, Optimism, Employment and Inflation – fell simultaneously.
BDO’s Output Index, which tracks economic growth, experienced a sharp decline for the fourth consecutive month, as a 3.45-point fall brought it down to 89.15, remaining well below the crucial 95-point threshold between expansion and contraction for the second consecutive month.
This overall decline in output was driven largely by the Services Output Sub-Index which registered a 3.85-point dip in January as the cost-of-living crisis weakened consumer spending and demand across the services sector. This marks its lowest level since March 2021 when the economy was about to reopen following the third national lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dips in services productivity were also reflected in optimism across the sector. The Services Optimism Sub-Index fell by 0.23 points in response to inflationary pressures expected to heighten economic pressures facing businesses in the coming months.
In contrast, January saw the Manufacturing Optimism Sub-index end nine consecutive months of decline, increasing by 0.25 points. Diminishing input price inflation slowed declines across manufacturing output for the first time in four months – bolstering business confidence across this sector.
However, this turning point wasn’t enough to outweigh the net-pessimism across the services sector which led to an overall dip of 0.01-points in BDO’s Optimism Index to stand at a 91.88, remaining in negative territory for the fourth consecutive month.
Responding to the net declines across Optimism and Output, BDO’s Employment Index fell to its lowest reading since December 2021. Weakened hiring intentions led to a drop of 1.02-points as firms expect to cut back on plans for recruitment in the months ahead.
BDO’s Inflation Index witnessed a significant 3.75-point drop as it fell to 114.16, its lowest point since March 2022. The gradual easing of price pressures has marked a shift across the Input Inflation and Consumer Inflation indices driven by recent falls in wholesale energy prices. Despite this fall, inflationary pressures remain historically elevated.
Kyla Bellingall, regional managing partner at BDO in the Midlands, said: “A net decline across the Optimism, Output and Employment Indices, coupled with historically high levels of inflation, suggests the outlook still remains bleak for businesses, with hiring intentions at their lowest levels in over a year and ever-increasing economic headwinds driving threats of a recession.
“With a new Department for Business and Trade in place and a Spring Budget on the horizon, there is space in Government to consider how best to offer firms a helping hand. Businesses need the right support in place to ensure they can weather the challenges ahead and focus on continuing to drive the growth of the UK’s economy.”
Plans submitted for student accommodation at Nottingham office
Plans have been submitted to transform offices in Nottingham into student accommodation.
Thiskey House, at 2 St James’s Terrace, would be converted into a 9-bed scheme if new proposals from DE74 PROPERTIES LTD are given the go-ahead.
A games room/cinema room are also planned for the listed, three storey building that dates back to the 1820’s.
A design statement says: “The development utilises an existing developed site in a highly desirable location within Nottingham and the Castle Conservation Area of the city.
“The current building is in need of maintenance work and the conversion back into a dwelling will give the listed property a new lease of life that we feel will not only benefit the end users with high quality accommodation but preserve the appearance on the street scene of a listed building within an established conservation area.”
New business centre set to transform vehicle workshop and former stables in Long Eaton
A vehicle workshop and former stables in Long Eaton are set to be transformed into a business centre, now that plans have been approved.
The workshop and non-original additions to the building will be demolished to make way for the scheme, which would provide 14 studio units.
Erewash Borough Council are behind the proposals at Town Hall on Derby Road, which aim to allow for small/start-up businesses to thrive and make use of the vacant Grade II listed site.
A design statement says that the conversion “will revitalise the spaces and bring the listed asset back up to its former prowess.”
32 full-time equivalent jobs are expected to be created at the development.
Decline in East Midlands business activity slows to softest since July 2022
The headline NatWest East Midlands PMI® Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – posted 47.3 in January, up from 45.4 in December.
The latest data signalled a solid decline in business activity, albeit the slowest since last July. Lower output was often attributed to weak client demand and reduced customer spending amid strong inflationary pressures. A softer contraction meant East Midlands firms bucked the wider UK trend which pointed to a faster decline in activity.
Private sector firms in the East Midlands recorded a further decline in new orders at the start of 2023. The fall in new business was solid overall and among the fastest of the 12 monitored UK regions, slower than only Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Lower client demand was often linked to economic uncertainty and reduced customer spending amid strong inflation. Nonetheless, the rate of contraction eased to the softest since last July.
Expectations regarding the outlook for output over the coming year across the East Midlands private sector strengthened in the opening month of the year.
The degree of confidence picked up to the highest since May 2022, but remained weaker than the UK average. Nevertheless, greater positive sentiment was often attributed to planned investment and hopes of the acquisition of new customers and stronger client demand.
Workforce numbers at East Midlands private sector firms expanded in January, following back-to-back contractions in November and December. Where a rise in employment was noted, firms linked this to efforts to expand capacity. That said, the rate of job creation was only fractional overall and well below the average for 2022. The UK average, however, signalled unchanged staffing numbers on the month.
