Plans submitted for a range of new leisure facilities in North Wingfield
Residents in North Wingfield could soon benefit from several new leisure facilities, with plans submitted to develop land off Williamthorpe Road.
Local developer, Inspire Design and Development is involved in the proposals, which include a pub, hotel, restaurant, wedding venue and nursery.
The proposal falls as part of one of the company’s existing projects in the area, a large development which already has outline approval for more than 500 houses between North Wingfield and Holmewood.
Calum Reford, graduate planner at Inspire Design and Development Ltd., said: “The proposal seeks to create a bespoke character area to create a local landmark which will be in-keeping with the existing and future built environment.
“The development represents a significant social and economic benefit to the area and will deliver a hospitality offer, alongside supporting the new dwellings currently under construction.
“The proposals will also deliver employment opportunities for local people, providing access to a new career in a unique venue. This development can provide a statement building that frames the entrance to help establish a sense of place and provide a facility that the area can be genuinely proud of.”
The company has also stated that the design for the new leisure development is inspired by traditional Derbyshire rural farm buildings, with a series of pitched roof pavilions and outdoor seating/eating areas with views towards Chesterfield and the Crooked Spire church.
It’s time to make your nominations for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022!
It is time to submit your nominations for East Midlands Business Link’s esteemed Bricks Awards! Reward the hard work of your team, and showcase your successes.
The annual 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.
Thanks to our sponsors:
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.- 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
- Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, the winner will be selected from those nominated)
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, as well as 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.
To be held at:
Make new connections at the East Midlands Expo this November
Offering an ideal day for networking and business generation, this year’s East Midlands Expo will take place on Monday 14 November 2022.
An established event of over 20 years, for which Business Link is a proud partner, the free to attend expo is well targeted and aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets.
Taking place at the De Vere East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, the day will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am, and a seminar taking place between 10:45am and noon.
A special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.
For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.
To register to attend the event for free click here.
To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.
Manufacturing output growth and price inflation expected to slow in three months ahead
UK manufacturing output slowed in the three months to June, while total order books and export order books also softened. Output growth is expected to slow further in the quarter ahead, while expectations for domestic price growth fell back to a nine-month low. That’s according to the latest monthly CBI Industrial Trends Survey.
The survey, based on the response of 212 manufacturers, found:
- Manufacturing output growth slowed slightly in the three months to June (balance of +25%, from +30% in May). Growth is expected to ease further in the three months ahead, but expectations remain well above their long-run average (+20%; average is +9%).
- Output increased in 12 out of 17 sectors in the three months to June. The motor vehicles and aerospace sub-sectors provided the largest contribution to the headline balance this month, while the food, drink & tobacco sub-sector made a negative contribution for the first time in just over a year.
- Total order books were seen as above normal to a lesser extent than last month (+18% from +26% in May), while the volume of export order books fell back to a normal level (+1% from +19% in May).
- Stocks of finished goods were seen as adequate in June, after being reported as inadequate in all but one month during the previous 13 months (+2% from -15% in May).
- Expected domestic price growth for the three months ahead eased markedly in June (+58%, from +75% in May and a survey record of +80% in March). This was the weakest expectations for selling price inflation since September 2021.
Manufacturer fined after worker sustains life-changing injuries
A manufacturer of concrete architectural elements and garden ornaments, and its director, have been fined after an employee sustained life-changing injuries when his arms became trapped in a cement mixer.
Nottingham Crown Court heard that on 8 August 2018, the employee was using the cement mixer at the company’s premises on Nottingham Road, Alfreton, to prepare the concrete mix for the ornamental castings.
The employee attempted to stop the machinery to retrieve something from the mixing pan. However, when he reached inside, his arms came into contact with the mixing paddles, and he was dragged almost entirely into the mixer.
He managed to pull himself out but was seriously injured. As a result of the incident his left arm was amputated at the upper arm level and his right arm had to be amputated at the mid forearm. He also sustained injuries to his ribs, face, back and shoulders.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that David Sharp Studio Limited had failed to take sufficient steps to guard against the risks of entrapment and injury posed by the cement mixer.
The employee had been exposed to the risk of serious injury by requiring him to operate the mixer with the lid open whilst standing next to it. There was a failure to provide guards or to interlock the operation of the mixer in order to reduce the risk of accidental entrapment or foreseeable misuse.
There was also a failure to train, instruct and supervise the employee to ensure that he was aware of, and followed, safe procedures for working on or near the mixer whilst it was in operation. The HSE investigation also established that the company director, David Sharp, was aware of the unsafe conditions and allowed them to continue.
David Sharp Studio Limited of White House, Clarendon Street, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £1,000.
David Sharp, also of Clarendon Street, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined £2,000, disqualified from being a company director for seven years and ordered to pay full costs of £30,802.35.
HSE principal inspector Samantha Farrar said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply providing effective guarding to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
“Companies and individuals should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
Business ambassadors sought to champion economic growth in Leicester and Leicestershire
People driving local business growth are being invited to serve as ambassadors in promoting and supporting development of enterprise in Leicester and Leicestershire.
The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) is advertising for inspiring local figures to join its Board of Directors.
The available roles come on top of the ongoing campaign to recruit a new Chair to work alongside senior figures across varied sectors in the region.
The LLEP is recruiting for successful and respected individuals with records of organisational leadership, entrepreneurship and management. They will advocate for the region on the local and national stage.
The roles come at a key time for the LLEP. It is currently working with partners across business, local government, education and the third sector towards the Government’s emerging Levelling Up and County Deal agendas.
Government has committed to the role of LEPs as an independent business voice and the successful candidates will join the Board at an important time in both implementing current plans and developing proposals of its Economic Growth Strategy 2021-30.
Successful candidates will become part of a team that influences economic development across the area, considering the LLEP’s four strategic pillars of Innovation, Sustainability, Productivity and Inclusivity as it tackles key issues including skills, infrastructure and the zero-carbon agenda.
The LLEP is working towards equal representation on its Board by 2023 and is particularly keen to hear from female applicants.
Candidates will need to have broad commercial experience, as well as the ability to work with public sector bodies, while demonstrating resilience, diplomacy and influence.
They will also need to act with honesty, frankness and objectivity, when taking decisions and pursue constructive relationships.
Directors attend LLEP Board meetings, currently held every two months in and around Leicester and Leicestershire. They may also represent the LLEP at meetings with businesses, stakeholders, other LEPs and with Government officials and ministers.
Emma Anderson, Director at Freeths, LLEP Board Member and Appointments Committee Member, said:
“Incoming directors will help to collaborate positively with our partners in shaping the LLEP’s future role as we simultaneously oversee the ongoing delivery of vital local services.
“We know that the LLEP faces a period of change – what these positions represent is the chance to influence that change in a constructive way as we continue serving as independent ambassadors for enterprise across Leicester and Leicestershire.”
Nottingham City Council seeking to remove more carbon from development process
Another step has been taken on Nottingham’s journey to become carbon-neutral by 2028 with the introduction of a new environmentally-focused planning document.
The Informal Planning Policy Guidance, consulted on by Nottingham City Council in autumn 2021, will support residential and commercial developments and will seek to reduce carbon emissions from buildings.
It promotes a range of measures that developers can employ to reduce carbon in their proposals, which relate to energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable design and construction.
The National Planning Policy Framework currently gives local authorities few powers to insist that environmental considerations are included within the design and build process.
But with the introduction of the new guidance, all future planning applications in Nottingham of ten or more homes, or commercial developments of 1,000m2 and above, will need to be supported by a Carbon Reduction/Energy Statement.
This must set out how it will contribute towards the council’s wider carbon-neutral pledge and how the new buildings will use energy. It is hoped that by requiring a statement for all major planning applications, significant reductions in emissions will be achieved.
Traditional buildings consume around 40 per cent of the total fossil fuel energy in the UK and are significant contributors of greenhouse gases.
The council has made a commitment to work with partners to become a carbon-neutral city by 2028. This means reducing emissions from direct and indirect sources that arise from the use of energy within the city to near zero, plus offsetting those which cannot be eliminated.
Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, portfolio holder for leisure, culture and planning at Nottingham City Council, said: “Our pledge is bold and forward-thinking, but we know that its delivery in the city will depend on partners and organisations across a number of sectors coming on board to help – we can’t do it alone.
“Given that buildings are one of the most significant sources of carbon emissions, the Planning Guidance is an important piece of work undertaken by the council to allow us to ensure due consideration is given to environmental measures.
“It will have an immediate impact on emissions as developers are now required to demonstrate how their buildings use energy, while it strongly promotes low-carbon methods.
“There is a distinct lack of this in national Government legislation at the moment and, while this local policy is informal, it will allow us to effect meaningful change through negotiation and consent.
“Moving forward, the council will be progressing a Supplementary Planning Document to support its approach to carbon neutrality and formulating new policies to tackle the issue in its emerging Strategic Plan, which will secure increasingly sustainable and carbon-neutral development.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the development sector in tackling this global climate emergency.”
Smaller businesses in the East Midlands see major rise in equity investment in 2021, securing £154m in 2021
Equity investment in UK smaller businesses reached record levels of £18.1bn in 2021, as revealed by The British Business Bank’s Small Business Equity Tracker 2022, published today.
UK equity investment more than doubled in 2021 compared to the previous year – the highest annual investment amount since the data series began.
Smaller businesses in the East Midlands secured £154m of investment across 50 deals. This represented a 92% per cent increase on 2020, while the number of deals increased by 32 per cent.
Technology and IP-based businesses attracted the largest amount of investment of all sectors in the East Midlands at £35.2m.
The report overall shows encouraging signs for regional businesses, including an 11 per cent increase in equity investment deals in the English regions outside of London and devolved nations to 1,330 deals worth a total of £6.2bn. Another positive sign is the 21 per cent increase in the number of deals involving an angel outside of London compared to 2020 figures – the number of deals reached 373, whilst the value of those deals increased by 87 per cent to £1bn.
