Plans for apartments at historic rail building approved
Architects Lathams has secured planning permission to transform a building in Derby steeped in rail history into apartments.
Derby City Council’s planning committee recently approved plans to turn part of the former Midlands Railway Institute, in Railway Terrace, into 31 apartments.
The building, opposite Derby Midland Station, is currently home to The Waterfall pub, which will remain open, but reduce in size to make way for the new apartments.
In a statement, Lathams, which applied for planning permission on behalf of a private developer, said: “We’re delighted to announce that we received planning approval for a 31-apartment development in the heart of Derby at the locally listed Midland Railway Institute.
“The project will bring a semi-derelict heritage asset back into use and conserve Derby’s historic railway character.”
The property first opened as the home of the Midland Railway Institute in 1895.
At the time, the organisation had around 2,300 members and served as a cultural and educational centre for the Midland Railway workers.
However, according to the planning application, parts of the building have since fallen into a state of disrepair.
The new-look building will feature the existing pub, 15 one-bed apartments, 15 two-bed apartments and another two-bed flat to accommodate four people. A new courtyard will also be created.
The scheme sits within the Railway Conservation Area, where the city council itself has plans to make improvements.
Back in December, its Heritage and Conservation Committee discussed plans to improve the streets surrounding Derby Midland Station in a bid to make it more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly.
This includes refurbished roads, widened and repaved footpaths, new street lighting and bollards and a new look for the war memorial structure.
Part of the works would include improvements to the junction between Railway Terrace, Station Approach and Siddals Road, including wider footpaths and carriageway resurfacing.
APSS helps charity save £1,500 a year
Lincolnshire-based commercial joinery company APSS has delivered six new lockable shredding cupboards to Age UK Lincoln & South Lincolnshire, in partnership with Lindap, saving the charity around £1,500 a year in compliant disposal costs.
Age UK Lincoln & South Lincolnshire had been looking for small ways to reduce costs to make a big difference during the challenging climate and identified their secure waste shredder units as an item to look at. The secure units allow GDPR guidelines to be complied with and allow for the safe disposal of documentation. It had approached Lincoln-based charity Lindap to help. Lindap specialises in designing and making special equipment for people with disabilities when there is no commercial product available.
APSS design director, Stuart Wall, also a volunteer at Lindap, took the request and made it a reality.
APSS has an onsite joinery workshop that creates bespoke storage and office furniture which happily compliments the commercial refurbishment, design, and construction side of the business.
The company assisted with the design and production to create the six bespoke shredding units for Age UK’s Lincoln City Centre branch.
Stuart Wall said: “It is great to help out local charities in this way and work for a charity that supports the needs of local people and the community. It is wonderful to have the support of APSS with these projects.”
Tom Ellis, technical services and facilities manager for Age UK, said: “Everyone across the county is looking for ways to tighten their belt and help save those pennies where they can. Being a local, independent charity, we take great pride in using every penny provided to give as much to our local, older community as we possibly can. It’s about making a direct difference for people to live better.”
NAHL returns to growth
The CEO of NAHL, the Kettering-headquartered company behind the National Accident Helpline brand, is “pleased” with the financial performance of the group in its latest financial year, as the firm returned to growth.
According to a new trading update for the year ended 31 December 2022, the marketing and services business, focused on the UK consumer legal market, is expecting to report revenues of £41.5m, up from £38.9m in the year prior.
Profit before tax meanwhile is expected to be approximately £0.6m, growing from £0.2m.
James Saralis, CEO of NAHL, said: “Despite the well-documented headwinds across the economy, I’m really pleased with the financial performance of the group during the year. NAHL returned to growth, with revenues increasing by 7% and operating profit by 14%, and we continued to invest for the future whilst significantly reducing our debt, which exited 2022 at £13.3m.
“Both our Consumer Legal Services and Critical Care divisions advanced their strategies, with our Personal Injury business returning to profit. This is an important milestone in our plan to build a more sustainable and profitable business in the medium-term.