Data for the opening month of 2023 signalled another monthly contraction in the level of outstanding business at East Midlands private sector firms. The decrease in backlogs of work was commonly attributed to sufficient capacity to process incoming business. The rate of decline eased notably from that seen in December, but was quicker than the UK average.
East Midlands private sector firms indicated another marked rise in input prices in January. The increase in cost burdens was reportedly due to greater fuel, energy, wage and material bills. The region saw the sharpest uptick in input costs of the 12 monitored UK areas, despite the rate of inflation softening for the second-month running to the slowest since April 2021.
Private sector firms in the East Midlands recorded a further substantial increase in selling prices during January. The rate of charge inflation was quicker than the long-run series average and broadly in line with that seen across the UK as a whole. Anecdotal evidence stated that greater output charges stemmed from the pass-through of higher input costs to clients. That said, the pace of increase in selling prices was the slowest since August 2021.
Rashel Chowdhury, NatWest Midlands and East Regional Board, said: “2023 started in a muted tone across the East Midlands private sector as firms continued to record solid contractions in output and new business. High inflation squeezed customer spending further, with the region registering one of the fastest downturns in new orders of the 12 monitored UK areas.
“Nevertheless, companies were buoyant in their expectations for future output, as business confidence strengthened. At the same time, firms registered renewed job creation, albeit only fractional overall.
“Although inflationary pressures remained historically elevated and continued to place downward strain on demand conditions, rates of increase in costs and selling prices cooled in January. The ability to pass-through any cost savings to customers will likely provide hope to businesses of a pick-up in customer spending as the year progresses.”
Stilton producer gets share in £12m from Government to cut emissions and energy costs
Melton Mowbray’s Long Clawson Dairy is to get a share in £12m funding from the Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund to help cut carbon emissions and energy costs.
It’s one of 22 winning projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland which will be able to clean up their industrial processes and improve their energy efficiency – benefiting industries including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper, and food and drink.
Long Clawson has been making cheese for over a century, running over 31 farms in the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas. The production of cheese is an energy intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities. Through IETF funding, the company has created a new thermal storage system, using revolutionary high temperature heat pumps to reduce overall energy by 27% and saving 34% carbon emissions, with the ambition of moving to a purely electrically powered in the long term.
Iain Grant, Operations Director, Long Clawson Dairy, said: “The production of our Stilton cheese is an energy-intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities. With the investment in this project, it has enabled the dairy to take a more cost-effective approach to energy consumption, alongside a clear carbon emission reduction. This is a substantial investment for a business of our size, and would not have been possible without the support of the IETF grant funding.”
It is estimated that industry is currently responsible for producing 16% of the UK’s emissions and will need to cut emissions by two thirds by 2035 in order for the UK to achieve its net zero target.
This funding will play a crucial role in helping to clean up big-emitting industries as part of the UK’s green industrial revolution – decarbonising their industrial processes and reducing their reliance on expensive fossil fuels, such as gas, says Energy Minister Graham Stuart, the MP for Beverley and Holderness. He said: “Boosting the energy efficiency of industrial processes is a critical step not only in our transition to a lower-carbon economy, but also by helping businesses to cut their energy costs and protect valuable British jobs.
“That’s why the government has stepped in once again to support energy intensive industries, with a fresh funding round to unleash the next generation of green innovators who are re-shaping the way technology can reduce carbon emissions.”
So far, £34.8 million of funding has been awarded through the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which was first launched in June 2020.Plans in to revive derelict brownfield site with student accommodation
Plans to revive a derelict brownfield site in Nottingham with student accommodation have been submitted to the city council.
Cassidy Group are behind the proposals for 66-68 London Road, which occupies a prominent site within the Southside Regeneration Zone on the approach into the city centre.
The site is partially occupied by an empty three storey Victorian commercial building. The remainder of the site has been cleared.
Planning permission was previously granted on the application site in 2019 for the development of 150 residential apartments. The new development largely reflects the existing permission in respect of layout, scale, appearance, landscaping and access.
The new scheme however would provide 245 student bedspaces, across a mix of cluster bedrooms, studios, and accessible and premium studios. It would preserve the façade of the existing Victorian building and erect an adjoining part 3 part 8 storey building.
Home care provider to create 50 jobs after securing contract with Notts County Council
Your Home Care, a provider of home care services, has signed a contract with Nottinghamshire County Council to be an approved provider of home care in the Mansfield & Ashfield area.
The agreement is initially for a 3.5-year term.
With this new contract, Your Home Care plans to create 50 new jobs in the area over the next 12 months.
“We are thrilled to have been selected as an approved provider of home care services in the Mansfield & Ashfield area,” said Paul Pitchford, director at Your Home Care.
“This agreement is a testament to our commitment to providing high-quality care to those in need and is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of Your Home Care’s care staff,” added Scott Marsh, director and nominated individual.
Derby Football Hub ready for kick-off
Plans to progress the development of a proposed community grassroots football and sport hub on Derby Racecourse will be discussed at next week’s Cabinet meeting.
The proposed Hub would seek to address the shortfall in the city’s football pitch provision and would include the development of three new full-size 3G football turf pitches (FTPs) on the site, as well as the refurbishment of an existing FTP and a new changing pavilion including a community café and meeting space. In addition to the improved pitch provision, the Hub development would include increased parking spaces as well as improved entry and exit to the site.
Derby City Council’s Cabinet are looking to approve a total budget of £11.902m to enable the development to kick off, with funding proposed from the Council alongside a pending funding decision from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.
The pitch works would be delivered by a specialist contractor of the Football Foundation while the pavilion and car park aspects would be delivered by Alliance Leisure with plans for work to start onsite in Spring 2023.
Will Gardner, Alliance Leisure business development manager, said: “We’re delighted to be coordinating this project that brings together lots of partners to provide a first-class facility for the local community.”
Councillor Jerry Pearce, Derby City Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Spaces and Leisure, said: “This project is a worthy investment for the Council and will give our communities the grassroots football facilities they deserve. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the Football Hub take shape over the coming months.”
A decision will be made on the plans at February’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 15 February.
UK narrowly avoided recession at end of 2022
The UK managed to narrowly avoid a recession at the end of last year, but that is unlikely to be the case in 2023, with both the Office for Budget Responsibility and the Bank of England forecasting a return to recession this year.
ONS GDP data shows that GDP in Q4 2022 was flat, after a contraction in Q3, with weak trade offset by rising consumption and investment.
As a result, the UK has recorded the fastest growth of any G7 economy in 2022 (4 per cent), while still being the only G7 economy not to have returned to its pre-pandemic size (down 0.8 per cent since Q4 2019).
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) policy chair Tina McKenzie said: “While it is positive that the UK has technically avoided a recession in the second half of last year, the news will come as cold comfort to many thousands of small businesses.
“In particular, the 0.5% fall in GDP in December is a red flag showing the economy stalled at the end of 2022, just when small firms were hoping for a traditional festive boost.
“Looking ahead, the IMF and the Bank of England both predict a contraction in the size of the UK’s economy this year, leaving small firms facing a long period without growth. Just next month, many small firms who fixed their energy bills last summer as prices rocketed are worried that they will see three- or four-fold increases when the Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme shuts down, making a number of them unviable.
“Our headline Small Business Index confidence tracker fell deeper into negative territory in the last quarter of 2022, at -46 points – far lower than it was during the Omicron lockdown, and only just an improvement from the depth plumbed during the second national lockdown in the final quarter of 2020.
“That’s why we’re greeting today’s news with a strong dose of caution.
“Inflation is still a concern, and its effects will linger in the economy even once it falls back into a range we are more used to seeing. Interest rates remain high in the fight to curb inflation, with small businesses caught between elevated prices and greater debt costs.
“On the plus side, financial markets are performing well, and the reopening of China’s economy will help improve general global economic conditions.
“We want small firms to be in a position to take advantage of any improving economic conditions – and to create a groundswell of growth which will boost the overall economy. Setting them up for growth must be a key focus of the newly-created business and trade department, and we are looking to the Budget in mid-March to set out a positive agenda for small businesses and the self-employed.
“Late payment must be tackled, to get small suppliers the funds they are due in a timely fashion. The day-one taxes – like business rates – that take a chunk out of budgets before small firms make a penny in turnover should be examined, while the VAT threshold should be increased to encourage revenue growth.
“The cuts to R&D tax credits should be reversed, given the huge contribution to overall R&D made by small firms, and the Government’s own newly-reaffirmed focus on science and technology. More people should be helped to reskill and upskill, while bringing in Help to Green vouchers would allow small firms to cut their emissions and their energy bills, while boosting the economy.
“We know what will help, and now need the Government to work with us and turn an economy with GDP in the doldrums into one galvanised by a dynamic and growing small business community.”
Ben Jones, lead economist, CBI, said: “We may have avoided a technical recession late last year, but we probably won’t avoid one this year. While we expect that the downturn will be shallow, if we act now, we can make the recession even shorter than predicted.
“All eyes are on the Chancellor’s March budget, when businesses will be looking for a bolder approach to tackling labour and skills shortages and falling business investment. In particular, firms will be looking for a permanent replacement to the super-deduction, as well as a focus on innovation and the green economy, to help boost economic growth in the years ahead.”
James Smith, research director at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The UK avoided a rapid return to recession last year by the narrowest of margins. But it is not out of the woods yet, and families are still living through a living standards downturn.
“The longer-term picture is more worrying, with the UK economy yet to return to its pre-pandemic size having suffered a prolonged period of weak growth since the financial crisis.
“However, falling wholesale gas prices offer hope for households and the wider economy – with inflation on track to fall sharply later this year.”
Three arrested in suspected PPE fraud worth millions
Three people including a husband and wife have been arrested in a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation linked to international PPE fraud.
