Just one week remains to make your nominations for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022!

With just one week remaining until nominations close for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022, ensure to submit your entries for the annual celebration of the property and construction industry by Friday 19 August! Scheduled to take place on Thursday 15 September, the Bricks shine a light on 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. We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes. The glittering awards ceremony revealing winners, at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, will also offer the perfect chance to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region. The event will additionally feature John Forkin MBE DL, Managing Director at award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby, as keynote speaker. Nominations for the awards are open until Friday 19 August. To submit a business or development for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022 will also be awarded a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000. Find out who last year’s winners were here.

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 exceptional companies and projects in our region. The event will also welcome award-winning mind reader, magician, and professional mentalist Looch, who will bewilder and astonish guests during the evening’s networking. Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:                                      

To be held at:

Works complete on new £2m waste and recycling centre at Tattershall

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Construction work at Tattershall’s new household waste and recycling centre has now completed.

The project was procured through public sector procurement authority, SCAPE and its Regional Construction framework, with main contractor G F Tomlinson beginning work on site in December 2021.

Following a £2m investment from Lincolnshire County Council, the new facility has replaced an existing, privately-owned centre at Kirkby on Bain, which is now set to be decommissioned.

The new site, which has a larger capacity, will handle, sort and dispose of materials more efficiently than the previous centre. The facility accommodates four state-of-the-art waste compactors, which feed ten containers. These are able to hold three times the amount of waste than a standard open top compactor, helping to reduce haulage costs and make for a more sustainable transfer to the waste station, by transporting more waste per journey.

The facility will serve Horncastle and the surrounding area.

The project utilised local labour through G F Tomlinson’s supply chain including Newark-based D J Swallow Construction, who worked closely with G F Tomlinson to complete the ground works and concrete slabs, as well as Lincoln-based electrical contractor, Brooke & Mayo. This helped ensure that 78% of the spend on the project was with suppliers based within 40 miles of the site.

Craig Stopper, SCAPE Regional Construction Framework manager at G F Tomlinson, said: “We were delighted to be appointed as main contractor partner on this development. In addition to providing the residents of Lincolnshire with quick and convenient access to a new recycling centre, the facility ensures materials are being disposed of correctly, reducing harmful impacts on the environment.

“We are very pleased to have completed this project working alongside Lincolnshire County Council under the SCAPE Regional Construction framework – it marks the fifth household waste recycling centre we have delivered for the Council to date, with others located in Boston, Gainsborough, Bourne and Sleaford.

“This scheme is another important public facility in the Lincolnshire area which will provide upgraded recycling services and reduce the impact on the environment within the wider community.”

Mark Robinson, group Chief Executive at SCAPE, added: “The new centre is an excellent example of how a scheme can deliver social and economic value and provide long-term benefits for the wider community. It has been developed to the highest standard whilst integrating sustainable facilities and achieving value for money.

“We are delighted to have worked with our partner G F Tomlinson to accelerate this project forward, and bring an essential waste and recycling centre to the local residents of Tattershall, Coningsby, and the surrounding areas.” 

Mike Reed, head of waste at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Tattershall Household Waste Recycling Centre represents another significant project completed in partnership with G F Tomlinson using the SCAPE Regional Construction framework. The facility will provide a better environment for local residents to dispose of their material and will contribute to Lincolnshire’s circular economy aspirations.”

New management team and ownership model for PLM Global

PLM Global, a Nottingham-based solutions provider specialising in the supply, repair and maintenance of hand-held data capture devices, mobile print and EPoS hardware, has begun life under a new management team and ownership model, with Shane Watson becoming CEO and majority shareholder. This received the backing of SME Capital for funding, supported by local Nottingham companies, HSKSG Corporate Finance Specialists and Acton’s Solicitors. As one of the founding shareholders, Shane has taken this business from strength to strength over the years, with the team at PLM Global enjoying eight years of rolling success. The company, which started with just four employees now boasts 21 with a 200 + client list spanning six continents and various industries. They have also rocketed to a £4.5 million annual turnover. Supporting Shane is Wayne Swallow, who will be taking on the role of chairman after being a non-exec in the company for the past 2 years. Wayne holds 30 years of experience in Retail Technology and Logistics, having held various roles, including Managing Director of Htec and IT director of Nisa. The new executive team will be made up of Rob Alcock, who has been promoted to sales director, Leroy Stratford, whose role is head of finance, and Matt Leary, the operations manager. Shane Watson, CEO, said: “I am absolutely delighted with this outcome, we have worked tirelessly to get PLM Global to the stage it is at today. With our experienced and strong-skilled Board of Directors, I have every faith that we will progress further.”

