New Nottingham eco-homes given seal of approval by Minister for Housing and Communities
Some of the first homes built to a new pioneering energy-efficient standard have been unveiled in Nottinghamshire.
The housing development, built to the indicative version of the Future Homes Standard, has been given the seal of approval by the new Housing and Communities Minister.
Baroness Penn recently visited The Gedling Green development in Nottingham, located at the site of the former Gedling Colliery.
The collection of 33 homes use air source heat pumps for their hot water and heating, have solar panels, electric vehicle charging points and increased insulation compared to homes built to existing standards.
The homes are also fully electrified, meaning they will be zero-carbon in use once the electricity grid decarbonises.
Minister for Housing and Communities Baroness Penn said: “It was fantastic to visit the Gedling Green development in Nottingham and see first-hand the future of energy efficient homes.
“The Future Homes Standard will not only make homes more energy efficient, reducing energy bills compared to a typical home, but crucially will reduce carbon emissions, supporting us in our goal to reach Net Zero by 2050.”
Tim Beale, CEO at Keepmoat, said: “We were thrilled to host Baroness Penn at our Gedling Green development in Nottingham where all the homes have been built to meet the requirements of the Future Homes Standard ahead of its introduction in 2025. Gedling Green is the first development in the UK to offer homes built to this specification for sale on the open market.
“The Sales Centre at this development includes an area dedicated to educating customers about the key features and technologies. This will support our customers in achieving a significant reduction in energy bills compared to a typical new home built to the previous regulatory standards.”
From 2025, the Future Homes Standard, currently being consulted on by the Government, will become mandatory and ensure that new homes produce, on average, upwards of 75% less CO2 emissions than those built to the 2013 standards.
This will ensure new homes are more energy efficient, leading to a reduction in energy bills compared to typical existing homes, and help the Government meets its Net Zero target.
From 2025, new homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and very high fabric standards and will be ‘zero-carbon ready’, meaning no further work will be required for them to become zero-carbon when the electricity grid decarbonises.
Liquid vitamin manufacturer marks successful year with Nottingham relocation
An East Midlands liquid vitamin, nutrients and minerals manufacturer is marking a year of success with a new office in Nottingham.
Nutrivitality Limited has relocated from Derby to an 80,000-square-foot facility on Sherwood Business Park, which is shared by its sister company Surescreen Diagnostics and its beauty and collagen brand SKINGLO.
Comprised of a modern, purpose-built manufacturing unit, the site will have the capability to produce high volume mixing, bottling and vial filling, and sachet packing, producing two to three million products of vitamins, supplements and collagen daily, as well as house staff across both businesses.
John Knox, Managing Director of Nutrivitality, said: “We started to outgrow our previous site in Derby and driven by our needs for increased capacity and the expansion of our ever-growing customer base, we decided to relocate to Nottingham.
“The new site allows us to have everything under one roof, including a fully equipped research and development laboratory, approximately 20,000 square feet of manufacturing space, with aseptic spaces, impressive warehousing facilities, as well as commercial functions such as marketing and sales. There is also ample room for further expansion.”
The site, based at Lucinda House, employs approximately 35 people at Nutrivitality, and a further 40 staff members in Surescreen Diagnostics and group shared services. Nutrivitality is also responsible for the development and manufacturing capabilities of CMX Solutions, the white label and contract manufacturing division of the business.
John added: “This is a hugely important next step in our business growth, and we look forward to continuing servicing our existing brand consumers, as well as our growing number of contract manufacturing partners, health and wellness retailers and export distributors.”
University of Nottingham first in UK to become associated member of sustainable aerospace programme
Led by the Institute for Aerospace Technology, the University of Nottingham has been announced as the first UK university to become an Associated Member of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) – the EU’s leading research and innovation programme for making the aviation industry ready for a sustainable future.
The announcement comes just one year after the university received initial funding of ten million pounds to fund its research into the future of aviation.
As one of just 20 new Associated Members to join across Europe, the university will engage with the Clean Aviation programme on a long-term basis and, together with the European Commission and other CAJU private members, lead the way towards climate-neutral aviation.
Professor Pat Wheeler, Director of Clean Aviation Programmes, said: “This is excellent news for the University of Nottingham, as it will enable us to continue our ambition to turn research and reality and achieve net zero aviation.”