The British Business Bank’s equity programmes supported around 14 per cent of all equity deals between 2019 to 2021. The Midlands Investment Fund (MEIF), delivered by the British Business Bank, is one of the Bank’s programmes providing commercially focused support through debt and equity finance. The Fund as now invested over £170m into small businesses across the Midlands since its launch in 2017.
A total of 769 investments were made in 546 businesses throughout both the West and East Midlands. An additional £270m of private sector co-investment has also been leveraged as a result of the MEIF’s support.
Dr Sophie Dale-Black, UK Network Director, Midlands at the British Business Bank, said: “The East Midlands is home to many innovative businesses who are hungry for growth, shown by a record year of investment and deals secured. A clear sign of investor confidence in the region’s smaller businesses following the pandemic.
The emergence of tech in the region is welcome and shows demand from highly innovative business to grow here.
Whilst there are signs of this momentum continuing in early 2022, smaller businesses will be mindful of potential economic headwinds in the coming months and year. We will continue to provide businesses with the access to finance they need to start up and thrive in the East Midlands.”
Europe’s largest modular housing factory set for Corby
TopHat, the 3D modular house builder, is to open a new, 650,000 sq ft facility in Corby, Northamptonshire in 2023, equivalent to the size of 11 football pitches.
This major investment builds on the success of TopHat’s existing site in Derby which already produces up to 800 homes per year.
The new facility will bring together the latest robotics and TopHat’s proprietary technology to manufacture and distribute up to 4,000 homes per year. One thousand new, green economy jobs across a wide range of roles will be created and a training academy will be established in partnership with local colleges.
The new Corby facility will be the anchor tenant in the new Magna Park site being developed by GLP, the global logistics development manager, as part of a multi-million-pound investment in the site. Construction will begin later in the year, with the facility expected to be delivering its first homes by the end of 2023.
Jordan Rosenhaus, CEO and founder of TopHat, said: “TopHat’s new facility will increase our capacity to over 4,500 homes a year. Our homes are designed to be beautiful and green, being low-carbon to build and much cheaper to run. TopHat is playing a leading role in transforming home building in the UK, improving quality, reducing costs and protecting the environment. We are also delighted to be creating 1,000 new jobs in Corby supported by a major investment in training through the TopHat Academy.”
James Atkinson, development director of GLP, said: “We are delighted that TopHat will be the anchor tenant for our new Magna Park in Corby bringing not only investment and jobs to the local community but also delivering innovative new homes which will be an important part of our future.”
Significant step forward for one of the largest regeneration projects in the region
Verdant Regeneration has secured outline planning permission for the redevelopment of the 200 acre New Stanton Park, J.25 M1, with the potential to deliver up to 4,000 jobs.
Verdant Regeneration submitted an outline planning application in late 2021 for the redevelopment of part of the former Stanton iron works, to be known as New Stanton Park, with the scheme set to deliver c.2.6 million sq ft of new build high quality warehouse and industrial space, having the ability to deliver a single building in excess of c.1 million sq ft.
The new development situated between Derby and Nottingham, just 2.5 miles from the M1, is being jointly marketed by M1 Agency and TBD Real Estate.
David Grier of Verdant Regeneration said: “Having acquired the site in 2020, we have worked hard across the team to quickly bring forward an outline planning application on what is one of the largest regeneration projects within the region. We are delighted to have now successfully secured outline planning consent and thank Erewash Borough Council for the professional manner and efficiency in which they have dealt with the planning application.
“New Stanton Park offers an excellent strategic location, blending an active rail connection with strong private and public transport connectivity, plentiful labour and a large and significant power supply. When combined, we are confident this will result in a highly successful development with the next chapter set to positively transform and improve the area, bringing forward large scale job creation in the process.”
David Ward Snr of Verdant Regeneration added: “Securing outline planning permission is a hugely important step in bringing forward the regeneration of this major landmark site. In its redevelopment we are aiming to deliver high quality real estate that will drive occupier activity and job creation. We will do this with a sustainable approach, combining energy efficient buildings with large amounts of amenity and green space. New Stanton Park will also see fishing ponds, rural walkways and cycle tracks designed to enhance biodiversity and link the site and its wider communities.”
James Keeton of joint agents M1 Agency added: “Outline planning approval is a major milestone in the delivery of New Stanton Park and the regeneration of this former brownfield site. With strong initial interest we are confident of quickly bringing forward development and realising the transformation and improvement of the area in a high quality and sustainable manner, most importantly, delivering large scale job creation in the process.”
Chris Drummond of joint agents TDB Real Estate finished by saying: “The redevelopment of the site has been talked about for a significant period of time and it is excellent news that it is now hopefully set to come to fruition. Verdant Regeneration have been hugely pro-active in their approach since purchasing the site and with active occupier engagement we welcome the delivery of an outline planning consent to thereafter bring forward the transformation and improvement of this strategically important site.”