“Looking ahead, whilst the personal injury market remains subdued, we are cautiously optimistic that the investments we are making leave us well placed to continue our growth and strong cash generation in 2023. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our people who worked tirelessly throughout the year to strive for the best results for all of our stakeholders.”
Van Elle sees record half year revenue
Van Elle, the Nottinghamshire-headquartered ground engineering contractor, has hailed record half year revenue in its interim results for the six months ended 31 October 2022.
Van Elle says all its divisions operated with high activity levels throughout the period.
Revenue grew to £80.8m from £60.1m in the same period of the year prior, while pre-tax profits rose from £1.9m to £3.3m. EBITDA increased to £6.4m from £4.8m.
Mark Cutler, Chief Executive, said: “Strong trading momentum was sustained throughout the period despite a challenging macro environment. All divisions operated at high activity levels throughout, with significantly increased revenues delivered in Housing and General Piling, Rail activity in line with expectations and the group as a whole reporting record revenues.
“The group is benefitting from improved future work visibility, primarily due to being appointed to several strategic frameworks in highways and rail, all of which require an integrated delivery approach across our specialist capabilities.
“Market conditions in the short term, especially in respect of new build housing, are expected to be more challenging, however Van Elle is well positioned to benefit from opportunities across its breadth of end markets and diverse customer base. The Board therefore remains confident in the delivery of our medium-term strategy, and in achieving market expectations for the full year.”
2023 Business Predictions: Paul Morris, development director at St James Securities
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 Paul Morris, development director at St James Securities.
Whilst there are a lot of reasons for doom and gloom at present, I prefer to start a new year on a positive note.
Although 2023 is set to be another challenging year for the economy with the cost of living crisis and record inflation, on the demand side a number of sectors are currently bucking the trend, both locally and nationally.
There continues to be a major housing shortage and this will result in significant growth in the Build to Rent (BTR) sector, which will go from strength to strength in 2023.
St James Securities are currently considering future phases of BTR at our award-winning Becketwell Derby scheme, which will go some way to meeting the demand for high quality rented accommodation in the city centre.
The student accommodation market also remains pretty strong and I believe the demand for purpose-built student accommodation will continue to increase over the next few years as more young people choose to go to University.
The office market is set to see a strong focus on energy efficiency as the drive towards achieving carbon zero continues. By 2030, all non-domestic rented buildings will need to meet EPC Band B, which is a substantial raising of the bar. Buildings moving towards carbon zero will lease well and I hope this will result in an overall improvement in the quality of rented accommodation.
The pandemic has strengthened the demand for flexible office space, and this is set to continue this year and beyond, with hybrid working now part of the fabric of the workplace.
As leases come up for renewal, more and more businesses are likely to reassess their accommodation strategies and consider a move towards flexible office space.
Employers need to make it attractive for employees to come back to the office and they will need to offer a great working environment in order to attract the best calibre of staff.
I believe the hotel sector will remain reasonably resilient. In Derby there is latent demand for an upper mid-scale four-star hotel. We have plans to meet this demand with the introduction of a hotel into a future phase of the Becketwell scheme.
Overall, the general outlook is definitely one of caution. We as developers have been through challenges like this before in the early 1990’s, 2002 and 2007-2010 and are in it for the long haul.
As we all know, business is full of challenges and we just need to work through any setbacks and find different ways to achieve our aims.
2023 Business Predictions: John Crockett, health and safety manager at Acorn Safety Services
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 John Crockett, health and safety manager at Acorn Safety Services, an independent health and safety consultancy based in Northampton.
With businesses across the UK facing the threat of recession and economic uncertainty fears are growing that some may choose to cut corners when it comes to keeping on top of their health and safety obligations.
In the past year, we have already seen a steep increase in the number of businesses being fined for not carrying out regular surveys and assessments, something I believe we could see continue well into 2023 and beyond.
But turning your back on health and safety is the worst thing you can do. In fact, being proactive and engaging with a health and safety expert at the very beginning of your project could be the best decision you ever make.
Take asbestos for example. If you think it’s a problem from the past, think again.