Scott Bader to invest £30m to transform manufacturing site
Scott Bader UK, a Northamptonshire-based specialist in composite, adhesive and polymer materials, has revealed intentions to invest £30m to transform its flagship UK manufacturing site.
The five-year programme will commence in 2024 with £8m earmarked for the first phase of the works. This planned investment will support the group’s UK customers by making the plant more flexible – enabling quicker lead times and the rapid scaling up of an increasing number of sustainable alternatives to the group’s current products as well as new performance products in areas such as 3D printing.
“The planned investment reaffirms our commitment to the UK composite supply chain and to all our colleagues, partners and associates that benefit from our long-standing presence at Wollaston,” says Scott Bader’s CEO, Kevin Matthews. “In addition, the investment will upgrade our capability to continue to develop and supply new sustainable performance materials designed to help our customers on their journey to net zero.”
Alongside allocating the capital to transform its UK site, the company has also created a €2m laboratory facility in France, which will open in Q1 2024. Outside of Europe, Scott Bader’s two-year build of a $16m new manufacturing facility in Mocksville, USA, also becomes fully operational in 2024.
Geldards makes Nottingham city centre move
Law firm Geldards is moving into Nottingham city centre to support its ambitions for business growth and client delivery.
The firm’s 90-strong Nottingham team is moving into a bespoke space at the Cubo Work offices next to Royal Standard Place – a landmark building at the heart of the city’s business quarter overlooking Nottingham Castle.
The move marks the next step in Geldards’ strategy of using new technologies and new ways of working to deliver an increasingly agile and responsive service. It is also being seen as a vote of confidence in Nottingham’s status as a hub for high-quality professional services in the East Midlands.
Geldards’ decision to move into the city centre follows a year of strong performance where revenue has enjoyed double-digit growth, and significant new hires have come on board, among them new partners Neil Walker and Jay Atubra, strengthening the firm’s property and networks teams respectively.
David Williams, Geldards’ chairman and head of the Nottingham office, said: “The way we deliver for our clients has been changing significantly over the past few years and that evolution towards a more agile and responsive service has been accelerated by the pandemic.
“We’ve looked carefully at the best ways for our people to deliver for clients and colleagues, and the conclusion is clear: provide our teams with the tools to deliver wherever they are, supported by a destination that reflects both Geldards’ status and our willingness to do things differently.
“We have been working with Cubo for the past few months to develop a purpose-built space that sets a new standard and supports our future ambitions, and we’re all excited about the fact that it brings Geldards into the city centre. Our business is defined by its talent and expertise, and we believe this move will help us continue to attract the best people as we grow.”
The new offices at Standard Court – which include a rotunda looking out across the city – place Geldards at the heart of Nottingham’s business quarter and close to a range of professional services the firm frequently collaborates with. It is also next to the University of Law, a critical stakeholder and important source of legal talent for the future.
Geldards also has a major office presence at Pride Park in Derby, and will be announcing plans to evolve and enhance its presence in the city in the Spring.
2024 Business Predictions: Chris Hobson, director of policy and insight, East Midlands Chamber
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Chris Hobson, director of policy and insight at East Midlands Chamber.
Uncertainty has been a constant theme over the past few years and it doesn’t look like disappearing from the menu for 2024.
Not only do many of the headwinds that have created challenges in recent times – ranging from cost pressures to skills shortages – endure, but the political climate at home also throws up more questions than answers with a General Election on the horizon.
In recent months, we have seen multiple policy “resets” as the UK gears up for heading to the polls within the next 12 months. This has involved a number of headline-grabbing policy announcements made arguably with more of an eye on positioning with the electorate, as opposed to meaningful growth strategies for UK plc.
Looking at historical trends via the Chamber’s State of the Economy Index, it’s not unusual to see things slow down ahead of an election. The concern is that while businesses have already proven their resilience by finding new ways to grow in the face of challenges, overall activity has slowed in the second half of the year as 14 consecutive base rate rises have taken their toll on sales, orders, recruitment, cashflow and investment intentions.
But one note of confidence – this time 12 months ago, many were predicting a recession in 2023 that never materialised. And when talking to individual businesses, the big picture trends we see are hiding many, many positive stories of growth and success.
In short, it is a real mixed bag out there and no-one should underestimate businesses’ ability to “get on with it,” even if all those around them have missed the memo.
Making a splash is perfectly on Brand-son: by Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR
Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, reflects on the PR prowess of Sir Richard Branson.
