Property specialist appointed to operate multi-million-pound build-to-rent development in Leicester

Tess Egginton
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Property specialist appointed to operate multi-million-pound build-to-rent development in Leicester

Property specialist Centrick has been appointed to launch and operate a new multi-million-pound build-to-rent (BTR) development in Leicester. 

Centrick will provide its BTR services, through its VICI platform, on behalf of developer and investor Oblix Living for its latest development, The Saxons, comprising 100 one and two-bedroom homes.

Centrick founder James Ackrill said: “It is enormously exciting to be working alongside Oblix Living once again, watching The Saxons coming to life, and we are very pleased to be launching this scheme.

“Working with Oblix Living is always a pleasure. It is great to see their BTR vision come to fruition and to be able to share in the success of launching a high-quality scheme which focuses on the residents and addresses their needs in so many ways.” 

Centrick BTR director Clare Johnson said: “The Saxons is a fabulous boutique scheme, and we are looking forward to working alongside Oblix Living to deliver outstanding consulting, pre-launch, branding and of course operational BTR services which we have continued to grow over many years of experience and expertise in this key growth sector. “With community-led technology and a dedicated residents’ experience team, we will work hand-in-hand with residents to create a thriving, sustainable community.”

Rishi Patel, CEO of Oblix Living, said: “At Oblix Living we’ve always focused on service, design, and amenities in key locations to provide design-led, well specified apartments that residents are proud to call home.

“I’m delighted to be launching The Saxons, which is our second Build to Rent development and our first in Leicester, and excited for residents to enjoy not just the convenience and opportunity of the city, but the living spaces and exceptional communal spaces within the development.”

Nottingham housebuilder secures £1m funding facility to deliver first development

Tess Egginton
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Nottingham housebuilder secures £1m funding facility to deliver first development

Nottingham-based Infinity Homes has secured a £1m funding facility to deliver the company’s first development which will be located off Holmgate Road in Clay Cross.

The development will comprise five three-bedroom bungalows and, once complete, will have a gross development value of £1.6m.

The £1m funding facility has been secured by Infinity Homes from merchant banking group Close Brothers.

A team from law firm Gordons, led by partner and head of residential development, Michael Finnett, advised Infinity Homes on obtaining the facility.

Work started on site in January, with the first residents expected to move into their new homes this August.

Infinity Homes director, Joshua Greveson, said: “It’s fantastic to have secured this facility to deliver our development. Michael and the team at Gordons are highly experienced in securing funding for residential developers, so they were able to expertly navigate the funding process for us.

“We know there is strong demand for new bungalows within Clay Cross, particularly of the type that we are building and with the specification we have. We’ve already made a great start on site having received our first plot reservation and sales interest in the remaining available plots.”

Commenting on the funding deal, Gordons’ Michael Finnett said: “Infinity Homes is an ambitious housebuilding start up business so we are very pleased to have been able to help them with their initial development.

“We are sure it will be the first of many and we look forward to supporting the business and it continues to grow and evolve over time.”

Clowes Developments appoint estate agent to Matlock apartments

Tess Egginton
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Clowes Developments appoint estate agent to Matlock apartments
Clowes Developments have appointed Derbyshire-based estate agent Boxall Brown & Jones to market Riber View Apartments in Matlock. Since constructing the 47 luxury one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 450 to 765 square feet, Clowes have successfully sold or let a number of apartments. The group have engaged Boxall Brown & Jones to market the remaining properties. Boxall Brown & Jones were appointed based on their reputation within the Derby and surrounding areas as a residential estate agent. Jo Hutchinson and Anthony Lomas, Partners at Boxall Brown & Jones estate agents, will be leading the sales team on behalf of Clowes Developments. Jo said: “We are delighted to be appointed to market the Riber View Apartments in Matlock. “We believe the scheme offers an amazing opportunity for buyers to purchase high quality spacious apartments, in an unrivalled location, close to the heart of Matlock and within easy reach of the Peak District.”

Successful Derby IT boss raises money for charity after it gave him a valued start in life

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Successful Derby IT boss raises money for charity after it gave him a valued start in life

A Derby IT boss has thanked a much-loved children’s charity for helping him start off on the right foot.