Despite being banned from all new buildings since 1999, a report published by the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association (ATaC) has highlighted the enormous scale of the asbestos problem currently facing the UK. Of more than 128,000 buildings surveyed between October 2021 and March 2022, a staggering 78% were found to contain asbestos. In total more than 700,000 individual items of asbestos were found and 71% of those were damaged, posing a significant threat to health.
On some construction sites, building work has begun without an asbestos survey even taking place, putting everyone on site at risk of developing deadly mesothelioma.
While next year will undoubtedly be challenging for many businesses, health and safety in all its forms should remain right at the top of everyone’s agenda.
Gloomy economic forecasts fail to dampen mood for East Midlands businesses
Despite gloomy economic forecasts, business leaders in the East Midlands are optimistic about their growth opportunities for the year ahead.
According to data from Grant Thornton UK LLP’s latest Business Outlook Tracker, mid-market optimism in the East Midlands has rebounded across all indicators monitored:
- Revenue growth expectations have risen +36 percentage points (pp) since October
- Profit growth expectations are rising – increasing +24pp since October
- Economic optimism has risen +22pp since October
Work starts on 146 modular homes at Glenvale Park, Wellingborough
Modular housing company ilke Homes has started work to deliver 146 energy-efficient, affordable homes at the Glenvale Park development in Wellingborough, as part of Man GPM’s community housing focus.
The announcement marks the second time ilke Homes and Man GPM have worked together to deliver an affordable-led scheme, having struck a £31 million deal in December 2020 for a 226-home affordable housing development in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
The 7.8-acre site forms part of phase one at Glenvale Park, which once complete, will deliver a total of 3,000 homes, over 200 acres of parkland, a new local centre and two new schools.
The wider masterplan for Glenvale Park is expected to generate more than 3,000 jobs and £1.4 billion in economic impact for the area – with £2 of social value generated for every £1 spent during construction.
Having received approval from North Northamptonshire Council, ilke Homes has started work delivering a mix of multi-tenure single family houses, apartments and maisonettes, ranging in sizes from one to four bedrooms homes.
The homes – which are due for completion in 2024 – are being manufactured offsite at ilke Homes’ 25,000 sq ft factory in North Yorkshire, where precision-engineering techniques enable the company to deliver highly sustainable modular homes.
ilke Homes can therefore commit to delivering energy-efficient housing, with a likely EPC rating of A, putting the properties in the top five percent nationally for energy efficiency, with the knock-on effect of saving consumers hundreds of pounds a year on energy bills.
Thanks to most of the build stage taking place offsite, traffic disruption to the local community will be kept to a minimum.
Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at ilke Homes, said: “This scheme is testament to the continued confidence our customers have in our product, and we’ve enjoyed working with local planning officials and other stakeholders throughout the planning process and into the construction phase. After the success of our first joint scheme in Lincolnshire, we’re delighted Man Group have shown the confidence in us to deliver a second sustainable urban development scheme together.
“Through our accredited modular methods of delivery, we can ensure the scheme aligns with Man Group’s own stringent ESG criteria, while also providing much-needed, energy-efficient and well-designed homes for the local community.”
Shamez Alibhai, Managing Director and head of Community Housing at Man GPM, said: “Our partnership with ilke Homes has demonstrated that it is possible to address the UK’s housing crisis with affordable, energy-efficient homes. The development at Wellingborough is an exciting demonstration of how like-minded partners can deliver homes that address the housing challenges of families. ilke’s track record on housing delivery and its commitment to innovation fits naturally with our focus on social and environmental responsible investment.”
Mark Best, director of Midtown Capital Ltd, managing partner of Glenvale Park LLP, said: “As a leading provider of sustainable modular properties, we’re delighted to welcome ilke Homes and Man Group to Glenvale Park. With the range of properties and mix of tenures available, the new homes will be an exciting new offering to our growing community.
“With hundreds of families calling Glenvale Park home, there is already a strong sense of community spirit within the development. We can’t wait to see that grow further, as we welcome new residents into their brand new ilke homes.”
Start-ups in Nottinghamshire hit record high
Figures just released show that more new businesses were established in Nottinghamshire during 2022 than in any previous year to date – making it one of the UK’s most successful counties.