If there’s one person I’ve met who knows about making a splash when it comes to the media, it is Sir Richard Branson.
He was at it again with the launch of ‘Virgin Voyages’, his new Australia-based cruise liner last month (December) where he danced around with his colleagues after briefing the assembled media on the new venture and demonstrated the snazzy new champagne app (shake it and champers will arrive).
Of course, being Branson (or should that be Brand-son) he couldn’t resist a bit of cheekiness and duly pushed one of his dancing buddies into the pool and then, as the cameras flashed on cue, in he went after him. Textbook stuff.
He won’t get in trouble (unless someone really is being a jobsworth!) because he’s joined in the mirth and got a thorough soaking, and by pushing the fella first the cameras were already running and trained on the pool.
It would have been way too clunky if he had just dived in and there was always a risk the cameras would not catch it. Timing is everything and Branson knows it. In fact, it is a lesson that I gladly took from him just over 10 years ago – how time flies!
I’d just finished registering the press ahead of a Richard Branson keynote speech at a major business show and there were already 60 in the room and rising. No surprise.
Branson is a dream for journalists and an absolute PR natural. What was a surprise was that he didn’t have a PR officer attending to conduct the press conference itself. There was no apparent solution until it began to dawn on me that I should conduct it. After all, I had been a business journalist myself and already had over a decade of PR experience. So, in words Branson himself uses I stepped up: “Screw it, let’s do it.”
I introduced myself to his PA and waited on the stage for Richard to arrive. He duly did to a thunderous round of applause, full of smiles, reclining in his chair.
How does one introduce one of the most famous business figures of all time? “You might recognise this chap” is not the classic I had expected to tumble out of my mouth, but it worked. The room relaxed and we went on to discuss everything from global business to negotiating with the Rolling Stones.
His latest PR stunt on the cruise liner reminded me of a section of his book, the classic autobiography ‘Losing My Virginity’. It is peppered with anecdotes about his relationship with the press, good and bad, but what he makes look effortless is also a carefully considered strategy.
Here’s an excerpt: “Most companies don’t acknowledge the press and have a tiny press office tucked away out of sight. If an inaccurate story appears…and is allowed to run…it becomes fact. Then, every time your product is mentioned, this same story will be repeated.”
The lesson here, yes, Branson is a natural at PR, a maverick even, but he still ensures he has safeguards in place. So, in 2024, I’d urge you to be more Branson. Be creative and proactive with your PR (PLEASE) but also ensure you have the ability to react.
Most of all in 2024, if you have been holding back, waiting for someone else to make their move, stop it now. With systems in place then you can just dive right in.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.
He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this column in the January issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
UK economy shows growth but precarious position remains
The UK economy grew in November, with GDP* (gross domestic product) seeing a 0.3% rise, stronger than the 0.2% month-on-month growth expected and following a 0.3% fall in October.
However, GDP was down 0.2% over the three months to the end of November, keeping the economy in a precarious position.
Monthly growth reflected strong performance in services, particularly in information and communication which grew 1.5% thanks the computer games industry and telecommunications.
Services output grew 0.4% month-on-month, following a 0.1% dip, while in another positive swing production output grew 0.3% month-on-month, following a fall of 1.3% in October. Meanwhile the construction sector fell 0.2% month-on-month, after a fall of 0.4% in October 2023.
James Smith, research director at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The economy grew more strongly than expected between October and November, driven by a recovery in our services sector including strong black Friday retail sales and a high performing ICT sector, making it less likely Britain will fall into recession.
“The final verdict on 2023 will come next month, but it is essential that Britain builds some economic momentum in 2024.”
Ben Jones, CBI lead economist, said: “It’s encouraging to see that economic activity rebounded in November after the previous monthly fall. But while this means the UK should avoid a technical recession last year, it masks an overall picture of a flatlining economy.
“The CBI’s latest surveys suggest the economy will struggle to gain any traction in the near term, as consumers rein in spending and firms face a trio of headwinds in the form of subdued demand, cost pressures and ongoing difficulties finding the staff they need.
“With an election fast approaching, all parties need to look at measures which can get the economy firing on all cylinders. Full capital expensing was an exciting first step in this direction, but the Spring Budget is a chance to press ahead with a wider programme of measures around innovation, skills and decarbonisation that provide the foundations for sustainable economic growth and kick-start productivity.”
