Cawarden awarded place on Pagabo’s £1.1bn Demolition Framework
Pagabo has announced the awards for its brand-new £1.1 billion demolition and land preparation framework, including Derby firm Cawarden.
The framework has been developed to provide clients with confidence that the demolition organisations they engage with are monitored and audited to ensure they maintain a high level of safety.
All suppliers appointed to the demolition project types are members of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors, providing additional compliance confidence for any client.
The framework, which is Pagabo’s first framework dedicated to demolition services, is now live and will run for four years. The framework contains a total of five value band lots, nine project types and up to 15 geographical regions in lots 1 and 2, and 10 geographical regions in lots 3, 4 and 5.
It provides clients with compliant access to suppliers with expertise in both demolition and land preparation services, which allows a client to be able to both redevelop existing estate stock and develop on brownfield sites.
Jason Stapley, Managing Director at Pagabo, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response we had to the tender process for this framework and are really pleased to be bringing a unique and compliant procurement route to demolition services to the market with such a strong set of companies.
“There is a huge focus on the environmental impact that construction projects can have, and so demolishing old buildings with a negative impact and redeveloping brownfield land is becoming increasingly important for development schemes. But with these approaches come a whole host of challenges that require specialist services.
“This framework will ensure that clients can access those specialist services from the firms best placed to support, providing any scheme with the best start possible before redevelopment – and doing so in the most compliant and efficient manner possible in the market.”
Included in the range of projects available is structure demolition, ground improvement works, bulk earthworks, industrial dismantling, and the demolition of non-traditionally constructed high-rise structures.
The framework will cover a wide range of sectors, including local authorities, NHS and health services, emergency services, highways and infrastructure, public utilities, education and universities, museum and leisure, prisons, housing associations, and central government and associated agencies.
In order to be considered for the framework, providers were required to go through a rigorous, PCR2015 compliant tender process, and prove financial suitability and related experience. As well as this, providers on Pagabo’s frameworks are required to share the company’s passion for social value and innovation.
Cawarden, which won Contractor of the Year at Business Link’s 2021 East Midlands Bricks Awards, was recently appointed demolition contractors for phase two of the £200m Becketwell regeneration scheme, to make way for Derby’s new 3,500 capacity performance venue.
It has started preparing for the structural demolition work on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub, NCP car park, Padley House, and Dubrek Studios.
Demolition of the former Debenhams store, which occupies part of the Becketwell site, was also completed by Cawarden, in Summer 2020, followed by the former Central United Reformed Church and properties on Victoria Street in March 2021.
Blueprint Interiors sponsors the East Midlands Bricks Awards for a third consecutive year
Workplace consultants and commercial office fit-out specialists Blueprint Interiors is the next company to sign up to be a category sponsor of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022.
The company, which is based in Ashby de la Zouch, is sponsoring the Most Active Estate Agent category for the third year running.
Commenting on their involvement, Chloe Sproston, creative and commercial director from Blueprint Interiors, said: “Our company is focused on helping companies create workplaces that inspire and motivate people to deliver their best work in environments that encourage innovation and engagement. The Bricks Awards provides the ideal networking platform to raise our profile, meet likeminded professionals and at the same time acknowledge the services and deals delivered by the region’s commercial agents.”
She added: “The commercial property market is currently very buoyant because office owners and company leadership teams are redefining their offices’ space requirements and trying to gain a better understanding of their employees’ needs. They face a real challenge to create spaces that offer compelling reasons for their employees to want to return the workplace. We have helped to solve these dilemmas on a number of projects ourselves and we are really looking forward to reading some exciting award submissions from an agent perspective. Deciding who the winning agent will be in 2022 may be very interesting!”
The awards, which will take place on Thursday 15 September at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, celebrate the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools.
Nominations are now OPEN for East Midlands Business Link’s annual Bricks Awards.
To submit a business or development, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
She added: “The commercial property market is currently very buoyant because office owners and company leadership teams are redefining their offices’ space requirements and trying to gain a better understanding of their employees’ needs. They face a real challenge to create spaces that offer compelling reasons for their employees to want to return the workplace. We have helped to solve these dilemmas on a number of projects ourselves and we are really looking forward to reading some exciting award submissions from an agent perspective. Deciding who the winning agent will be in 2022 may be very interesting!”
The awards, which will take place on Thursday 15 September at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, celebrate the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools.
Nominations are now OPEN for East Midlands Business Link’s annual Bricks Awards.
To submit a business or development, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
Award categories include:
- Most active estate agent
- Commercial development of the year
- Responsible business of the year
- Residential development of the year
- Developer of the year
- Deal of the year
- Architects of the year
- Excellence in design
- Sustainable development of the year
- Contractor of the year
- Overall winner
Find out who last year’s winners were here.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Book your tickets now
Tickets can now be booked for the awards event – click here to secure yours. The special awards evening and networking event will be held on 15 September 2022 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge County Cricket Club 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. The event will also welcome John Forkin MBE DL, Managing Director at award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby, as keynote speaker. Dress code is standard business attire.
To be held at:
Robert Welch Designs invests in cloud software implementation with BrightBridge to meet needs of evolving customer expectations
Award-winning designers and producers of cutlery, tableware and kitchenware, Robert Welch Designs is making a significant investment in digital transformation, to reflect the evolution of customer requirements and demand for real-time data, in an omnichannel space.
It has chosen specialist business software firm BrightBridge to design and implement this complex project. Cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution Oracle NetSuite will facilitate improved service for customers spanning the retail, hospitality and trade sectors.
