Keepmoat invests £102 million in flagship Nottingham land
Keepmoat, will invest more than £102 million into creating hundreds of new homes in Nottingham, with work having already commenced at a flagship parcel of land on the site of a former Boots factory.
Partners from Platform Housing Group and Boots joined Charlotte Goode, Paul Hulme and Philippa Stewart from Keepmoat, at the 286-acre site near Beeston yesterday (Thursday 20th June) to celebrate the start of work on site and to witness first-hand the progress that’s already been made.
When complete, the housebuilder will deliver 604 new, multi-tenure homes, regenerating the disused land and creating a thriving new community in Nottinghamshire. Of the new properties, Platform Housing Group will offer 319 affordable homes.
Charlotte Goode, Divisional Chair at Keepmoat, said: “Keepmoat is delighted to be regenerating this landmark development on a very special site that will bring much needed, high-quality new homes and significant investment to the city. For this historical site alone, we are investing £102 million into creating a fantastic community and we’re proud to stand alongside our partners at Platform Housing Group today to mark the beginning of a wonderful community. We’re committed to delivering new homes for the people of Nottingham and the surrounding areas to transform the area and provide quality new homes.”
Laura Osborne, Sales & Marketing Director at Platform Housing Group, added: “At Platform Housing Group, we’re thrilled to collaborate with our partner, Keepmoat, to build new homes in Beeston.
“This is a hugely important scheme for Platform, to be contributing to the growth of a thriving town and to provide much needed affordable housing in the area. Beeston is an up and coming area with fantastic potential to become one of the most sought-after commuter locations in the Midlands, so to be leading the way with such a large scale development is rewarding.”
Leicester College launches metal fabrication workshop
Leicester College has launched a cutting-edge metal fabrication workshop to train apprentices and students for careers in the advanced manufacturing engineering sector.
The new facility at the St Margaret’s Campus will directly benefit Level 3 Metal Fabricator Apprentices by providing them with access to the latest industry-standard equipment, hands-on experience, and expert guidance in precision welding and metal fabrication.
Within the East Midlands, demand for metal fabrication jobs is increasing, with a steady rise of 2.4% over the next 5 years; nearly 1,000 jobs.
Leicester College has invested in 22 new welding machines and 2 plasma cutters for the metal fabrication facility. The new equipment includes the Kronos 320T MIG/MAG, Kronos 400T Duo, and the Titanium 230 AC/DC TIG, all from GYS. This advanced technology will ensure apprentices receive the most up-to-date training, preparing them for successful careers in metal fabrication.
Derek King, Managing Director of Kings Welding Supplies, said: “The work that Leicester College does in promoting welding to the next generation is incredible. I attended this college myself back in the day and seeing the continued investment in welding equipment shows the dedication they have in training young people.”
“We are thrilled to have access to such advanced equipment from GYS,” said Nick Waldrum, Apprenticeship Commercial Manager at Leicester College. “This partnership with Kings Welding Supplies Ltd. and GYS will be instrumental in providing our apprentices with the skills and experience they need to excel in the industry.”
Debi Donnarumma, Vice Principal, Study Programmes and Apprenticeships at Leicester College, said: “Leicester College apprenticeship programmes are building solid foundations for the future, not just training welders and fabricators, but nurturing talent that will drive innovation and growth in the Leicester and Leicestershire region for years to come.
“That is why we have invested in industry standard equipment and technology to help local and regional business to future proof their workforce, increase productivity and remain competitive. We want to equip our students and apprentices with the skills and experience they need to succeed and help businesses to thrive.”
South Normanton office sold
FHP have sold Unit 17 Maisies Way, South Normanton to owner occupier Secur-It, the provider of security services, fire protection and risk mitigation.
The property comprises 8,289ft² of self-contained office accommodation situated across two floors offering a mixture of open plan and cellular floorplates throughout the property.
Situated just off Junction 28 of the M1 Motorway, Maisies Way is an office development scheme.
