- Regeneration of the derelict Bank House/Sabine’s Yard site between Belmont Street and Midland Road to create additional public car parking
- Refurbishment of The Delph market square to create an attractive vehicle-free public space
- Creation of a ‘Pocket Park’ on Belmont Street as a new green space in the town centre with seating in a landscaped setting
- Extension of the CCTV network with the installation of additional cameras
- Appointment of a Community Safety Enforcement Officer dedicated to addressing issues in the town centre
- Support for promotional activities, including marketing initiatives and public events
- Refurbishment of the public toilets
- Opening of South Derbyshire Visitor Information Centre, following the restoration of a traditional shop front at 1 High Street
- Improvements to the shopfronts at No’s 5-15 West Street fronting The Delph.
Swadlincote awarded £1.1m to invest in town centre
South Derbyshire District Council has been provisionally awarded up to £1,108,000 to invest in Swadlincote town centre as part of Round 3 of the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
The project was submitted in Round 2 and whilst not funded was assessed as high quality and ready to deliver. The Government has now backed the project and will discuss with the council the activities that the funding could support.
Councillor Robert Pearson, Leader of South Derbyshire District Council, said: “This is fantastic news for South Derbyshire. The council has been actively supporting Swadlincote town centre to help High Street businesses by investing our own funds and maintaining policies such as free parking.
“It is great that these efforts have been recognised by the Government, as this award would help us to continue encouraging greater community and leisure use of the town centre.”
If confirmed, this new funding award will complement the council’s current programme of investment in the town centre. Projects already underway include:
MEC appoints new director to lead civil and structural engineering disciplines
MEC, development technical consultants based in Leicester and Brighton, have appointed Dave Stockton as director to head up the civil and structural engineering disciplines and support the company’s growth and development efforts under the leadership of MEC’s new Managing Director, Alex Bennett.
Dave brings a wealth of experience to his new role at MEC, having previously served as a technical director at prominent housing developers, Countryside Homes and Bellway Homes.
Setting Dave apart is his diverse experience, which also includes time within consultancy deepening his knowledge of detailed design processes, and providing him with a comprehensive perspective.
With a strong background in the core areas of MEC’s work, Dave is well-versed in the intricacies of design and has a keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities that the industry presents.
Since taking over the company, Managing Director, Alex Bennett, has emphasised the importance of being ambitious and seeking new opportunities for progression, ensuring the delivery of high-quality work, generating new opportunities, and advancing the company’s technical expertise.
Alex expressed his enthusiasm for Dave’s appointment, saying: “With the recent changes within the business, myself and long-standing director Tim Rose, believe that Dave’s experience, industry knowledge, and commitment to excellence will be instrumental in our ongoing growth and success. We look forward to working closely with Dave and are confident he will have a positive impact on our company.”
Dave adds: “I’m excited about joining M-EC, especially during this time of redirection and growth. Design quality, providing value and getting it right the first time for our clients is something I am very passionate about. I’m confident that my previous experience is a good match for supporting MEC’s expansion and our client’s needs, and I can’t wait to start making a significant difference to the team.”
Convenience foods manufacturer agrees new £350m sustainability-linked facility
Greencore, a manufacturer of convenience foods with its UK office in Worksop, has agreed a new five-year £350 million sustainability-linked revolving credit facility (RCF).
The new RCF replaces Greencore’s existing £340 million facility and a £45 million term loan and extends the Group’s average maturity profile to close to 4.5 years. The facility has the option of two additional one-year extensions and includes a £100 million accordion feature which provides further potential financing facilities.
The new RCF incorporates performance targets that are aligned with Greencore’s long-term sustainability strategy.
Dalton Philips, CEO, said: “Greencore continues to deliver on its ambition to build a stronger, more efficient business serving our customers and consumers across the UK. This new facility provides us with significant new financial flexibility to deliver on our growth objectives while aligning our financing arrangements with our sustainability targets.”