Lee Jepson, director of L.E.A.D. IT services, has never forgotten his time with the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness.

Lee, whose company provides IT services to schools across the country, had a holiday at the centre while a pupil at Nightingale Primary School in Allenton – and has kept warm memories of his time there ever since.

He said: “It meant a lot. I wasn’t having any holidays and I think that must have come up in conversation at school, and I think I was nominated by my head teacher to go. It would have been my only opportunity to have a holiday.”

Lee said his abiding memories of the holiday centre were of the games room, where he got an early experience into the world of tech as it was kitted out with retro-classic Atari and Commodore games consoles.

“I was a tech head even then,” said Lee, who also remembers trips to the beach – his first memory of the seaside – playing board games, and getting to know children from different Derbyshire schools.

He said: “I was with other children who weren’t from the same school and that mix was really nice – and it was a first for me.”

Lee is now a successful entrepreneur running his own company, and is committed to giving back to charity having benefited from it as a child.

This summer he and his son will be volunteering at Derby Kids’ Camp – which also provides free holidays to Derbyshire children who might otherwise not get a break.

On May 18 he is also taking on the SkegVegas100 – a 100-mile bike ride from Derby to Skegness that is raising funds for the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre and Derby Kids’ Camp.

Lee said: “Going to the holiday centre meant a lot to me. It’s the reason why I want to give back and help other children in the same way I was helped.”

Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre chair Alan Grimadell said: “Our charity has been going since 1891 and it’s always very moving to hear stories such as this one from Lee Jepson who has gone on to be such a successful entrepreneur.

“It’s wonderful that he has such happy memories of going to the centre as a child and that now he is grown up, he is giving back by undertaking the SkegVegas100 for us. We know that time at our centre means a lot to the children who come to us, not just because it gives them a break, but it gives them a lot of confidence too.

“I wish Lee all the very best with the ride and hope he enjoys seeing inside the centre again when he arrives in Skegness. I look forward to welcoming Lee and all of the Skeg Vegas cyclists when they arrive at the DCHC holiday centre on May 18.”

To support the SkegVegas100 bike ride on May 18, see www.skegvegas100.co.uk and click ‘donate’.

Cheers! Chesterfield firm wins King’s Award for Enterprise

Stuart Pearcey
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Cheers! Chesterfield firm wins King’s Award for Enterprise
Chesterfield’s Global Brands has won the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. In the past year, Global Brands has made significant strides by expanding its presence into several new overseas markets. This expansion has been complemented by remarkable financial achievements, with export sales growing by approximately 105% and turnover experiencing robust growth of approximately 54% YOY. The award will be presented at a Royal reception and the company will have the right to display the King’s Awards flag and emblem across product range and marketing materials for the next five years. Producing a diverse range of drinks brands for every occasion, Global Brands’ portfolio includes popular names such as VK, Hooch, and Franklin & Sons, stocked across 67 countries in Europe, Asia, the US and more. Founder and Chairman Steve Perez said: “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the King’s Award for Enterprise committee for recognising our efforts and successes, and to all our employees, partners, and customers who play an integral role in our journey. Together, we look forward to reaching new heights and achieving further successes. “We extend a special congratulations the entire international team, whose exceptional efforts with Frankin & Sons have established it as a truly global brand; with extended reach across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. The team’s commitment to excellence and the relentless pursuit of pushing boundaries has not only set a benchmark within the industry, but also heightened our company’s reputation on a global scale.” Considered the most prestigious awards for UK businesses, The King’s Award for Enterprise recognises and celebrates business excellence in innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunities through social mobility. Awarded by His Majesty the King, upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the award underpins Global Brands’ exceptional performance in international trade, achieving outstanding continued growth in overseas earnings for the past 3 years.  

Covid casualty pub gets new lease of life as part of £39m investment by Heineken

Stuart Pearcey
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Covid casualty pub gets new lease of life as part of £39m investment by Heineken
Heineken UK is investing £39m in upgrading and reopening pubs in its Star Pubs’ estate this year in a move which it says demonstrates its confidence in the resilience of the great British local in the face of global uncertainty. The move will create an estimated 1,075 new jobs. More than 600 of Heineken UK’s 2,400 pubs are in line for improvement, with 94 of these set for makeovers costing on average £200,000. The investment will also cover works to reopen 62 long-term closed locals in 2024. By the end of the year, the company will have reopened 156 such pubs since the start of 2023, reducing the number of closed pubs in its estate to pre-pandemic levels. Amongst those given a new lease of life is The Ashford Arms at Ashford-in-the-Water. A Covid casualty, the Grade II listed inn closed in March 2020 but reopened four years later thanks to a joint £1.6m refurbishment by Star Pubs and Rob Hattersley of Derbyshire-based Longbow Venues. The funds have turned The Ashford Arms into a premium country pub with a new snug, two bars, a 107-cover restaurant, nine boutique ensuite letting rooms and a stunning 30-seater alfresco area with a retractable roof. The scheme created 50 new jobs and is benefitting local suppliers whose produce the venue uses. Rob said: “We serve breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The Ashford Arms ticks all the boxes, whether people want a pint with friends, a celebratory meal with loved ones or accommodation when visiting the Peak District. Local residents have embraced the new look pub and are very happy it’s a lovely feature of the village again. Trade took off like a rocket when we opened. We’ve been fully booked for meals, room bookings are flooding in and sales are a third higher than expected. It’s been a massive venture and could never have been done without Star Pubs’ financial support.” Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs’ MD, said: “People are looking for maximum value from visits to their local. They want great surroundings and food and drink as well as activities that give them an extra reason to go out, such as sports screenings and entertainment. Creating fantastic locals that can accommodate a range of occasions meets this need and helps pubs fulfil their role as vital third spaces where communities can come together. “Pubs have proved their enduring appeal; after all the disruption of recent years, Star is on track to have the lowest number of closed pubs since 2019. It’s a tribute to the drive and entrepreneurship of licensees and the importance of continued investment. We’ve spent more than £200m upgrading and maintaining our pubs over the last five years, and we’ll continue to invest to keep them open and thriving. “Time and again we see the value consumers place on having a good local and how important it is to communities. Well-invested pubs run by great licensees are here to stay, but like all locals, they need Government support to reduce the enormous tax burden they shoulder.”

Construction partner chosen for expansion work at Rolls Royce’s Raynesway site

Tess Egginton
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Construction partner chosen for expansion work at Rolls Royce’s Raynesway site
Balfour Beatty has been chosen as a construction partner for the expansion work at Rolls Royce’s Raynesway site in Derby. The expansion at the submarines site is needed to meet the growth in demand from the MOD and as a result of the AUKUS agreement. In March 2023 it was confirmed that Rolls-Royce Submarines would provide all the nuclear reactor plants that will power new attack submarines as part of the tri-lateral agreement between Australia, the UK and US. As part of the package of works, which will be executed in stages over the next eight years, Balfour Beatty will deliver infrastructure enabling works, build new manufacturing and office facilities, and redevelop existing industrial buildings on site. This will increase Rolls-Royce’s capacity to manufacture reactor components for nuclear submarines. The green light was given to Rolls-Royce’s expansion plans last month.

Nottingham and Leicester student accommodation properties sold

Tess Egginton
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Nottingham and Leicester student accommodation properties sold

Unite Students, the owner, manager and developer of student accommodation, is selling six properties to PGIM Real Estate for £184m, of which Unite’s share will be £76m.

The properties, comprising 2,948 beds, are located in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leicester, Liverpool, Nottingham and Sheffield.

The disposal is part of the Group’s portfolio management strategy to increase alignment to high and mid-ranked universities which have the strongest outlook for student demand and support sustainable rental growth.

In Leicester the 219-bed The Grange has been sold, while in Nottingham the 808-bed St Peter’s Court has been sold.

Joe Lister, Unite Students Chief Executive, said: “These disposals continue our disciplined approach of recycling capital for reinvestment and further increases our alignment to the strongest universities.

“The growth outlook for purpose-built student accommodation remains compelling and we are tracking a number of new investment opportunities at attractive returns.”

Car finance fraudster gets six years in prison

Stuart Pearcey
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Car finance fraudster gets six years in prison
A gang that set up 90 bogus companies in a bid to steal more than £800,000 in a VAT and car finance fraud have been sentenced to more than 10 years. Derby man Shahid Mohammad led the seven-strong gang in setting up front companies to facilitate the fraud which included a fake recruitment firm to steal identities. He has been jailed for six years and his co-defendants have been handed suspended prison sentences. A joint investigation by HMRC, Derbyshire Police and West Midlands Police revealed the gang used 91 different stolen identities to submit claims between January 2015 and November 2016, pocketing £390,980. The gang also used these fake firms to submit fraudulent VAT repayments totalling £80,716. Ringleader Shahid Mohammad, 31, and five other men; Zahid Mohammad, 30, Mohammed Maroof, 28, Adnan Sharif, 43, Mohsan Hussain, 25, and Usman Sharif, 41, were convicted after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court which ended in March 2024. Mark Robinson, Operational Lead at the HMRC Fraud Investigation Service, said: “Shahid Mohammad and his criminal gang caused utter misery for dozens of innocent people whose stolen details were used in this fraud. “A huge amount of effort and planning went into committing these offences, which stole much needed money from our public services. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue the small minority who commit these types of crimes and we urge anyone with information about tax evasion to report it to HMRC online.” The fraudsters set up a fake recruitment firm to steal identities and list people as directors of phony car dealerships without their knowledge. They then used the addresses of vacant premises across the Midlands for their fake dealerships. Personal information stolen through the recruitment firm was used to record made-up vehicle sales and complete car finance agreements with lenders. Once paid out by lenders, the money was transferred through several bank accounts and withdrawn in cash. These fake firms also made fraudulent VAT repayment claims. The gang tried to steal a further £144,500 in car finance and a further £233,160 in VAT, but these payments were withheld by HMRC. Action to recover the money has been launched.

Work underway on Loughborough arts hub project

Tess Egginton
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Work underway on Loughborough arts hub project

Work has begun on a 1930s derelict building in Loughborough to transform it into a multi-media arts hub.

The Generator project, which is supported by a £1.6 million grant from Loughborough Town Deal, will become a new multimedia arts centre for performances, exhibitions, and community engagement.

Support has also come from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund, an Arts Council England Project Grant, and a successful Crowdfunding campaign.

Based on Packe Street in Loughborough, the Generator received further funding in December 2023 of £700,000 from the Community Ownership Fund and it has just been announced that the project will benefit from a further £400,000 through an Arts Council England Capital grant.

The work has now begun with the building expected to be completed and open to the public in spring 2025.

It is one of 11 projects Loughborough Town Deal is backing after securing £16.9 million of Government funding. In total, the projects are worth over £40 million of investment for the town.

Martin Traynor OBE, Chair of Loughborough Town Deal, said: “I am delighted to see work under way at the Generator project now that additional funding has been secured.

“This important project has the potential to be a significant feature in Loughborough’s expanding arts and culture scene.

“This is a building with tremendous architectural heritage and character that will be brought back into use following an extensive refurbishment. I look forward to following the progress of this project and joining the team for the opening of this new facility in 2025.”

The project is being led by the Generator Loughborough Community Interest Company.

David Pagett-Wright, Chair of The Generator Loughborough CIC, said: “With the building work underway, to achieve an opening in Spring 2025, this additional funding will let us realise even more of our goals, providing high quality creative and cultural experiences for people in Loughborough, Leicestershire and beyond.”

The recent funding announcements have meant that work on the building could start. It will include structural work to the roof and basement, the installation of a new mezzanine viewing platform, stairs and lift, toilets, doors, windows and flooring, sound and heat insulation and a bar being installed.

The 1930s building was originally home to diesel generators that powered the then Loughborough College’s many town centre departments.

Charnwood Borough Council has also supported the project with funding.

Cllr Jennifer Tillotson, the Council’s lead member for economic development, regeneration and town centre, said: “This is such an exciting project and it is fantastic to see the work on the building underway.

“It is key that we offer residents, students and visitors a place to come and be creative and the Generator certainly will be that. There will also be economic benefits to this project with it attracting more footfall to the town centre as people come to see and work in this intriguing building.”

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