The prestigious firm has a heritage of nearly 70 years and supplies exquisitely designed, high-quality cutlery and other tableware to internationally renowned hotels and restaurants. Robert Welch Designs chose Leicestershire-based BrightBridge due to their specialisms working with clients within retail, distribution and systems integration.
The project will comprise implementation of Oracle NetSuite including financials, sales and purchase orders, invoicing, inventory control and real-time management information. WAERlinx, a Built-for-NetSuite solution, will be implemented to handle all elements of warehouse management. Seamless integration of B2B, B2C, Amazon, and major retail partners will be achieved using Jitterbit, an integration platform as a service.
This will mean the firm can not only effectively integrate the fulfilment of all orders, whether direct or from third party shopping platforms such as Amazon, Shopify and Wayfair, but more importantly, provide the up-to-the-minute information required by Robert Welch customers. This is thanks to the real-time flow of data the platform facilitates, which will mean customers can access information such as order and delivery details, getting an exact status at every stage. This capability was a crucial element for the firm and a major factor in its implementation decision.
Ed Smith, IT director at Robert Welch Designs, based in Chipping Campden, said: “The world is moving at a rapid pace, and as a global supplier, we need a technology solution that will allow us to effectively move with it as our business continues to grow and diversify. The growth of omnichannel means we operate in a broader range of channels, so we need a real breadth of functionality.
“The cloud is the future and we want to be part of that as we know it will afford us the agility to service customers in all areas with speed, efficiency and professionalism – whether they’re a direct consumer, a trade client such as John Lewis & Partners or a hospitality client such as the Shangri-La Group. The solution BrightBridge is implementing will give us the full capability of process automation and instant updates that will furnish our customers with up-to-date information.”
“We want to both properly serve our customer base and grow it, and we believe BrightBridge’s expertise in building robust business architecture, coupled with the plethora of features in the NetSuite and WAERlinx solution, will allow us to achieve that. When there is a big community, which Oracle NetSuite has, development and progress are fast-paced and driven by that community,” he added.
Having a real-time 360-degree view of the business on a single platform, allowing fast identification and therefore resolution of any issues quickly, was also part of the appeal for Robert Welch Designs. The fact it is a cloud-based solution offering automatic updates, and therefore negating the need for manual upgrades, was an even bigger attraction for the business.
While Robert Welch Designs may be moving with the times when it comes to technology, the company continues to design its products (from stainless-steel cutlery and tableware accessories, through to kitchen knives, cookware and homewares) at the Old Silk Mill, Chipping Campden, the same building in which the family business was founded in 1955.
Ian Robertson, sales and marketing director at BrightBridge, said: “It was clear that a firm with such a rich history, stellar reputation and solid high-end customer base needed a solution that would help it continue to exceed customer service expectations via access to real-time data and more intuitive processes. We are confident that the Oracle NetSuite solution, coupled with our expertise, will see a successful implementation for Robert Welch Designs and allow the company to meet its growth goals.”
As BrightBridge is the only European partner of both Oracle NetSuite and leading integration platform Jitterbit, the firm is well-placed to take Robert Welch Designs on its digital transformation journey.
For more information, please visit brightbridgesolutions.com, or follow BrightBridge on Twitter – @brightbridge_uk – or LinkedIn.
Drax partners with the University of Nottingham to pilot more pioneering new carbon capture technology
Renewable energy pioneer Drax has partnered with the University of Nottingham and Promethean Particles to trial a pioneering new bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) process at its North Yorkshire power station.
The new process uses a type of solid sorbent called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which Promethean Particles are a global pioneer in the development and deployment of, to capture the CO2 released when sustainable biomass is used to generate electricity. CCS technologies typically use liquid solvents.
MOFs have a simple structure, which means they can be tailored to separate and soak up specific molecules making them excellent for CCS.
The trial will last for two months and will allow all three organisations to understand if this new carbon capture process performs well in real conditions on large-scale projects.
Jason Shipstone, Drax’s chief innovation officer, said: “Negative emissions technologies like BECCS will play a vital role in the fight against the climate crisis, so it’s crucial we continue to innovate and develop new technologies that will support their future deployment.
“This partnership with the University of Nottingham and Promethean Particles is part of our long-term innovation programme and will allow Drax to understand the future potential of this technology, as we continue to innovate and grow as a business.”
Professor Ed Lester, project lead, University of Nottingham, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase how these solid adsorbents perform in an industrial setting. We know that this project is gathering a lot of interest across many industrial sectors that currently generate large amounts of CO2.”
James Stephenson, CEO of Promethean Particles, said: “There is exciting potential for MOFS to deliver a more efficient CCS. By collaborating with Drax and the Uni, we can show how they can perform in a real industrial setting and drive a step change in their availability and cost effectiveness.”
Drax Group, which has converted Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to use sustainable biomass instead of coal to become the UK’s largest renewable generator, plans to deploy the essential negative emissions technology BECCS in the 2020s. This would be the world’s largest carbon capture power project, delivering a significant proportion of the negative emissions needed for the UK to meet its climate targets. Rolls-Royce submarines to launch Nuclear Skills Academy and new apprenticeships in Derby
Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd will launch a new skills academy dedicated to nuclear training, alongside 200 additional nuclear apprenticeships starting in September 2022.
As part of its drive to boost nuclear capability in the UK and to create a pipeline for nurturing talent right at the start of their careers, Rolls-Royce Submarines has committed to 200 new apprenticeships every year for at least the next ten years.
Based in Derby, the new Nuclear Skills Academy will be supported by industry and education experts, including the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the National College for Nuclear, the University of Derby and Derby City Council. This ensures new apprentices will have access to the best courses and mentors throughout their apprenticeship.
Steve Carlier, president – Submarines, Rolls-Royce, said: “We are proud of our unique nuclear capability and we are fortunate enough to have some of the smartest minds on the planet working for us. But we must maintain this capability if we want to continue to innovate and evolve.”
“Being born and bred in Derby, I am immensely proud that we are playing our part in further boosting the area’s reputation for engineering excellence,” Steve continued. “The UK is embarking on a nuclear renaissance and we are determined to make the East Midlands the home of nuclear expertise for decades to come.”
The new apprenticeships will be spread across four courses: Nuclear Engineering Degree Apprenticeship, Business Degree Apprenticeship, Nuclear Engineering Technician Apprenticeship and Advanced Engineering Apprenticeship.
Lee Warren, Submarines engineering & technology director, Rolls-Royce, said: “All four courses offer debt-free, higher education qualifications while earning a wage within an exciting and growing business that supports the UK’s net carbon ambitions. If you know someone who is finishing school or college, rethinking university debt, or even already in work and looking for a change of career, our apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity.”
For 60 years, Rolls-Royce has provided the power for all of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines from its base in Raynesway, Derby.
“Our new Academy will not only maintain and develop our nuclear capability for years to come, but it will also provide invaluable STEM qualifications for hundreds of individuals at the very start of their careers,” Lee continued. “Generations of submariners have put their faith in our nuclear expertise and our new academy will mean we can keep providing them with cutting edge technology to keep them, and the UK, safe.”
Marketing agency helps launch first disabled Ryder Cup style golf event sponsored by Amazon
Hot on the heels of the recent British Masters, Derby-based marketing agency, Purpose Media has provided sponsorship and marketing support for the first ever Ryder Cup style golf event for disabled people. Global brand Amazon was the main sponsor of the event and has committed to further raise the profile of the event to help secure its ongoing viability.
Called the Cairns Cup, the inaugural event is taking place at the Seve Ballesteros-designed The Shire London golf course between 7-13 May. The venues for future Cairns Cup include The Fortress (Michigan USA) in 2024, Celtic Manor (Wales) in 2026, Florida in 2028 and San Rogue, Gibraltar in 2030.
The tournament has the backing of the “Ryder family” and Tom Ryder Smith, the grandson of Samuel Ryder, who founded the Ryder Cup, has committed his full support to the Cairns Cup.
The tournament sees Europe host USA over 3 days playing fourball betterball, foursomes and singles formats. Each team consists of 16 players, however only 12 will play each day. Each team has at least 6 different disabilities and WHS handicaps ranging from scratch to 54 making the event truly inclusive and available to all golfers who have a disability.
Team Europe will be led Kevin Booth, with vice captain Kris Aves, a police officer from Barnet, London who was injured in a terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge in 2017.
Team USA is captained by Tracey Ramin, who is executive director of The National Amputee Golf Association, Board member of The Michigan Amputee Golf Association, director of completion and co-founder of USAGA Para long drive Rock City Rumble 2019. Other vice captains include Derek Milne, John Bell, and Tineke Loogman and Jonathan Snyder.
Purpose Media has agreed to create branding for the UK event, manage social media, film the event and create promotional videos as part of its contribution towards ensuring this inaugural event receives the support it deserves.
Matt Wheatcroft from Purpose Media said: “We have an established reputation for helping sports clubs and associations maximise the power of digital marketing. We are delighted to have been asked to support the launch of this inaugural event and look forward to playing a key role in the future.”
The Cairns cup is a “Ryder Cup Style” match-play event between golfers with various disabilities from Europe and USA.
The event is also presented as a DISABILITY GOLF FESTIVAL with the following aims:
- Establish a competitive event for those with a disability
- Raise awareness of Disability Golf
- Provide a platform to raising funds to promote golf to all
- Leave a legacy for future generation
The Cairns Cup aka “The Billy” arose from the Phoenix Cup 2018 in Florida when a team of disabled golfers from USA & Europe played at Rotonda Golf Club, Florida. Mr. Billy Cairns was a team member of the travelling European team and unfortunately passed away the day after arriving in Florida. This made the competition very emotional and ensured that the camaraderie between the two teams was unprecedented.
The Cairns Cup CIC is now a not for profit company that will allow the event to grow and promote opportunities for Disabled Golfers in the USA and Europe.
Midlands logistics take-up outperforms rest of UK
The Midlands recorded the highest level of take-up of logistics space in the first quarter of 2022, accounting for almost half (46%) of the total space taken across the UK.
According to CBRE’s UK Logistics Market Summary, of the 10.43m sq ft transacted in Q1, 3.4m sq ft (32.4%) was in the East Midlands, representing a 111% year-on-year increase. The East Midlands also ended the quarter with the largest amount of logistics space under offer, at 5.9m sq ft.
Logistics take-up in the West Midlands totaled 1.5m sq ft (14.1%), with 5.3m sq ft under offer. Available space fell for a second consecutive quarter to 1.7m sq ft, of which more than 1m sq ft was secondhand. There were no new speculative units completed during Q1.
In the East Midlands, the development pipeline is looking much healthier. At the end of Q1, the region had 4.9m sq ft of available space, the majority (73.3%) of which is speculative and currently under construction.
The demand for logistics space is putting upward pressure on rents, with nearly all UK regions experiencing rental growth during Q1. Prime rents in the East Midlands grew for the fifth consecutive quarter, reaching a record £8.25 per sq ft, while the West Midlands recorded the second highest prime rent across the UK regions at £8.50 per sq ft.
Luke Thacker, associate director in CBRE’s Midlands industrial and logistics team, said: “The Midlands was once again the standout performer, dominating take-up of logistics space during the first three months of the year and reaffirming its position as the UK’s logistics heartland.