The RCF is provided by Allied Irish Banks plc, Barclays Bank Plc, Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A. (trading as Rabobank Dublin), Danske Bank A/S, Irish Branch, HSBC Continental Europe, The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland. Allied Irish Banks plc acted as sustainability co-ordinator and Bank of Ireland acted as agent. Greencore was advised by IBI Corporate Finance.
Lincolnshire garden centre hits the market after 40 years of family ownership
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, and joint agent, Clark Weightman, have been instructed to market Millstone Garden Centre in Grimsby.
The garden centre was originally established in 1989 by current owners, Tom and Joanna Rutherford.
Set in the foothills of the Lincolnshire Wolds and across a 4.2-acre site within walking distance of Waltham village, the traditional, family-run garden centre specialises in offering a comprehensive range of high-quality plants, hard & soft landscaping products and a wide range of other garden-related products. The site features a retail shop, large glasshouse, conservatory and extensive standing beds.
Also included in the sale is a detached, five-bedroom house with a double garage, gardens front and rear, pond, greenhouse and vegetable plot.
After almost four decades of ownership, Tom and Joanna have decided to sell as they are hoping to retire. They said: “After 50+ years landscaping and 40 years nurturing our family-run garden centre, retiring feels like we are ready to bring our story closer to a conclusion.
“We really do cherish the countless memories, blooming friendships, and the joy of cultivating a thriving and passionate gardening community. It’s our time to bid farewell and send our heartfelt thanks to all our wonderful staff and our beloved customers. We’re very much looking forward to writing the next, peaceful chapter in our book!”
Andrew Birnie, director at Christie & Co who is handling the sale, said: “This is a great business, ideal for a family to purchase and live on site. Alternatively, as the house is accessible through its own driveway, a new owner may wish to sell it separately without too much alteration at a later date.
“The site is well-managed, has ample space for development, and enjoys a loyal customer base which is continually expanding. With the hundreds of houses being built nearby, there is plenty of scope to grow the business and capitalise on the increasing demand.”
BGF completes exit of Midlands-based Antser Group
BGF has announced the successful exit of Antser Group, a tech-driven provider of assessments and social care training, following a management buy-out (MBO) backed by YFM Equity Partners (YFM).
BGF, the growth capital investor, originally invested £8.5 million in Antser Group in September 2021. The transaction follows on from BGF’s partial exit of the business in 2022.
Headquartered in the Midlands, Antser Group has two strands to the business – Carter Brown and Antser Learning.
Mansfield-based Carter Brown is a provider of independent psychological, psychiatric and social work assessments for child-related safeguarding.
Antser Learning is a Birmingham-based VR-led ‘behaviour change’ training tool for front-line children’s care practitioners. It enables learners to experience the impact of trauma through the eyes of children and young people.
The transaction was led by CEO Richard Dooner and will support the further development of its people proposition and new service offerings, along with acquisitions to accelerate growth.
Richard Dooner, CEO of The Antser Group, said: “BGF’s investment in 2021 helped us to lay strong foundations for future growth. What’s more, their support during the investment period has given the management team the confidence to take over the reins, as we strive to achieve our strategic ambitions in the coming years.
“Our business was born out of a desire to achieve positive change in the health and social care sectors through a connected and transformative approach.
“In the years since our founding, we have combined best practice with innovation and new and emerging technologies, so that we can lead the way in ‘doing things better’. Our goal now is to take our talent and technology and apply it to support better outcomes for even more children, families, vulnerable adults and communities.”
As part of the transaction, James Greenbury has been appointed chair. James brings a wealth of experience in the business services sector, along with acquisition expertise.
Nick Holder, investor at BGF in the Midlands, said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work alongside Richard and the management team, as part of their ongoing growth journey, culminating in a successful exit for all stakeholders. “The MBO not only demonstrates BGF’s flexibility when it comes to exit routes, but it will enable the well-established team to continue to move forward in a positive way, as they strive towards their ambitious strategic goals. We wish the business every success in the future.”Cooper Parry provided sell-side advisory work, and vendor tax advice was provided by PwC. Legal advice was provided by Mills & Reeve and Shoosmiths.