A total of 9,235 new formations were registered in Nottinghamshire during the last 12 months, an increase of 4.8% on 2021 when 8,810 were recorded. This brings the number of registered companies in the county to an all-time high of 62,142.
The statistics are taken from the Inform Direct Review of Company Formations, using data from Companies House and the Office for National Statistics.
Nottingham formed the highest number of new businesses (3,612), followed by Mansfield (1,060) and Rushcliffe (828).
John Korchak, Managing Director at Inform Direct said: “It is great that Nottinghamshire can celebrate a record year for the number of new businesses established.
“The last few years have been turbulent for businesses, with inflation and a cautious economic outlook following the impact of the pandemic. However, in these figures we see evidence of the ambition, creativity and resilience of entrepreneurs in Nottinghamshire, as well as the benefits from the county’s support for a range of enterprises.
“This positivity is mirrored in the overall picture for the UK which saw a record number of new companies established during 2022, exceeding 800,000 for the very first time.”
The UK saw 805,141 new companies, compared to 771,617 in 2021, which represents an increase of 4.3% and brings the total number of companies to 5,236,227.
Dissolutions of UK companies totalled 578,679, down on 2021 when 606,912 were recorded, suggesting that new and existing businesses are adapting to survive in a post-pandemic business environment.”
UK manufacturing output flat, but cost and price inflation ease to slowest pace since 2021
Cost and pricing pressures in UK manufacturing remain high, but shows signs of easing, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends survey. In the quarter to January, average unit costs grew at the slowest pace since April 2021, while domestic selling price inflation was the slowest since July 2021. But both remained far above their long-run averages.
Manufacturers reported stable output volumes in the quarter to January, following a modest decline in the quarter to December. New orders were flat, while the volume of total order books fell further below normal, suggesting that output has been supported in part by manufacturers tackling backlogs of work. Looking ahead, manufacturers expect new orders and output volumes to increase in the next quarter, but the share of firms reporting that orders or sales would constrain output nonetheless reached its highest since April 2021.
The survey, based on the responses of 321 manufacturing firms, found that:
- Business sentiment fell for the fifth consecutive quarter, but at a much slower rate than in the three months to October (balance of -5%, from -48%). Export optimism also fell, but less quickly than in October, when it dropped at the fastest pace in two years (-22%, from -31%).
- Output volumes were stable in the quarter to January, after falling in the three months to December (weighted balance of -1% from -9%). Rising output in the mechanical engineering and food, drink & tobacco sub-sectors was offset by falls in chemicals, metal manufacturing and motor vehicles & transport equipment. Firms expect volumes to increase briskly in the next three months (+19%).
- Demand-side factors were seen as more likely to limit output in the next three months (57% of respondents cited orders or sales as a likely constraint, from 43% in October; average of 71%). Supply-side constraints remain historically significant, but have eased: shortages of skilled labour (38%, from 49%; average of 16%); shortages of materials/components (44%, from 54%; average of 11%).
- Total new orders were broadly stable in the quarter to January (balance of -3%, from -8%). However, the volume of total order books fell further below normal (balance of -17%, from -6% in October). Manufacturers expect new orders to rise over the next three months (+9%).
- Average costs growth remained exceptionally strong in the quarter to January, but nonetheless eased, with costs rising at the slowest pace since April 2021 (balance of +64%, from +82% in October; average of +17%). Cost growth is expected to slow further in the quarter to April (+53%).
- Average domestic selling price inflation also eased but remained elevated in the quarter to January (balance of +37%, from +50% in October; vs average of +2%). Domestic price inflation is expected to remain elevated over the next three months (+41%).
- Numbers employed continued to rise in the three months to January, albeit at a slower pace (+14%, from +26% in October). Firms expect headcount to rise further in the next three months (+24%).
- Investment intentions for the year ahead were mixed. Manufacturers expect to raise investment in training and retraining (+20%, from +14%), plant and machinery (+8%, from +6%) and product and process innovation (+6%, from +7%). Investment in buildings is expected to decline in the year ahead (-9% from -5%).