“Take-up in the East Midlands was predominantly for build-to-suit and speculative units, a trend that looks set to continue, with almost all the 5.9m sq ft of space under offer in the region being build-to-suit. It’s a similar picture in the West Midlands, where again pretty much all the space under offer is either speculative or build-to-suit.
“The challenge in the Midlands, however, is the current shortage of new ready to occupy space and while there is speculative development in the pipeline, this is quickly being taken due to the competition for space. Developers have responded by building speculatively again but more space is needed to satisfy the strong market demand.”
First UK logistics building to go beyond “Net Zero“ built in Daventry
Prologis, the developer and owner of logistics parks, has completed the construction of the UK’s first logistics property to go beyond net zero carbon in its construction and operation – delivering a net benefit for the environment over its lifetime.
Located on Prologis Apex Park, near Daventry, Prologis has delivered a brand new 435,000 sq ft unit, which will act as UK Logistics Centre for an American multinational. In a first for the world of industrial logistics property, Prologis have delivered an industrial unit which pushes the boundaries of sustainable construction.
The building includes the installation of bespoke energy saving technology. In addition to the standard sustainability measures provided by Prologis, including rainwater harvesting and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, a 1.4MW rooftop solar system has also been installed, resulting in a building which will return more energy to the grid than it uses. The surplus energy it generates will help to power other homes and businesses.
The new unit at Apex Park is BREEAM rated ‘Outstanding’ – placing it in the top 1% of UK non-domestic buildings. When certified at Post Construction stage by BREEAM, the building scored 88.2%, which was the highest “Industrial 2018 Shell & Core” score so far achieved.
Martin Cooper, vice president, development management at Prologis UK, said: “This is a milestone for Prologis and shows what can be achieved when like-minded businesses work together to realise their vision for a building that delivers a net benefit for the environment. All our new warehouses in the UK have been net zero carbon in construction for the past 14 years, but this building at Apex Park takes carbon reduction to a new level.
“The dialogue around net zero is progressing rapidly and businesses are beginning to look beyond ‘operational carbon’ to find other ways to make their buildings more sustainable. Reducing the embodied carbon of new buildings requires intense collaboration across the supply chain, from engineers and architects to material and product suppliers, plant hire firms and contractors.
“Moving as a country towards being net zero by 2050, we look forward to seeing many more logistics projects that are net-positive for the environment, and we’re extremely proud to be leading the way.”
Additionally, the new unit is also the first development of its type to achieve an EPC rating of A+, meeting the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) Framework Definition of Net Zero Carbon for both embodied & operational carbon. It’s predicted that the unit will generate more energy than it uses, avoiding 105 tCO2eper year and feeding unused energy back in the grid.
As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainable construction Prologis ensures that each new logistics property can achieve a net environmental benefit, starting by designing out carbon emissions wherever possible – for example by offering customers rooftop solar power systems. The whole life carbon footprint is then measured, and unavoidable embodied carbon emissions are mitigated by protecting rainforest.
Through Prologis’ partnership with climate change charity, Cool Earth, 310 acres of Papua New Guinea rainforest were protected based on a whole lifetime assessment of the Apex Park building’s carbon impact.
In November 2021, Prologis were awarded the Terra Carta seal, which recognises companies who are building a sustainable future and have made a serious commitment to put nature, people & the planet at the heart of the economy.
Digital marketing specialist expands to new home in Derby
Digital marketing specialists Alphageek are relocating to the Cubo flex workspace in Derby after outgrowing their current premises.
The company, which was launched in 2017, has taken a 24-person office at Cubo, which is located in the Old Post Office building on Victoria Street.
The grade II listed three-storey, 18,000 sq ft Cubo Derby was opened in 2020 following an extensive refurbishment and can accommodate more than 200 desks in a variety of co-working spaces and private offices.
Members benefit from a variety of other services and facilities including meeting rooms, networking events, private booths, chill-out areas, beer on tap and a free barista service.
Alphageek specialises in data-driven online advertising and web development. The company delivers tangible results for companies of all shapes and sizes worldwide and has created campaigns for some of the country’s most exciting brands including Project D, HUUB, G-SHOCK, Casio and more.
The company now employs 15 staff, with plans for future expansion in the coming months.
Commenting on the move to Cubo Derby, Art Lindop, Managing Director of Alphageek, said: “Alphageek are entering an exciting phase of growth and we needed a high end, modern space representative of our aspirations.
“We can’t wait to move into our new home in a hub of Derby businesses and make full use of Cubo’s amazing facilities. As a venue we can both grow our local client base and help the Alphageek creative magic flow – Cubo is perfect.”
Marc Brough, Managing Director at Cubo, added: “Alphageek is one of a growing number of exciting local businesses that are rethinking their accommodation strategies and opting for a hybrid working model at Cubo.
“Location, an inspiring space to work from and flexibility are the main drivers for businesses who are looking for office accommodation. Cubo provides all this and much more, making it an attractive place to base a business.”
£2.6m Loughborough Town Deal investment confirmed to build Digital Skills Hub
A hub to help equip local people with digital skills for the future has received a £2.6 million boost from Loughborough Town Deal.
The Town Deal has confirmed the funding to create the Digital Skills Hub at Loughborough College which will also work with employers to deliver a greater breadth of work placement opportunities.
It is one of 11 projects Loughborough Town Deal is backing after securing £16.9 million of Government funding. In total, the projects are worth over £40 million of investment for the town.
The Town Deal Board is co-chaired by Cllr Jonathan Morgan, leader of Charnwood Borough Council, and Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, chairman of Loughborough-based Morningside Pharmaceuticals.
Cllr Morgan said: “I am delighted that we can now confirm Town Deal funding for the Digital Skills Hub at Loughborough College.
“We are living and working in an ever-increasing digital world and therefore the demand for a facility like this has never been higher. The skills hub will help not only people but also local businesses as we continue to emerge from the impact of the pandemic and build a stronger local economy.”
Dr Nik Kotecha said: “We want the Town Deal to have a real legacy and this will certainly be one aspect of that. Thousands of local people will be trained at the Digital Skills Hub and forge their careers and futures with the skills they will learn there.
“I am really pleased the Town Deal can invest in Loughborough College which is a wonderful asset for the town and borough.”
Jo Maher, principal and CEO of Loughborough College, said: “This is fantastic news and we’re extremely grateful to the Town Deal for investing in our digital vision.
“The funding means we can create more cutting-edge facilities on campus which enhance the digital capability of learners and our community so that we can better meet the needs of local and regional employers.
“In addition, the Skills Hub perfectly complements our new T-Level Centre and proposed Institute of Technology on campus, helping us create a state-of-the-art learning environment in the heart of the community.”
The Town Deal grant will support the construction of the new Digital Skills Hub building on the College campus next to a new T Level Centre off Epinal Way. Construction work is due to start at the end of 2022.
The Digital Skills Hub will aim to support the delivery of T Levels, apprenticeships, industry placements and higher technical qualifications to skill-up local people as Loughborough moves into a more digitally-focussed future.
It will also:
- target unemployed and semi-skilled adults to support them into employment
- equip the next generation with the skills and knowledge to improve social mobility, human capital and economic success
- provide support to businesses post-COVID-19
- reduce the need for local people to travel to access skills, therefore, contributing to the college’s commitment to clean growth and carbon reductions in Loughborough.
- create an accessible and modern facility to welcome the community and local businesses, training on digital jobs for the future.
Local artist creates bespoke bowl for Belmayne Ball
A charity ball organised by Dronfield-based financial planners, Belmayne, has received a boost, thanks to the generosity of a Derbyshire artist.
A unique bowl, created specially by Chris Fisher RPT, will be auctioned at the Belmayne Foundation’s black-tie event, being held on Saturday (May 14).
The tactile blue charging dish is decorated with silver gilt and entitled “Every Cloud.” It was designed by Chris Fisher, also known as The Blind Woodturner, the UK’s only completely blind professional accredited woodturner. He learned his craft by listening to hundreds of hours of YouTube videos and now sells his products worldwide.
Almost 160 people are expected to attend Belmayne’s ball, which is being held at the Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria in Sheffield. The event is fully funded by the firm, so all money raised from ticket sales and activities on the night will be donated to the four small charities it is supporting this year. They are: Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team, Disability Awareness with Sport, Sheffield Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and Sight Support Derbyshire.
Martin Birch, a partner at Belmayne, said: “We are extremely grateful to Chris Fisher for taking the time to make this beautiful piece of art for our event and our friends at Sight Support Derbyshire for the introduction. There is no doubt it will be highly sought after and will help us generate generous sums of money for our charities. This year’s ball is set to be the biggest fundraiser we’ve ever organised and we would like to thank everyone who has booked tickets or donated prizes for their support.”
Belmayne will be auctioning and raffling a number of high-profile prizes, including tickets to see England v New Zealand at Twickenham, a bottle of wine signed by the Prime Minister, signed shirts from both Sheffield football teams and a signed photo of world champion mountain biker, Steve Peat.
Nottingham-based property agent appoints new associate director
Leading commercial property agency Innes England has welcomed a new associate director to its Nottingham office.
Trish Topliss has joined the firm’s building consultancy team after moving from property and construction consultancy Gleeds, in Nottingham, where she was an executive building surveyor for nearly 17 years. Trish brings with her an expansive history of building surveying and project management.
Trish, who has lived and worked in Nottingham for more than two decades, said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Innes England and the team in Nottingham. The opportunity to become an associate director at a new firm was too good to turn down. The business has an excellent reputation in the city and is one that I’ve been hearing about for years.
“Nottingham is fast becoming one of the country’s brightest and busiest cities and it’s been wonderful watching it grow over the past 20 years. The market continues to show no signs of slowing down. I am ready for this new challenge, both personally and professionally.
“While I’ve only been here a month and I’m still finding my feet and getting used to the new environment, I’m excited to pass on my experience to the graduates we have here at Innes. No one day is the same in building surveying and the projects are always varied and interesting.”
Innes England, which has offices in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, this year revealed that investment in the East Midlands’ commercial real estate sector smashed to a record-breaking level of £2.29 billion in 2021, in its annual Market Insite report.
Trish’s appointment boosts the building consultancy team, which provides expert building surveying and project management advice across a range of projects. She is the third person to recently join the team who was educated at Nottingham Trent University, joining Kartar Soar and Dan Knight.
Kartar joined the building consultancy team in January after moving from Birmingham, where he was a qualified building surveyor with Savills, while Dan joined as a graduate surveyor after completing a degree in building surveying.
Mike Thorne, director and head of building consultancy at Innes, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Trish to the team, as we continue to bring in fresh faces with new ideas.
“We know Trish is a very capable and experienced surveyor that can hit the ground running. She is already taking the lead role with Phoenix Futures to deliver their £1.6m care home refurbishment, and helping us deliver a multi-million pound refurbishment programme.”
Work starts on £7.8m Ashbourne affordable homes scheme
Representatives from Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) and Derbyshire Dales District Council got together last week to celebrate the beginning of work on a new £7.8m affordable housing development on Ashbourne’s Mayfield Road.