APSS eyes further growth following office furniture business buyout
Lincolnshire-based APSS Group has acquired furniture supply and installation business TPS Office Furniture Ltd, significantly expanding its furniture offering and expertise.
For over 25 years, APSS, as part of the APSS Group, has been at the forefront of designing and creating dynamic spaces for office, retail, healthcare, educational and industrial environments.
Following the acquisition, TPS Office Furniture Ltd, which will maintain its distinctive identity, will join the group and operate from the APSS Group’s headquarters on Kingsley Road, Lincoln. Founder Ted Sidebottom will stay on as a consultant and Rob Coomber as installations manager to ensure a seamless transition.
Laurence Barrass, APSS Managing Director, expressed his enthusiasm, emphasising that integrating Ted and his team’s knowledge will strengthen APSS Group’s comprehensive range of services.
“This acquisition aligns perfectly with the APSS Group’s growth trajectory. Over the past 25 years we have evolved from providing office partitions to offering a complete design and fit-out service,” explained Laurence.
“With TPS Office Furniture now on board, a dedicated service for standalone furniture will be available to our customers across the East Midlands and throughout the UK.
“The synergy between the two companies will benefit both sets of customers. TPS Office Furniture’s clients now have access to APSS’ team of skilled commercial design and fit-out specialists, enhancing workspace efficiency.
“Simultaneously, APSS customers now have a broader range of furniture options and over 30 years of knowledge, contacts, and experience at their disposal.”
Ted added: “I’ve really enjoyed my time in the furniture industry and I have built up a lot of good relationships and I am excited by this next chapter.”
TopHat secures £15m debt facility with Homes England
TopHat, the Volumetric Modular house builder, has agreed a £15 million debt facility with Homes England.
It follows previous news that TopHat raised £70 million from existing and new shareholders including listed housebuilder Persimmon and institutional investor Aviva Capital Partners.
The new investment raised this year by TopHat will be transformational for the company, enabling it to scale-up production and accelerate manufacturing capacity as it draws closer to opening Europe’s largest modular housing factory in Corby, Northamptonshire in 2024.
TopHat currently manufactures energy-efficient homes from its first factory in Derby, which is capable of delivering 800 homes a year. The company will begin production from its 650,000 square feet advanced manufacturing facility in Corby in 2024, where it will employ 1,000 people from the local community and manufacture up to 4,000 ultra-low carbon homes every year.
Jordan Rosenhaus, CEO of TopHat, said: “The investment TopHat has received from Homes England alongside others, including Goldman Sachs, Persimmon and Aviva Capital Partners, reflects the continuing recognition that it is simply not possible to build enough new homes, including affordable homes, without a strong volumetric modular sector.
“Following some recent, well-publicised challenges, which will always be faced by pioneering, innovative sectors, I am especially pleased that our investors have all recognised the critical importance of expanding the capacity of the sector.”
The debt facility is funded via Homes England’s Levelling Up Home Building Fund, which supports innovative developers to build more homes more quickly.
Peter Denton, Chief Executive of Homes England, said: “This funding will support TopHat to manufacture more than four times the number of new homes it currently can each year. Not only will this significantly increase the delivery capacity of the MMC sector as a whole in the UK, it will also create 1,000 jobs.
“It is vital we continue to support innovations that promote a diverse, efficient homebuilding sector. This is about a long-term commitment to driving forward the creation of quality, thriving places for people to live and work.”
Persimmon plc, the listed homebuilder, invested in TopHat earlier in 2023 establish a strategic partnership between the two businesses that provides guaranteed access to both TopHat’s innovative brick façade product as well as highly energy efficient modular homes.
Pilot homes have been built by TopHat as part of Persimmon’s scheme in Stroud, Gloucestershire with additional further opportunities identified. Detailed technical work continues to integrate the brick façade with Persimmon’s own Space4 timber frame panels.