Officers carried out searches at two properties in Loughborough and one in Lytham St Annes, where they made the arrests and seized a number of high value items, including a car, jewellery, watches and digital devices.
Evidence of significant cash purchases was also recovered.
The male, from Loughborough and in his fifties, is suspected of setting up a UK company solely for running a fraudulent scheme that would allow him to profit from PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) shortages during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. His wife is suspected of helping to launder the proceeds.
Investigators believe the company brokered sale agreements to supply nitrile gloves to companies in the USA and Germany worth over $35 million.
An upfront fee was paid to the UK company to cover initial costs and secure the contracts, but paid into a holding account being managed by a third party.
The holding account provided assurances that funds paid in would only be released upon conditions of the contract being met.
However, it is alleged that the couple were able to access and personally benefit from the initial sums paid without ever satisfying the sale terms.
The third person arrested, a 39 year-old man, is suspected of aiding the scheme.
Together the group may have defrauded the companies by almost £1.9 million pounds ($2.35 million).
All three suspects remain in custody and interviews are ongoing.
NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope said: “During the pandemic, both individuals and businesses were impacted by criminal opportunists. The NCA prioritised and tackled a range of serious organised crime threats, including fraud.
“False business agreements that turn out to be fraud, damage the reputation of the UK and hurt our economy.
“We continue to treat this as a priority area and thank Leicestershire Police for their ongoing support. Work is underway with law enforcement partners in the US and Germany to further this investigation.”
Developer appeals refusal of major Beeston mixed-use scheme
An appeal has been submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council after its planning committee refused proposals for a mixed-use scheme of student accommodation and commercial space in Beeston.
The decision in July 2022 came despite the scheme being recommended for approval by the planning officer.
The 419-student bed space scheme from Midlands-based developer Cassidy Group was planned for Station Road, next to the Arc Cinema.
Cassidy previously said that the scheme at the edge of Beeston town centre would breathe new life into a derelict site and bring increased footfall and economic benefit to local retailers. They added that it would also free up much-needed housing in the town, currently occupied by students, for family homes.
Detailing why the plans were refused, the planning committee noted that while it “applauded the applicant’s commitment to energy efficiency” there was “concern about the amenity of students living in the accommodation because the rooms were very small, and the intensity of occupation was too high for the size of the site.”
It was also highlighted that there would be an impact on neighbour amenity because of the lack of car parking provided on the site and because the students would only be in occupation for part of the year. The design of the building was also considered to be “unimaginative and inappropriate as a gateway building to Beeston.”
The refusal of the controversial development was praised by Beeston Civic Society, who, in response to the appeal, have set up a petition to uphold the decision. At time of writing, the petition, which is to be sent to the Planning Inspectorate, has 579 signatures.
New man appointed to lead HS2 in the Midlands and North
Sir Jonathan Thompson will be taking on the mantle of HS2 Ltd Chair and the responsibility of driving forward Europe’s largest infrastructure project in the north and Midlands.
In his role, Sir Jonathan will be providing strategic leadership, oversight and accountability for the HS2 programme, ensuring it is delivered on time and in budget while continuing to create jobs, boost local economies and provide much-needed railway capacity.
Sir Jonathan has previously served as the Permanent Secretary at both the Ministry of Defence and HMRC, as well as overseeing huge landmark moments HS2 has already achieved during his time as Deputy Chair, including providing 1,000 apprenticeships and the completion of the first mile of tunnels at Long Itchington Wood.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “HS2 goes far beyond simply making journeys quicker. It is a world-leading project that is already having a huge impact by regenerating communities and creating tens of thousands of jobs across the country.
Sir Jonathan said: “This monumental project has already achieved some incredible milestones and I’ve seen first-hand how it will transform not only journeys but the lives of people across the country. I look forward to working with our first-class stakeholders and partners in my new role, to ensure it this once in a lifetime opportunity fulfils its pioneering potential.”
Also appointed is Elaine Holt, as Deputy Chair of the HS2 Ltd board. Elaine is an existing non-executive director and an expert in both transport and the service industries. She will support the Chair in leading the board.
Dozens of creative businesses apply for £1.3m Create Growth East Midlands
Fifty creative businesses have already applied for places on East Midlands Create Growth – just weeks after the £1.3 million programme went live.
East Midlands Creative Consortium (EMC²) began accepting applications from high-potential creative businesses on January 23 after winning Government funding.
The free programme of support will ultimately work with 100 regional businesses to help them accelerate business growth, create jobs, and prepare for investment.
It will run across four cohorts between this Spring and 2025. Successful applicants will be based in Leicester and Leicestershire, Derby and Derbyshire, Lincoln and Greater Lincolnshire, and Rutland.
The initial response to the new EMC² website was outlined last night during a sold-out event in Leicester for creative businesses staged as part of this year’s Leicestershire Innovation Festival.
HQ Recording Studios hosted a packed event about how to build an agile creative community.