Formerly a service station and garage, Dove Garage has now been demolished. A development of 37 new homes has begun, providing a selection of one, two and three bedroom houses. 19 homes will be available for affordable rent and 18 sold for shared ownership.
The District Council’s director of housing, Rob Cogings, said: “We are delighted to have worked in partnership with NCHA to deliver the most energy efficient affordable housing scheme ever built here in the Derbyshire Dales.
“The scheme will meet a range of housing needs which are evident on the Council’s Housing Register. The environmental sustainability of the proposal will ensure this is one of the best performing environmental housing developments in the district.”
Working in partnership with Derbyshire Dales District Council, NCHA have planned a gas-free development. These new homes will be built to EPC A energy rating, with high energy efficiency standards, air-source heat pumps and access to green space. All the new homes will have their own private garden and parking.
Allan Fisher, director of development and assets at NCHA, said: “We are passionate about delivering affordable homes and healthy environments. These energy-efficient homes will be built to an EPC A standard to help residents reduce their energy bills and reduce our impact on the environment.”
The scheme, designed by architects Player Roberts Bell, is funded by contributions from Homes England and NCHA. NCHA have partnered with MyPad for the build which is expected to be complete by Winter 2023/2024.
Yü Group to create new division following integration of smart meter specialists
Yü Group, the Nottingham-headquartered independent supplier of gas, electricity and water to the UK corporate sector, is creating a metering services division following the integration of the management and support team and Intellectual Property of Magnum Utilities, specialists in smart meter installation and services.
Magnum Utilities entered administration on 9 May 2022 as a result of its clients entering the SOLR process. A team of 28 join Yü Group and will bring extensive expertise and experience and will trade under ‘Yü Smart’ a new wholly owned subsidiary of the group.
The new metering services division will see the development of Yü Group’s field engineering capabilities to accelerate the installation of SMETS2 meters across the group’s eligible and future portfolio.
This will provide Yü Group greater control and accuracy of metering data to improve operational efficiencies and the reduction of Yü Group’s current maintenance spend with third party metering service providers.
It will also support Yü Group’s Digital by Default strategy by driving enhanced data insight to enable better hedging performance and understanding of customer consumption.
In addition, it will support Yü Group’s future growth by unlocking new market opportunities to develop field services across the group’s existing customers as well as developing its own customer base.
The installation of SMETS2 will also ensure better outcomes for Yü Group’s customers through more accurate billing and meter readings and energy efficiency insight.
Bobby Kalar, Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to be integrating Magnum Utilities management and support team to build our metering capability and expertise.
“The ability to control a larger part of the value chain and influence predictable outcomes for our customers will drive significant value enhancement – providing us greater control of our customers’ energy supply. Not only will this improve our operational efficiency but in turn will support our future growth.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome our new colleagues to the group, and look forward to launching our new metering division in early Q3 2022 under the Yü Smart brand.”
Digital media service company sold to private equity firm
ECI Partners has completed the sale of Imagesound to Livingbridge, generating a 2.6x return.
Chesterfield-headquartered Imagesound is a tech-enabled digital media service company with over 65,000 music zones. It operates two brands across a global footprint, operating in 160 countries.
Imagesound provides in-store audio and visual solutions to a large number of blue-chip retail and leisure customers. Music Styling delivers a highly curated and bespoke service to high-profile international hotel and cruise groups.
ECI partnered with Imagesound in 2016, and since then the business has transformed from being predominantly UK-based, with just 10% of revenues coming from outside the UK, to a truly global company. International revenues now account for more than half of total Group revenues and Imagesound has also significantly expanded its international presence with new offices in Miami, Shanghai and Dubai.
The business has also completed four acquisitions, further strengthening its global market position.
The investment from Livingbridge will help Imagesound to continue to drive its organic growth globally and underpin an ongoing buy and build strategy.
Will Truman, CEO of Imagesound, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with the ECI team over the past six years to expand our international footprint, develop our product offering and grow our team by over 100%. I’d like to thank the team at ECI for a successful partnership, and I look forward to working with Livingbridge over the coming years as we look to double in size again.”
Matthew Caffrey, partner at Livingbridge, said: “We’re very excited to be partnering with Will and the team. They have done a fantastic job growing Imagesound through the pandemic and the business is extremely well positioned for growth. We are particularly keen to continue to grow the proposition internationally and look forward to building on recent success, particularly in the US market.”
John Hayhurst, partner at ECI Partners, said: “It has been a pleasure to work alongside chairman Derek Mapp, Will and the team for the past six years, helping to expand the company’s global proposition. We believe Imagesound is well-positioned to continue along its impressive growth trajectory. We would like to thank the team for such a successful partnership, and we wish them and Livingbridge all the best for the future.”
Shine a light on your team and projects at the prestigious East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022
With nominations now OPEN for East Midlands Business Link’s esteemed Bricks Awards, now is the ideal time to make your submissions.
Celebrating the region’s property and construction industry, award categories include: most active estate agent, commercial development of the year, responsible business of the year, residential development of the year, developer of the year, deal of the year, architects of the year, excellence in design, sustainable development of the year, contractor of the year, and overall winner.
Take this opportunity to shine the spotlight on your team, reward their efforts, and boost morale.
Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 15 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening also providing the chance to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region.
Thanks to our sponsors:
William Crooks, Managing Director of Cawarden, reflected on winning an award at the 2021 event: “After being named Contractor of the Year at the British Demolition Awards at the start of September, we were absolutely thrilled to win the same accolade from the East Midlands Bricks Awards a few weeks later.
“The event is a real showcase for the regional property and construction sector and we are proud to be recognised for our project and service delivery expertise as a leading specialist contractor. It was a great night and provided an opportunity to catch up with some familiar faces as well as meeting new with the wonderful Trent Bridge Cricket Ground as a backdrop.