Dean Finch, Group Chief Executive of Persimmon, said: “We are delighted that Homes England has joined this year’s funding round and demonstrated its commitment to the important role TopHat’s brick façade product and volumetric modular homes can play in meeting our country’s housing needs.
“We continue to work closely with Jordan and his team to build upon our initial pilot scheme to develop a larger work plan that incorporates TopHat’s products into our build programme.”
Henry Brothers receives Green Apple Award for SportPark Pavilion 4
Construction company, Henry Brothers, has received an award for Environmental Best Practice at the Green Apple Environment Awards.
Designed to recognise organisations across the world that show innovation and commitment to being environmentally responsible, Henry Brothers received the prestigious accolade for its work on SportPark Pavilion 4, built for Loughborough University.
Ian Taylor, Managing Director at Henry Brothers Construction, said: “It is fantastic to have been recognised on an international level for our efforts to help Loughborough University decarbonise its estate.
“Having achieved Passivhaus Classic accreditation, widely regarded as the most challenging energy efficiency and comfort standards in the world, SportPark Pavillion 4 adds to our already impressive portfolio of sustainable builds.
“This accolade is testament to the dedication of our staff to make a meaningful impact on the communities in which we operate and further strengthens our commitment to net zero.”
Joel Callow, founding director of Beyond Carbon Associates, worked alongside Henry Brothers to obtain Passivhaus Classic accreditation for the build. Joel said: “We are delighted that one of our favourite Passivhaus projects has won this prestigious award.
“A notable achievement for Henry Brothers and setting a great example both for the region and nationally, as Sportpark Pavilion 4 is one of the very few certified Passivhaus office buildings in the UK. Great leadership by Loughborough University.”
Ford & Stanley secures exclusive recruitment partnership with Unipart Rail
Derby-based talent specialist Ford & Stanley is celebrating a three-year contract win with tech and supply chain solutions provider Unipart Rail, part of Unipart Group, after being selected as its exclusive recruitment partner.
The agreement follows an initial period of working closely together throughout 2022, with intent to enter into a partnership agreement in 2023. Ford & Stanley will be responsible for the provision of permanent and contract recruitment services spanning white collar and executive search across all business disciplines over the next 24 – 36 months.
Wanda Elliott, human resource director, Unipart Rail, said: “As part of a review of our recruitment processes within Unipart Rail, we were exploring new initiatives that would enable our business to secure a competitive advantage in a highly competitive recruitment and candidate market.
“We wanted to move away from transactional recruitment with several suppliers to a long-term collaborative partnership and were looking for a recruitment partner with a strong track record of delivering successful recruitment partnerships, who understands and operates within our varied areas of expertise, and whose values are aligned with our own.
“Our biggest asset is our people, so finding the right partner to provide us with the right people was essential to underpin our growth and to ensure we have the right capability to support our customers in improving the performance of their operations; positioning us as the Performance Improvement Partner for the rail industry.”
Daniel Taylor, director, Ford & Stanley Group, said: “Our partnership with Unipart Rail is based on a shared commitment to excellence and a multi-disciplinary approach. Together, we aim to deliver exceptional services and provide a range of modern recruitment solutions beyond sourcing top talent.”
As well as providing a dedicated account delivery team to Unipart Rail, Ford & Stanley has pledged several sustainability-driven commitments, including its ‘A Tree For Every Placement’ initiative.
Each time a hire is successfully appointed, an oak tree is planted that provides up to 500 years of daily environmental benefit.
Join Streets Chartered Accountants’ Autumn Statement webinar
Following Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement today, join Streets Chartered Accountants for a post event webinar tomorrow at 11am.
Colleagues from Streets Tax and Streets’ financial services team will present on the announcements made along with providing an update on topical issues affecting business clients and private individuals during this tax year 2023/24.
Whilst the Autumn Statement will most likely focus on measures to bring down inflation, it is likely to provide some indication as to the treatment of taxation and potential changes that might take place in the Spring Budget 2024.
This presentation will be recorded and available on demand for those not able to join live. Simply register to receive a link to watch on demand.