It outlined work being done at HQ to tackle the sector’s scale-up challenge through forming a collective of creative entrepreneurs working together to bridge the gap between microbusiness and SME status needed to tap into growth funding.
As well as live performances from singers Harri Georgio and Ffion Rebecca, speakers included HQ Managing Director Yasin El Ashrafi BEM, who described the vision to build a creative community that could collectively pitch for larger projects and work.
Also speaking were Dr Allan Taylor, Associate Professor of Media Production at De Montfort University Leicester, who outlined the creative opportunity in the East Midlands, and Stewart Smith, Head of Skills and Employment at the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), who summarised Create Growth.
The creative industry is worth more than £100 billion to the UK economy and accounts for 2.3 million jobs. The vast majority of regional creative jobs are with microbusinesses and the programme is intended to help them to grow and provide further employment.
EMC² was created to lead the Create Growth East Midlands programme after a LLEP-led consortium provided one of six successful regional bids for Government funding. It is backed by a coalition of partners including regional universities, Innovate UK, local businesses, and non-profit organisations.
Apply now for Create Growth at https://bit.ly/EastMidsCreateGrowth. Leicestershire Innovation Festival runs until February 17.
Full reinstatement of Derwent Rail service welcomed
The reinstatement of a full seven days a week rail service from Matlock to Nottingham has been welcomed by Derbyshire County Council Leader Councillor Barry Lewis.
Councillor Lewis added his voice to the campaign to have the full service on the Derwent Valley Line reinstated after it was suspended by East Midlands Railway (EMR) as part of cutbacks to 43 services at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. It briefly restarted again in May 2021 only to be cut back again shortly afterwards.
EMR blamed shortages of rolling stock, high levels of staff absence because of covid and operational issues for cutting the service.
The change to the service, which had been running since 2008, resulted in passengers travelling from Matlock to Nottingham having to change at Derby and seeing their journey times double as a result.
A petition calling for the service to be reinstated was launched in July 2021, gathering more than 10,000 signatures, with Councillor Lewis joining campaigners including Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire MPs, the Derwent Valley Community Rail Partnership and The Friends of the Derwent Valley Line, to call for the return of the service to its pre-pandemic level.
Two well-attended public meetings were organised by Belper Town Council and the Derwent Valley Community Rail Partnership and Councillor Lewis met with EMR management at County Hall in Matlock urging them to listen and take action.
Councillor Lewis lobbied Government, writing to several rail ministers and Transport Secretaries in post since 2021, and in May last year he joined forces with Derby City Council Leader Councillor Chris Poulter to write to the then Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps, outlining the importance of the service to the area and calling for Mr Shapps to intervene to get it reinstated as soon as possible.
In May 2022 EMR reintroduced through services from Matlock to Nottingham again on Sundays and in December 2022 they introduced three morning and three evening peak time through services from Monday to Friday.
However, campaigners including Councillor Lewis, felt this did not go far enough and continued to call for a full reinstatement.
EMR has confirmed that all day through services seven days a week are due to resume this May when the timetable changes again.
Councillor Barry Lewis said: “I am extremely pleased to hear that EMR is to reinstate the full through service between Matlock and Nottingham as its withdrawal has had a major impact on the area, our residents, businesses and visitors, with a knock-on to the local economy and our tourism trade.
“The effect on people’s everyday lives, for example getting to work or to school and college has been significant and has really taken its toll.
“Thanks must go to the officers at the county council who have used their expertise and worked very hard on this to ensure a positive outcome.
“It’s to be welcomed that EMR has listened to the many thousands of people, groups and organisations, including Derbyshire County Council, who have called for this important service to be reinstated and it really can’t come soon enough.”
Local businesses have also welcomed the announcement.
Rupert Pugh, development director at Heights of Abraham in Matlock Bath, said: “We are delighted and relieved to hear the news.
“The service from Matlock to Nottingham is of key importance to the local community and to us here at the Heights of Abraham.
“Train services really do help to reduce the number of cars on the road, especially as many Matlock Bath and Heights visitors do come from the Nottingham area.
“The May reinstatement coincides with special events planned here at the Heights, so it’s great that we can now promote the train route alongside our events.”
David Bold, resort director at Gulliver’s Kingdom, said: “We’re really pleased to hear that this important train line from Matlock to Nottingham is to be reinstated.
“For us here at Gulliver’s Kingdom, along with the rest of the tourism and hospitality industry in the Peak District, having a variety of easily accessible, reliable and cost-effective transport options available to our customers is vital.
“2023 sees Gulliver’s celebrate its 45th anniversary and we have exciting plans ahead as we look to continue our role as a popular tourist destination in this area welcoming thousands of visitors each year. Today’s news is a welcome boost for us and the local economy.”
New strategic development partnership to push forward Derby city centre regeneration
Derby City Council is seeking to develop a long-term partnership with a strategic development partner to drive forward key regeneration sites within the city centre, ensuring that current momentum is maintained and leveraging the full potential of Council-owned assets.
Derby is a city of growth and economic significance, representing a regional economy of around £15bn, a key centre of excellence in advanced manufacturing, and one of the UK’s most central and connected cities by rail, road and air. Not only is the city home to the primary UK sites of global industrial players such as Rolls Royce, Alstom and Toyota, but also a centre for technological innovation.
Despite this, the city centre does not currently reflect Derby’s economic status. Derby is on a journey to transform into a vibrant city centre with culture at its heart, already capitalising on several exciting opportunities. These include the Becketwell development, Market Hall redevelopment, Eastern Gateway project, HS2 East status for Derby rail station and the recently launched Derbion masterplan.
Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, said: “We’re really excited at the prospect of working with a Strategic Development Partner with a strong track record who will support the redevelopment of key areas of the city which require urgent investment.
“The partnership is a brilliant opportunity which will allow us to push forward with our ambitious plans for a vibrant city centre, delivering economic growth and attracting further private sector investment.
“Several major projects are already underway, but this is only the start. Despite a ‘perfect storm’ of rising costs, abnormally high inflation rates and increasing demand which have resulted in unprecedented budget pressures, the Council is committed to exploring ways of maintaining momentum around the delivery of our city centre regeneration priorities.”
A new vision is being developed for the city centre which incorporates culture, retail, living, workspace and learning, whilst also recognising the need for higher quality public and green spaces.
It is hoped that the partnership will combine the extensive innovation, insight and experience of a strong private sector delivery partner with the Council’s vision and understanding of the city’s needs. The partnership also represents an opportunity to attract further funding and investment which will drive forwards three key priorities:
Cultural Heart of the City – Primary regeneration and development opportunity around which the council are seeking to collaborate with its selected partner.
The ‘Cultural Heart of the City’ is the term given to a prominent core city centre environment, centered around the Market Place, encompassing the newly refurbished Market Hall and the highly successful QUAD cinema, close to the River Derwent and the Cathedral.
The area includes several significant development sites owned by the Council, including the former Assembly Rooms site and attached multi-storey car park.
In January 2023, £20m of Government funding through the Levelling Up Fund was announced to support Derby City Council, University of Derby and Derby Theatre’s plans to redevelop the Assembly Rooms site into a nationally recognised learning theatre. This could not only transform the city centre, but also act as a catalyst and anchor for further commercial development in the Cultural Heart area.
Northern Gateway – An emerging development opportunity within the Cathedral Quarter, with the most significant sites, Queens Leisure Centre and Chapel Street multi-storey car park being owned by the Council.
Partially within the city centre conservation area, and including some locally listed buildings, the area benefits from key cultural assets including the home of Déda (a creative centre for dance and movement, backed by Arts Council England) and the Flowerpot public house, a well-established local live music venue.
Bold Lane – A vacant development site in the Cathedral Quarter and adjacent to Sadler Gate Studios, operated by Connect Derby (Derby City Council’s managed workspace operation). The site is also opposite the Bold Lane multi-storey car park.
If approved at Cabinet, expressions of interest to establish the level of interested partners are expected to open in March 2023, with invitations to bid being issued in April 2023. It is anticipated that a strategic development partner will be selected in late Summer 2023.
Work begins on £8.6m Campus for Future Living in Mablethorpe
Construction to bring the pioneering health and education facility The Campus for Future Living has officially started in Mablethorpe.
Contractors Lindum Group cut the first piece of turf for East Lindsey District Council’s flagship Town Deal project at a celebration event on Wednesday, 8 February.
The £8.6m project, supported by the Connected Coast board, is the first council-led Town Deal project to start being delivered to level up the district and transform communities.
The programme of works is scheduled for completion in spring 2024.
Cutting the first piece of ground was Victoria Atkins MP for Louth and Horncastle, watched by Cllr William Gray, Campus Political Lead for East Lindsey District Council; Chris Baron, chairman of Connected Coast; Professor Mark Gussy from the University of Lincoln and local and national partners including representatives from the Marisco Medical Practice, Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea Town Council, Health Education England, Medical Technologies Innovation Facility, Linkage Trust and NHS Lincolnshire ICB.
The Campus for Future Living on Stanley Avenue offers significant potential to improve the health and wellbeing for residents in Mablethorpe, the Lincolnshire coast and wider East Lindsey. For the first time, Mablethorpe will be at the forefront of medical innovation, training, research and development.
The main Campus building will include the following facilities:
• Two large consultation rooms
• Seminar and teaching rooms
• An event space including a coffee hub
• Pathology laboratory and additional laboratory space
The campus site also includes an accommodation block, a children’s play area, a 35-space car park including eight disabled bays and electric vehicle charging points.
Cllr William Gray, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing and Political Lead for the Campus for Future Living, said: “This is an exciting day for Mablethorpe and for everyone involved in making the Campus of Future Living a reality.
“Through the backing of the Government through the Town Deal, we are enabling millions of pounds to be invested in Mablethorpe to help improve the lives of residents, bring them new health opportunities and attract inward investment to the Lincolnshire coast. The benefits will be long lasting for our communities.
“We will, of course, be keeping residents and stakeholders updated on the progress of the construction works as the Campus for Future Living takes shape. I look forward to seeing it progress over the coming year.”
Chris Baron, Chair of Connected Coast, said: “The start on site is a significant milestone that takes us a step closer to realising the exciting vision for the Campus for Future Living.
“The Campus is the flagship Town Deal project in Mablethorpe and through this project we have a huge opportunity to create a national exemplar in medical technology and innovation in the area.
“The beginning of work on the ground is the culmination of partnership working to translate the ambition for the campus into reality, and I look forward to seeing the development progress over the coming year.”
Agreement paves way for development of Rolls-Royce nuclear reactors in Poland
Rolls-Royce SMR has signed a memorandum of intent with Polish industrial group Industria allowing the companies to collaborate on the deployment of small modular reactors in Poland.
Industria has selected Rolls-Royce SMR technology to fulfil the zero-emission energy goals of Poland’s Central Hydrogen Cluster, and as part of their plans to produce 50,000 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen every year. Industria is part of the Group of Industrial Development Agency JSC.
Rolls-Royce SMR CEO Tom Samson said: “This is an important step in our relationship with Industria – setting out the basis on which we’ll work together to develop joint plans for using our SMR technology in Poland to decarbonise energy intensive industry and produce clean power for generations to come.
“Poland is one of the key international markets for our factory-built nuclear power plant which provides 470MW of clean, affordable electricity from a sustainable source. This partnership has enormous potential and could support thousands of high-skilled, long-term jobs in Poland and the UK – both directly and in the supply chain.”
Cezariusz Lesisz, President of the Board of Industrial Development Agency JSC (IDA), said: “Cooperation with Rolls-Royce SMR is a great opportunity for the ?wi?tokrzyskie region and IDA’s capital group companies in developing a high-tech industrial base for small scale nuclear power in Poland.
“Building new competencies of Polish industry is part of a trend of focusing on energy transition and strengthening our country’s energy security and resilience. The Industrial Development Agency wants to support projects to transform energy intensive industry, which will be able to benefit from both renewables and nuclear energy, which will be available in Poland in the next decade or faster.”
Poland and the wider region are seeking to decarbonise, while bolstering their energy security. Rolls-Royce SMR offers a factory built power solution that is perfectly sized to connect to the electricity grid or for off-grid industrial use such as hydrogen production.
Industria, which is wholly owned by the Polish Government as part of IDA Group, is leading an effort to develop a supply chain of parts and modules for SMR production. As a leader of Central Hydrogen Cluster, Industria is looking to deploy up to three SMRs to produce hydrogen and decarbonise regional energy infrastructure. There are additional future opportunities to replace more than 8GW of coal-fired power plants in southern Poland with SMRs throughout the 2030s.
Szczepan Ruman, CEO of Industria, said: “Rolls-Royce SMR is unmatched in terms of manufacturing concept and processes. Participation in a supply chain of parts and modules for Rolls-Royce SMR is a great opportunity for our region and for entire industry in southern Poland – which has built all the existing Polish power plants.
“We have a platform of cooperation for the industrial companies across southern Poland, which is our Central Hydrogen Cluster in which we cooperate with companies from our region as well as from three hydrogen valleys: Lower Silesia, Silesia-Lesser Poland and Subcarpathian. With the support of IDA Group, we aim to create jobs and secure Polish industry’s strong participation in the SMR industry of the future.
“Central Hydrogen Cluster and the hydrogen valleys’ aim is to secure clean energy sources for grid, industry and clean hydrogen production. Plans for deployment of Rolls-Royce SMR power plants in central and southern Poland will help meet these goals in the 2030s.”
Derbyshire industrial scheme takes shape
An industrial scheme in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, is beginning to take shape with the steel frame now erected.
Pent-up demand for quality industrial space is set to bring forward five new industrial units at the Stanton Forge development.
The speculative scheme, by local company D M Hartshorn Investments, follows the successful first phase on Littlewell Lane at the business park, which was completed in 2016.
Each of the five 1,383 sq ft units are available on new leases through commercial property specialists NG Chartered Surveyors.
Richard Sutton, Managing Director at NG, said: “It’s great to see this fantastic scheme progressing. These units are perfect for start-up businesses and with Junction 25 of the M1 only 10 minutes away, offer an ideal location and excellent connectivity to the motorway network.
“When we launched the first phase we had over 60 enquiries for the units and agreed disposal terms on all of them before they were completed.
“Pent-up demand for this calibre of small unit industrial space is high and NG is already taking deposits to secure the units.”
Lisa Hartshorn, director of D M Hartshorn Investments, added: “We have total faith in our scheme and the quality of build; Stanton Forge is the perfect location for ambitious local businesses.”