Amy Howard, surveyor at FHP Property Consultants, said: “It was a great result to get this over the line for my client and secure a strong price on the property. Unit 17 had been
on the market for some time and even though we explored several marketing options such as leasehold / freehold disposal and renting individual floors, interest was slow.
“Secur-It were after a good level of office space near J28, and this property seemed perfect for their requirement. After the initial viewing, it was clear the property was suitable for them and we were under offer within a short timeframe following on from this.
“The property highlighted the difficulty we face within the office market, especially on larger floor plate within out-of-town office locations. It is evident that marketing is essential in the disposal of these types of properties and exploring all options available to secure a tenant / purchaser.
“After the initial interest was slow on the rental side, it emphasized the push for a purchaser, especially given the vacancy period my client was facing. I am delighted to have got this over the line and welcome Secur-It onto Maisies Way, they will be a great asset to the estate and I wish them all the best in their next endeavours.”
Walk away with a prize worth £20,000 at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024
With Business Link’s East Midlands Bricks Awards set to be bigger and better than ever this year, and nominations flooding in, there’s also a grand prize worth £20,000 on offer.
Celebrating the region’s property and construction industry, the prestigious event recognises development projects and people in commercial and public building – from office, industrial and residential schemes, through to community projects such as leisure schemes, schools and public spaces.
We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes – and the Overall Winner at the event, sponsored by Blueprint Interiors, will be awarded a year of marketing/publicity with Business Link worth £20,000.
A highlight in the business calendar, winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 3rd October, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening of celebration and networking with property and construction professionals from across the East Midlands.
To nominate your (or another) business/development for one of our awards, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
Award categories include:
Tickets can now be booked for the 2024 awards event, click here to secure yours.
Taking place in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on Thursday 3rd October, from 4:30pm – 7:30pm, connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region.
Attendees will also hear from keynote speaker Paul Southby, partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema, trustee of Clean Rivers Trust, chair of Nottingham Partners, board member of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:
- Most active 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, with the winner, and recipient of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, selected from those nominated for the event’s other awards)
Nominations end Thursday 5th September
Tickets can now be booked for the 2024 awards event, click here to secure yours.
Taking place in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on Thursday 3rd October, from 4:30pm – 7:30pm, connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region.
Attendees will also hear from keynote speaker Paul Southby, partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema, trustee of Clean Rivers Trust, chair of Nottingham Partners, board member of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:
To be held at:
Nottingham’s Chapel Quarter acquired as part of £236m deal
Sterling Property Ventures (Sterling) has snapped up Nottingham mixed-use scheme Chapel Quarter.
It comes as part of a wider deal for a portfolio of seven commercial property assets acquired from BlackRock – acting on behalf of British Airways Pensions Trustees Limited – for £236 million.
Comprising 144,906 sq ft in the centre of Nottingham, Chapel Quarter includes a 120-bed Premier Inn, 66,054 sq ft of fully let offices and five retail/leisure units (one vacant).
All properties in the portfolio, which includes a shopping centre, retail and logistics warehousing, offices, a hotel and food and beverage space, are freehold or held on long leases and boast a combined income in excess of £18.5 million.
James Howarth, Sterling’s managing director, said: “Our plan is to have a minimum of £1billion of assets under management. Acquiring a property portfolio from British Airways Pensions is a significant stepping stone towards that target. We are seeking high quality assets, ideally with the opportunity to add value, allowing us to bring our skills to bear. As this latest purchase demonstrates, we are sector agnostic.”
The seven new assets will be held in Sterling’s SPV Endeavour Ltd vehicle, which is backed by equity investor LetterOne.
Fund manager BlackRock, through its Real Estate business, led the deal on behalf of British Airways Pension Trustees Limited, with joint agents ACRE Capital, Morgan Williams and Capital Real Estate Partners handling the sale.
Sterling was represented by Knight Frank and HP Four LLP. Colliers undertook building surveys, with MAPP providing property management advice.