Hiring intentions remain strong despite recession fears

Hiring intentions among UK businesses remain strong despite a turbulent outlook across output and inflation, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO. The BDO Employment Index soared to 114.79 in July, its highest level since January 2019, up 0.23 points on June. Staff shortages heightened by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have been driving a buoyant labour market as firms push hard to recruit. This can be seen in the unemployment rate which stood at 3.8% in the three months to May. However, BDO’s Inflation Index shows no sign of slowing, reaching a further record high of 118.72. Growth was driven by increases across both the input inflation and consumer inflation indices, with the former recording its highest ever reading of 121.19 due to a weakening currency, supply side shortages and significant supply chain disruption. This tough inflationary environment and the threat of a recession look to diminish employers’ hiring intentions towards the end of this year, mirroring the trend of decline that was seen by the Employment Index during the 2008 financial crisis. In line with the decline in economic activity, BDO’s Optimism Index fell 0.30 points to 101.53, its lowest point since April 2021. While both the services and manufacturing subindices experienced a fall, the overall decline was driven mostly by the latter with a 0.69-point decrease. Lower business confidence aligns with an overall dip in BDO’s Output Index, which remains below 100, the measure indicating long-term growth, for the second consecutive month. However, the Output Index posted a slight increase overall of 0.42 points in July to reach 98.66, led by an uptick in consumer activity across the manufacturing and services subcomponents. Kyla Bellingall, partner and head of the Midlands at BDO LLP, said: “Reports of a less optimistic outlook are by no means surprising as the economy now faces the prospect of a recession towards the end of the year. Although it’s encouraging to see recruitment intentions remain strong, we know that talent shortages are an issue, with many businesses reporting they are struggling to find people with the right skills. “Despite the current hiring activity, we’re likely to see demand for labour and the Employment Index decline later in the year, with employers devoting their resources to managing inflation, interest rate rises, and ever-growing energy costs.”

£8m Levelling Up boost for Grimsby to repair vital bridges and boost local industry

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Vital bridges connecting Grimsby and Immingham will be repaired to boost the local key industries and tourism, prevent road closures and secure future jobs for the region, Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark has announced. In the latest step to level up Grimsby, £8 million of funding has been confirmed to help fix damaged bridges along the A180 – a vital route that connects the region’s key ports, serves residents and tourists and provides an estimated £2.5 billion to the local economy’s Seafood Cluster each year. The funding will prevent months of disruption and closures for residents, as well as making sure local industries can continue to grow and helping to create more skilled jobs in the area. Grimsby was the pilot Town Deal area, and the Government has awarded over £45m through the Pilot and its flagship Towns Fund and Future High Streets programmes to support plans to renew and reshape the town centre. This includes plans to build 129 new high quality, low carbon homes in the town. Secretary of State for Levelling Up Greg Clark said: “The work to level up vital towns like Grimsby requires acting on what local people say is important and acting on what local people want – including local infrastructure. “The funding we are announcing today will provide a vital lifeline for Grimsby’s industry now and in the future and I am looking forward to seeing how our investment is helping local communities to flourish and further unlock the area’s potential.” DLUHC arm’s length body, Homes England, will assist North East Lincolnshire council to develop plans to revitalise the town centre, including for the 129 homes on Garth Lane. Cllr Philip Jackson, the leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I am delighted that our collaboration with Government on the levelling up agenda is bearing fruit. The key infrastructure investment announced today, as well as our work with Homes England, focused on Garth Lane and wider town centre regeneration, are essential elements of our drive to deliver sustainable local economic growth for our residents, our communities and our businesses. I look forward to our collaboration with Government continuing.”

Western School site housing development moves a step closer for Grimsby

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An opportunity to create the housing development on the former Western School site has been released to tender this week. The 22.9 acre brownfield site will eventually see a community of up to 297 properties including potentially one to four bedroom houses, including affordable housing and retirement dwellings. In a separate arrangement, the Council will also provide an extra care facility on the site. The major ‘spine roads’ into the site and work to bring utilities to the site were completed last year and the Council is now looking for a developer to come forward for the project. The site received outline planning permission in 2021. One of the main features of the site is the planned sustainable drainage system. With the weather now being more unpredictable and extreme weather and rainfall more common, it is right that the site should have a sustainable drainage network. The Former Western School and Playing Field site received funding from Homes England and the Accelerated Construction Fund, to provide enabling works including planning permission, spine roads and services up to the site. Councillor Philip Jackson, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I’m really pleased to see this brownfield housing development progressing now. We know we need more housing, particularly starter houses and ones pre-adapted for our older population, in the borough. We have to get the balance right to meet the needs of our residents.” The procurement process is a two-stage one, where interested developers can submit a selection questionnaire initially (with a deadline of Tuesday 13 September). Selected developers will then take part in a competitive dialogue, followed by an invitation to submit formal tenders to develop out the site. It is expected that work could begin on the site as early as 2023.