The units are set to be completed in June 2023. Each unit has three car parking spaces and is available on a new lease for a fixed term of 3 or 5 years.
Conference hears how public, private and education collaboration is set to address construction sector skills gaps in North Derbyshire
A powerful collaboration between Chesterfield’s public, private and education sectors – working alongside Chesterfield Borough Council – is set to roll out two initiatives which will address skills shortages within the construction sector.
The initiatives – Careers Made in Chesterfield and the Construction Skills Hub – were showcased at the annual Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference, held on 8 February at The Winding Wheel Theatre.
Currently being piloted with Parkside Community School, the Careers Made in Chesterfield initiative aims to deliver careers support and guidance in schools and also forge links with businesses within the local construction and property sector. Already, the initiative is reporting increased interest in construction careers from the pupils who have been involved with the pilot.
Mr Riggott, Headteacher, Parkside Community School, said: “The Careers Made in Chesterfield pilot represented a step change in creating sustained connections between our Year 10 students and some great local companies. Our students loved it!
“This model is fantastic for a number of reasons. Perhaps most importantly, students build their knowledge of and relationships with employers across the programme, which in turn enhances their confidence and the likely outcomes of work experience following an extremely informed choice.
“I am a huge believer in the power of schools working closely with local companies in this way. As a school leader, I have seen first-hand the transformational potential of such partnerships, including through the hugely successful Avenue School Challenge in 2019 which led to apprenticeships for a number of our students following the programme. As a parent, this year I have also seen one of my sons begin a degree apprenticeship with the company with whom he completed work experience back in Year 10.”
Careers in Chesterfield has been supported by the Chesterfield Property and Construction Forum, which is led by Andy Dabbs, a Chartered Architect and Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects. Members of the Forum have delivered in-school talks, hands-on activities, and workshops to raise awareness of the sector and jobs and roles available within it to the entire Year 10 group at Parkside Community School.
Mr Dabbs said: “Collaboration between businesses and schools is crucial in addressing the skills shortage in the property and construction industry. The Property and Construction Forum’s involvement in the Careers Made in Chesterfield pilot is a prime example of the importance of creating pathways for young people to enter the sector. Without these efforts, the industry’s growth will be hindered, both regionally and nationally.”
Subject to funding, Chesterfield Borough Council will work with partners to roll out the Careers Made in Chesterfield initiative to more schools and sectors across the borough from September 2023.
Mr Riggott added: “Chesterfield schools, the College, other education providers and businesses have a real opportunity to work with Chesterfield Borough Council and sector forums on programmes like the Careers Made in Chesterfield project and to shape wider skills planning for an exciting future for our young people. We are very much looking forward to being part of that work.”
Both locally and regionally, the construction sector is suffering a skills shortage. In the East Midlands an extra 17,500 construction workers will be needed from 2023-2027, an annual requirement of 3,500 new workers every year.
Cllr Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of Destination Chesterfield, said: “We’re proud to support and strengthen partnerships between businesses, education, and the public sector, by bringing together these sectors we can help ensure that young people receive the training and support they need to develop great careers in Chesterfield. This is all about ensuring that our borough continues to thrive and that the quality of life for local people is improving.
“We’ll continue to proactively support initiatives like this conference and Careers Made in Chesterfield because they really do help ensure young people can have the best start to their careers and can then stay and progress in Chesterfield. Developing skills though is not just about helping young people and our new Construction Skills Hub will help people who want to retrain and access careers in construction.”
Further addressing the increasing construction skills shortage within Chesterfield, the Construction Skills Hub in Mastin Moor will welcome learners from autumn this year.
Funded through the Staveley Town Deal, the skills hub will provide a practical platform for construction training, careers activity and work experience on a live construction site.
Initially the Skills Hub will provide training in site and bench joinery, brickwork, ground works and electrical installation but in time the offer will expand to include training in retrofit and green technologies. It will be open to school leavers and other residents seeking to train or retrain.
The Hub will provide training, careers insights, and work experience for more than 5,000 learners over 10 years.
Chesterfield College with support from the University of Derby have been appointed to deliver the training. It will be delivered in collaboration with the Devonshire Group, which is bringing forward a new housing development in Mastin Moor.
Speaking at the conference Principal and CEO of the Chesterfield College Group Julie Richards said: “We firmly believe in providing the skills and experience necessary for a successful career to support the local economy we serve. We must work in collaboration with local employers and other stakeholders. As such, we’re delighted to be part of a variety of significant local projects such as partnering with Devonshire Group for the Construction Skills Hub servicing Staveley and surrounding areas.
“The unique initiative provides a huge variety of work-based training opportunities on one of the largest housing developments in local history delivering qualifications from Entry Level to Higher Education progression in partnership with the University of Derby.
“To provide a pipeline of highly skilled workers for years to come the hub has a firm focus on skills for the future and will deliver both traditional trade skills alongside cutting edge methods of construction including low carbon technologies.”