“Well done to the Cawarden team for continuously going above and beyond and maintaining high standards for our valued clients. Congratulations must also go to all the other awards finalists and award winners on the night.”
To submit a business or development for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022, please click on a category link below or visit this page.- Most active estate agent
- Commercial development of the year
- Responsible business of the year
- Residential development of the year
- Developer of the year
- Deal of the year
- Architects of the year
- Excellence in design
- Sustainable development of the year
- Contractor of the year
- Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, the winner will be selected from those nominated)
Book your tickets now
Tickets can now be booked for the awards event – click here to secure yours. The special awards evening and networking event will be held on 15 September 2022 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge County Cricket Club 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. The event will also welcome John Forkin MBE DL, Managing Director at award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby, as keynote speaker. Dress code is standard business attire.
To be held at:
Seven East Midlands cultural organisations receive £1.9m for post-pandemic transformation
Arts Council England has announced a total investment of £1,989,391 has been awarded to seven organisations in the East Midlands to help them transform their buildings and equipment so they can operate safely post-pandemic, improve access, seize technological opportunities and reduce environmental impact.
From Boston to Leicester, the organisations receiving funding share a vision to build a fit for the future cultural sector, that will benefit communities for years to come. This place-based approach demonstrates the Arts Council’s commitment to helping level up the country through investment in culture and creativity.
Projects in the East Midlands:
- Artcore – £250,000 – Derbyshire – is an international centre for contemporary art and creativity based in Derby. It has a gallery, studios, workspaces, shop and café and is a hub for commissioning, production, presentation and debate, working with a diverse range of communities, creative industries, community, education, health and regeneration sectors. This will support them to improve the environmental sustainability of the building and offer better audience experience by installing solar panels, improved access, LED lighting, sustainable technologies and environmental monitoring systems.
- Blackfriars Arts Centre – £150,000 – Lincolnshire – in Boston hosts a varied programme of professional stage productions and is home to two local amateur dramatic and operatic groups. As the town’s cultural centre, they offer a youth theatre company, art gallery and community space. This funding will allow them to install more energy efficient lighting and sound equipment to improve sustainability and running costs, and to upgrade visual and hearing loop equipment to ensure a more accessible experience for visitors.
- Chesterfield Borough Council – £695,000 – Derbyshire – Stephenson Memorial Hall is a Grade II listed building which houses the Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum, which tells the story of Chesterfield, from the establishment of a Roman Fort, the expansion of the market and the Industrial Revolution, which brought the ‘Father of the Railways’ George Stephenson to the town. Currently the building is undergoing a major refurbishment to create a modern visitor attraction. This funding will allow them to install a ventilation system into the auditorium of the Pomegranate Theatre, and a fully accessible Changing Places toilet.
- Connect Culture: Nottingham City Libraries Inclusive, Immersive, Innovative – £185,900 – Nottinghamshire – will adjust and recreate space within two Nottingham libraries – Strelley Road Library and St Ann’s Valley Library – including building a three-screen interactive cine digital system. It will increase digital provision at the two libraries, allowing them to purchase hardware and software for remote access, scheduling and live streaming, a 360 camera and software and IP licences for digital cultural content.
- The National Holocaust Centre and Museum – £460,000 – Nottinghamshire – offers ways for people to explore the history and implications of the Holocaust. There is a memorial garden alongside two permanent exhibitions – The Holocaust Exhibition, suitable for secondary school children and adults and The Journey, a text free and tactile exhibition built with younger children in mind. This funding will allow them to enhance existing buildings, gardens and equipment, so they can create new digital content, an auditorium and broadcast suite in the Memorial Hall and improve visitor experience.
- Metro Boulot Dodo (MBD) – £119,991 – Leicestershire – create storytelling experiences using virtual reality, augmented reality and large scale projection, blending traditional arts expertise and technological innovation to bring stories to life. This project will allow them to set up a professional immersive digital production studio, including a facility for collaborative working, an artist development space, a production space and a resource for learning and participation opportunities.
- Serendipity – £128,500 – Leicestershire – is Leicester’s Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, bringing perspectives from the African and African Caribbean diaspora to its programmes including the flagship dance festival, Let’s Dance International Frontiers, Black History Month Leicester and the Annual Windrush Day Lecture. This will allow their offices – and home to the Black Cultural Archive – to have an appropriate IT infrastructure and equipment suitable for all access needs.
UK inflation index reaches record high as manufacturing businesses face growing pressures
The BDO Inflation Index has reached an all-time high as April saw a stark rise in commodity and energy prices, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP.
The Inflation Index experienced the largest month-on-month increase in its ten-year history, jumping 4.29 points to 115.26. The last time the Index saw a jump comparable to this was in October 2016, with a monthly uptick of 3.93 points in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum. The index now sits well above 100 points, which denotes the average rate of growth.
April saw a sharp rise across both the Input and Consumer Inflation subindices, driven predominantly by skyrocketing prices for energy and commodities. This is fuelling considerable cost pressures for manufacturing businesses as the price of key materials and commodities continues to climb.
Elsewhere in the report, BDO’s Output Index fell 7.30 points to 103.66 in April. This fall took the Output Index to its lowest level since March 2021, driven by ongoing supply chain disruption and a decline in consumer spending as inflation soars.
The manufacturing sector has been particularly impacted by these constraints, leading to a drop of 1.93 points in the Manufacturing Output subindex, slipping below its long-term trend level to 98.14 following three consecutive months of decline.