Northants PR agency adds to team with new appointment
Ballyhoo PR, a public relations and copywriting business in Lamport, has added a new senior PR and content executive to its team.
Linda McKeown joins Ballyhoo PR from Weetabix and brings with her more than 25 years of magazine journalism and communications experience accumulated in a wide range of industries including beauty, food and drink, manufacturing and property.
Career highlights have included working on a campaign with actress Tamzin Outhwaite for Avon and launching Quick Bite, a magazine for the fast food industry, which was stocked in WHSmith and subsequently acquired by another publisher. Most recently, Linda has developed and executed an internal communications plan for more than 1,000 employees at cereal giant Weetabix, during the implementation of a new, multi-million-pound warehouse management IT system.
In her new role at Ballyhoo PR, Linda will be helping to produce a business magazine, crafting press releases, articles and blogs, and securing press coverage for a range of clients.
Emma Speirs, director of Ballyhoo PR, said: “I’m really pleased to announce Linda’s appointment and welcome her to Ballyhoo PR. She will be a huge asset to the team and brings so much experience to the business that will be of real benefit to so many of our clients operating in the sectors Linda has previously worked in.”
Linda said: “I recently joined the Ballyhoo team as senior PR and content executive and have already been made to feel like part of the team – and it’s a fab team!
“I’m really excited to be able to contribute in helping spread the word about the fabulous SMEs we support.
“There’s also great flexibility in the role, with hybrid working in place. I especially love our days in the office. It’s great to get together and collaborate as a team.”
Freeths bolsters corporate team in East Midlands
Law firm Freeths has appointed Ania Vernon as corporate partner in the East Midlands. Ania joins the firm from Shoosmiths.
As a well-regarded individual within the corporate finance community, Ania routinely leads the delivery of high quality indirect real estate M&A, both offshore and domestic. She has over ten years’ sector experience specialising in tech, retail and asset-manager M&A, and brings with her rich credentials for advising management teams on buy-outs, institution-sponsored deals and other transactional processes.
In her new role at Freeths, Ania will help strengthen the growing presence of the wider national corporate team within the East Midlands.
Commenting on the appointment, Leon Arnold, said: “The addition of Ania to the team comes at an exciting time for Freeths, as the corporate team enjoys a consistent upwards growth trajectory. The wealth of experience that Ania will bring will only continue our strategy to bolster services for clients within the region as well as lend hand to multiple, ongoing projects across the UK.”
Ania Vernon added: “I’m beyond thrilled to have joined Freeths at such an exciting time. Having grown up in the East Midlands and called this buzzing region ‘home’ for most of my life, I feel invested on a human level in its continued prosperity. So, when Freeths got in touch to tell me about their reignited strategic focus and serious expansion plans here, the opportunity was a no-brainer. Suffice to say we’re definitely going to be a team to watch!”
Ania’s appointment follows several significant corporate key hires in the East Midlands over the last two months including partner Martin Smith and director Hannah Tessyman.
Work starts on £13m BTR project set to revitalise Nottingham’s Castle Wharf
Work has officially started on a much-needed £13 million high quality build-to-rent residential scheme set to transform Nottingham’s Grade II listed former British Waterways building on the canal side area at Castle Wharf.
The project, which is being developed in partnership with The Canal & River Trust (CRT), H2Ourban – the joint venture between bloc Group and CRT – and Citra Living, part of Lloyds Banking Group, will see the building converted to provide 95 residential units including 12 studios, 42 one-bedroom apartments and 41 two-bedroom flats, this includes a rooftop extension housing eight apartments.
The scheme, which will help bridge the gap in Nottingham’s rental market, is set to breathe new life into the west of the city – helping to enhance a destination well known for its historic buildings.
Richard Thomas, CEO for H2O, said: “H2O is committed to delivering high quality developments that go beyond providing much needed housing, creating thriving communities and promoting health and happy lifestyles as well. This project is the latest in our pipeline and follows this ethos to its core.
“Working with our project partners, we’re revitalising an area of Nottingham with a brand new and modern offering, while maintaining and protecting enough of its character that we don’t lose its rich history.
“The H2O partnership goes back two decades and specialises in creating exemplary waterside developments that provide both economic and social value, and this latest project certainly does that.”
Located in the Canal Conservation Area, the six-storey former warehouse dates back to 1919 and was originally built to help move goods along the Nottingham and Beeston Canal.
Ground floor amenity space for residents will also be included. Designed by Franklin Ellis Architects, it is being constructed by Jessops Construction Limited and completion is due in March 2025.
Speaking about the project Andy Hutchinson, CEO of Citra Living, said: “Bringing disused buildings back in to use and regenerating areas into new communities is central to what Citra is about. Regenerating the warehouse at Castle Wharf will bring much needed homes to the area, allowing more people to live in the type of quality homes they want in the areas that give them access to the facilities and amenities they want.”
East Midlands furniture manufacturer awarded £2m fitout contract in Scotland
Mansfield-based fitout specialist, Deanestor, has been awarded a contract worth over £2m by Robertson Construction Tayside for the new Monifieth Learning Campus in Angus. This brings Deanestor’s furniture and fitout work for Robertson in Scotland to 15 contracts, totalling around £17m.
Due to open in August 2025 and to be fully completed by summer 2026, the £66.5m facility and for around 1,200 pupils is designed to meet Passivhaus standards and will combine energy efficiency with a high level of user comfort.
Deanestor will fit out 379 spaces across the three-storey campus and will design and manufacture or procure more than 13,000 items of fitted and loose furniture and equipment for the project. These will include dining tables, chairs and seating, lockers, storage solutions, shelving, teaching walls, mobile cabinets, sports equipment, changing benches, musical instrument racks, and kitchens for life skills and home education.
According to William Tonkinson, CEO of Deanestor, “We are delighted to be working with Robertson once again – a longstanding Deanestor contractor client – and on our first education project for Angus Council.”
“The high quality standards we work to and our consistent on-time delivery of major and complex school fitout contracts meant we were well placed to be awarded this latest contract. We look forward to starting on site early next year.”
Councillor Beth Whiteside, Leader of Angus Council, said, “This new learning campus will have a hugely positive impact on the education of young people. Monifieth High School has high aspirations for all of its young people, and now it will soon have a building to match this ambition.”
The building’s construction and fitout will take place in a live school environment as the current Monifieth High School will remain operational until the new learning campus is built and ready for occupation. The existing school will then be demolished to make way for all-weather and grass sports pitches.
The 13,800m2 high school campus will feature a central atrium with a social stairs, a learning plaza around the dining hall, classrooms arranged over three storeys, an early learning and childcare facility, swimming pool and access for out-of-hours community use.
Bank of England holds interest rates at 5.25% for seventh time
The Bank of England has held interest rates for the seventh time, at 5.25%, in line with expectations.
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets monetary policy to meet the 2% inflation target, and in a way to help sustain growth and employment. At its meeting ending on 19 June 2024, the MPC voted by a majority of 7–2 to maintain Bank Rate at 5.25%. Two members preferred to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 5%.
Twelve-month CPI inflation fell to 2% in May from 3.2% in March, though is expected to rise slightly in the second half of this year.
Alpesh Paleja, Interim Deputy Chief Economist, CBI, said: “It’s unsurprising that the Monetary Policy Committee kept interest rates on hold this month. Recent data has been a bit of a mixed bag: while inflation is falling and the labour market is loosening, wage growth remains stubbornly strong and services inflation is higher than the Bank’s forecast. Signs of continued persistence in domestic price pressures will have prompted caution among the Committee.
“We still expect the MPC to cut rates in August, but this is not a done deal – they remain very data-driven, so the evolution of key indicators over the coming month will be key. Furthermore, the pace of any rate cuts beyond August is likely to be gradual, if the Bank remained concerned about the persistence of underlying price pressures.”