*GDP measures the value of goods and services produced in the UK. It estimates the size of and growth in the economy.
North East Lincolnshire Council’s Cabinet to discuss pre-let for Sea Road building in Cleethorpes
North East Lincolnshire Council’s Cabinet are set to discuss a pre-let for the Sea Road building in Cleethorpes.
Sea Road, in the heart of the town, has been remodelled over the last few years, with the former “Waves” site being demolished for redevelopment. Interrupted by COVID, the scheme has picked up again in the last few months following the award of Government’s Levelling Up Fund monies for three projects in the heart of the town, with the main construction works starting later in 2024. The landmark Sea Road building has been marketed by local agents, PPH Commercial, generating serious interest in the site from interested parties. Discussions regarding a long-term pre-let agreement are in advanced stages, and proposed Heads of Terms have now been agreed, subject to Cabinet approval, for most of the ground floor and all of the first floor of the building, to a leading independent national hospitality company. The remainder of the building will continue to be marketed for use. The Cabinet meeting is on Wednesday 17 January at 5pm at Grimsby Town Hall.Harworth completes six land parcel sales
Harworth Group plc, a regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, completed 964 residential plot sales in December.
A number of further land parcel sales are expected to complete in the coming months, reflecting continued housebuilder appetite.
The December transactions comprised six land parcel sales in Yorkshire and the Midlands to four housebuilders, and the Group’s first forward funding agreement with a registered provider as part of Harworth’s affordable housing portfolio.
The total headline sales price for these transactions was £41.2 million and all were completed at prices in line with, or ahead of, book values.
The largest of the disposals was the whole of a site in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, which has been sold jointly to both Harron Homes and Homes by Honey. In the first half of 2023, an outline planning consent was secured to develop up to 397 family homes at the site.
At its South East Coalville development in Leicestershire, Harworth has sold a land parcel to Strata for the construction of up to 184 homes. The wider development occupies a 250-acre site and has outline planning consent for more than 2,000 homes, with land now sold for over half of these, together with a new supermarket. A new 21-acre park was opened at the site in late 2023 and construction has begun on a new two-form entry primary school.
At its Prince of Wales development in Pontefract, Harworth has sold a land parcel to Harron Homes for the development of 141 new homes. The regeneration of the former Prince of Wales colliery, which will see the creation of a new community of over 900 homes, began in 2013 and is now nearing completion. To date, over 400 homes have been built and occupied at the site, with almost half of these being delivered by Harron Homes, following its first land acquisition there in 2016.
At Thoresby Vale in Nottinghamshire, a land parcel has been sold to Homes by Honey to deliver 114 family homes. The development lies on the site of the former Thoresby Colliery, which Harworth is transforming into a new community of around 800 homes, including a new primary school, retail and leisure facilities and a 350-acre country park.
Land at the site has already been sold to two housebuilders – one parcel to Harron Homes, and three parcels to Barratt and David Wilson Homes – for the delivery of over 530 houses in total. The primary school received planning approval in 2023 and construction is expected to commence later this year.
At Waverley in Rotherham, where Harworth is regenerating the former Orgreave Colliery & Coking Works into over 3,000 homes alongside the nationally-significant Advanced Manufacturing Park, extensive green space and amenities, land was sold to Homes by Honey to develop 54 family homes.
At its Gedling site in Nottinghamshire, Harworth sold a remaining small land parcel to Keepmoat Homes, which has an outline planning consent to develop 24 houses. The land parcel is adjacent to a separate development being delivered by Keepmoat Homes and Homes England on the site of the former Gedling Colliery.
Finally, Harworth signed its first forward-funding agreement for its affordable housing portfolio, at Riverdale Park in Doncaster. Harworth entered into an agreement with Great Places, which manages 24,000 homes across the North West and Yorkshire, to develop 50 new affordable housing properties at the development.
Under the terms of the agreement, Harworth has sold a land parcel to Great Places and will oversee the construction of the homes in return for a development management fee.
Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive, Harworth Group plc, said: “Our large number of residential land sales at the end of 2023, all in line with or ahead of book values, demonstrates the continued strong demand for Harworth’s de-risked serviced residential land product from a wide range of housebuilders, and we are seeing strong sales momentum as we move into 2024.
“We are also pleased to have completed our first forward-funding agreement for our affordable housing portfolio, proving the appeal of our mixed tenure model. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver much-needed new homes across these regions.”