As businesses face these economic headwinds, the labour market looks set to suffer. April saw the weakest month-on-month increase since September 2021, reflecting the slowing of jobs growth over the past month. This decline is expected to continue throughout 2022 as the unemployment rate is predicted to rise.
Commenting on the results, Kaley Crossthwaite, partner at BDO LLP, said: “Businesses are feeling the full force of rising costs, more of which will be passed onto customers in the coming months with consumer inflation set to intensify.
“The resulting squeeze on households’ disposable incomes is beginning to hurt our post pandemic economic recovery – and the very real risk of prolonged stagflation continues to haunt businesses and consumers across the country.”
Demolition work starts ahead of phase two of £200m Becketwell scheme
Demolition work has begun on phase two of the £200m Becketwell regeneration scheme to make way for Derby’s new 3,500 capacity Performance Venue.
Derby-based Cawarden have been appointed demolition contractors for the project and have started preparing for the structural demolition work on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub, NCP car park, Padley House, and Dubrek Studios.
Demolition of the former Debenhams store, which occupies part of the Becketwell site, was completed by Cawarden in Summer 2020, followed by the former Central United Reformed Church and properties on Victoria Street in March 2021.
A soft strip of the interior of the Pink Coconut is currently underway to segregate the building’s contents. It is anticipated that as much as 95% of the fixtures and fittings will be recycled.
Scaffolding is set to be erected shortly, followed by the commencement of the robotic demolition of the first three stories, which will be taken down floor by floor.
Cawarden’s specialist high-reach demolition machine will arrive on site in June/July to start the structural demolition of the existing buildings, including the Pink Coconut which was an iconic venue in the 1980s and 1990s.
Asbestos removal works are also taking place. Strict noise, dust and vibration monitoring and environmental controls will be in place to minimise the impact of the works on surrounding properties and businesses.
Final clearance of the site including erection of the perimeter hoarding for redevelopment is set to finish in the Autumn.
This latest phase of demolition will clear the way for the most significant development project in Derby city centre since the Westfield Centre in 2007.
Work on phase one of the scheme is currently underway, with the construction of 259 one and two-bedroom apartments on the site of the former Debenhams store on Victoria Street. The centrepiece of the development will be a multi-purpose public square, which will also be delivered as part of the first phase, with completion scheduled for Spring 2023.
The performance venue, which will be delivered as part of phase two of the scheme, will be owned by Derby City Council and managed by ASM Global, who are the world’s leading venue management and services company.
The venue is expected to add a much-needed new venue to Derby’s cultural offer. The purpose-built venue will be a fully flexible, scalable space capable of staging a range of concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows, musical theatre, conferences, and exhibitions.
The main auditorium will have a maximum capacity of 3,500 and offer a range of different event configurations including a fully seated layout for up to 2,100. Along with a busy concert and entertainment programme, the venue will also host a wide range of business events.
The venue is set to host more than 200 cultural and commercial events each year and attract an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby. It is also expected to create 200 new local jobs, generate more than £10m per year for the area and provide the impetus to kick-start further investment in surrounding areas of the city centre.
Construction on the performance venue is set to commence in January 2023, with completion and handover to the operator in late 2024.
Commenting on the start of demolition work for phase two, Dan Murray, construction director at St James Securities, said: “It’s great to see work start on phase two of the Becketwell regeneration scheme, which is set to create an exciting and vibrant city centre, where people will want to live, work and enjoy their leisure time.
“Cawarden is a well-known local specialist contractor whose team are familiar with the site, having already demolished the former Debenhams store and Central United Reformed Church.
“Our programme currently remains on track, with construction work on the performance venue set to commence in January 2023, with completion and handover to ASM Global in late 2024.”
William Crooks, Managing Director of Cawarden, added: “We have already successfully completed the demolition of the former Debenhams building and the church next door and look forward to delivering another key milestone in preparing the site for the much-needed Becketwell regeneration scheme.
“Given the proximity to other structures and live areas, we will be putting robust environmental controls and strict monitoring measures into place. This includes the use of our high-reach dust suppression system, that captures dust at source, preventing any significant nuisance.
“As a local specialist contractor, we’re proud to be helping to bring these exciting regeneration plans for our home city to life and playing a part in the Becketwell regeneration scheme.”
Future planned phases of the scheme include the potential for a range of other complementary uses of the site including new grade A offices and commercial space, a hotel and a multi-storey car park and purpose-built student residential.
Funding for the Becketwell project includes £8 million in Local Growth Fund investment from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, the private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary services which works to promote economic and jobs growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire.
£6.5m investment delivers new and improved facilities for Lincolnshire special school pupils
A new £6.5m extension to Willoughby Academy in Bourne is set to be officially opened on Friday 6 May
The new building incorporates classrooms and hygiene suites, together with a dining hall and nurse and physio spaces. In addition, pupils can enjoy extensively remodelled outdoor play areas, while the school’s car park has also been extended under the Lincolnshire County Council project.
Cllr Mrs Patricia Bradwell OBE, executive member for children’s services, said:
“The council wants to ensure that all children can access high-quality education, as near to their family and local community as possible. To achieve that, we’re investing £86m in improving our special schools, meaning more pupils with SEND can attend a local school rather than having to travel large distances for their education.
“I’m delighted to see the improvements at Willoughby Academy completed, and I’m sure they will be of immense benefit to both current pupils and those of the future.”
Howard Gee, Chair of The Priory Federation of Academies Trust to which Willoughby Academy belongs, said:
“We are deeply grateful for the council funding which has created such positive and beneficial new facilities for our pupils. They have further enhanced the strengths of the school and will make a big difference to children’s lives for many years to come.”
The construction was carried out by Wilmott Dixon.