Plans in for major mixed use scheme in Leicester

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Plans have been submitted for a major new mixed use scheme in Leicester. The development would involve the demolition of existing buildings at the adjacent sites of 150 St. Nicholas Circle and 3-5 Bath Lane, Leicester. The application proposes the construction of a mixed-use development of student accommodation, ground floor retail accommodation and top floor private rental apartments, with associated communal, amenity and ancillary space. The 4, 7 and 9 storey building would host 108 student studios, two three bed cluster flats and 11 four bed cluster flats, as well as two one bed private rental apartments.
A design statement submitted to the council says: “The site is a prominent location in the urban grain, at a gateway location to the city and at an important node in the road network. The existing buildings currently under-use the site in terms of use and contribution to the street scene. “Their impact on the character of the area is mixed, the former bakery building is considered to make a positive contribution, but the single storey frontage of 150 St. Nicholas Circle and the associated 1990s building on Bath Lane to the rear are of low quality and ultimately make a poor contribution. “The application proposes a comprehensive redevelopment of the site, with the demolition of the existing structures and the construction of a mixed-use development of student apartment accommodation, ground floor retail and top floor private rental apartments, together with associated communal, amenity and ancillary space. “Proposals are intended to be in line with the planning context of the area, with aspirations of high quality design and usage that helps to enhance and regenerate the area.”

Green light recommended for Goose Gate student scheme

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Plans redevelop and extend a former retail and office building in Nottingham to provide purpose built student accommodation and a commercial unit have been tipped for approval.
The proposals from Clarendon Nottingham relate to 38-46 Goose Gate, a thee storey building and a courtyard and parking area to the rear. The ground floor of the Goose Gate frontage was last used as a bar/restaurant. The new development would provide 100 student bedrooms in a variety of studios and cluster flats on the upper floors, with shared recreation facilities, amenity space and cycle parking. The ground floor would host a commercial unit. The project would involve retaining and converting the existing three storey building that fronts onto Goose Gate, while rear parts of the building, together with other buildings that front onto Woolpack Lane, would be demolished to allow redevelopment at the back of the site. The development at the rear of the site would comprise a four storey extension immediately behind the retained Goose Gate building. This extension would increase in height to six storeys along the Woolpack Lane frontage but step down to five storeys towards Hockley House.

Strong trading momentum for Marks Electrical despite challenging market back-drop

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Marks Electrical Group, the online electrical retailer, has reported a strong trading period for the first four months of its new financial year – against a challenging market back-drop. According to an update for the four months ended 31 July 2022, revenue grew 13.7% to £27.7m, compared to £24.3m in the same period last year. The Leicester-based business, which floated on AIM last year, said its strong performance was driven across categories but particularly in televisions, vacuum cleaners, washers & dryers, and air conditioning. Mark Smithson, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’ve started the year well despite a very tough market back-drop with the group’s sales for the first four months up 13.7% compared with the online MDA and CE markets being down over 20% in the first months of our FY23. “We’ve seen strong competitive activity both in pricing and marketing, with heavy discounting of headline prices and higher cost per click marketing expenses. Despite this, we have maintained our tight control on inventory, cost management and disciplined capital allocation, ensuring we are in a healthy cash position and remaining focused on profitable market share gains. “Our differentiated operating model, leading customer service and free next day delivery provides a unique offering that sets us apart from the competition. I’m proud of the performance our team has delivered in a very challenging market. Whilst the remainder of the year is difficult to predict, our focus on maintaining a market leading customer proposition and healthy cash flow provides us with the best platform to generate continued profitable market share growth.”

Celebrate outstanding property & construction businesses, projects and people at the unmissable East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022

Place the spotlight on exceptional businesses and projects, and reward the teams behind them, by submitting a nomination for East Midlands Business Link’s esteemed Bricks Awards before entries close on Friday 19 August. The East Midlands Bricks Awards celebrate the region’s property and construction industry, its people, and outstanding developments. 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. Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 15 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening that will also provide plenty of opportunities to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region.

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.
The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022 will also be awarded a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000. Find out who last year’s winners were here.

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.
Thanks to our sponsors:                                      

To be held at: