Planning secured for north Leicester logistics development
Boundary Real Estate has secured outline planning consent from Charnwood Borough Council for Phase 2 of Watermead Business Park.
The development of up to 656,620 sq ft of warehouse/industrial space is to provide a gateway location into Leicester and inject capital into the region, providing substantial employment and economic growth.
It is anticipated that up to 918 permanent and 447 temporary jobs will be provided through the development of employment space.
The 76.77 acre site, part of the Raynsway portfolio, acquired by Boundary in 2022, is located between the towns of Thurmaston, Wanlip, Birstall and Syston, approximately three miles north of Leicester City Centre.
Mike Morrison, founding partner of Boundary, says: “At Boundary we strive to regenerate and reposition our investments to create sustainable space/accommodation for our tenants to thrive within.
“We have been working extremely closely with Charnwood Borough Council, Leicester City Council, The Mayor and various regeneration groups, along with our design and planning team, to develop a regeneration that not only provides jobs and growth for the region, but is also is an exemplar in environmental terms.”
The new development will target a BREEAM Excellent rating. A full Life Cycle Assessment will be undertaken, ensuring that the design, construction and operation of the buildings meet the highest environmental standards. Importantly for best-in-class operators/tenants, the buildings will also target EPC A ratings.
Mike adds: “The new development will aim to set best-in-class embodied carbon targets for all the buildings being developed. By focussing on construction methods, we can target Watermead as a Net Zero Carbon development from a construction standpoint and ultimately in use too.”
EV Charging points will be installed, along with electric bikes. As part of the scheme’s Travel Plan, further measures and incentives will be put in place to encourage sustainable travel modes to the site.
Bellrock acquires mobile data collection solutions firm
Leicester-based Bellrock Property & Facilities Management Ltd has acquired Mobiess Ltd, a provider of integrated mobile data collection solutions to the Facility and Asset Management sector.
Founded by MD Karl Horner in 2009, Mobiess employs 20 people who design and deliver integrated mobile data collection solutions which empower organisations to transform service delivery and optimise workforce productivity.
The Mobiess management team has over 50 years of collective experience in delivering services to clients across the Facilities and Asset Management industry.
Mobiess will sit under Bellrock Technologies under Managing Director, and CTO, Adam Smith. The Mobiess integrated mobile workforce management solution will complement Bellrock’s Concerto software platform. The combined offer provides a fully integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) and Computer-Aided Facilities Management System (CAFM) for estates, asset, and workforce management, which delivers actionable insights for clients.
Mobiess will continue to provide their applications as an open independent platform enabling integration to any business system.
Karl Horner, Managing Director, Mobiess, said: “I believe that Mobiess will truly transform Bellrock’s field service delivery. I am looking forward to introducing Bellrock customers to Mobiess, and exploring the insight and value this will deliver alongside Concerto’s powerful capabilities. I am also excited by the opportunities that will come from collaboration between our brilliant Mobiess and Concerto people. This is an exciting time for us all.”
Paul Bean, CEO, Bellrock Property & Facilities Management, said: “Since 2009 Mobiess has delivered solutions which deliver value for clients in the property market; I am delighted to welcome such a highly regarded team and proven product to Bellrock. This acquisition continues our investments in capabilities that strengthen our tech-enabled suite of property management services that help clients achieve their strategic objectives, whilst delivering growth for Bellrock Group.”
Adam Smith, Managing Director, Bellrock Technologies, and Chief Technical Officer, Bellrock Group, said: “I’m thrilled to personally welcome Mobiess into the Bellrock Group. Having seen first-hand the synergy between Karl’s team and ours, I’m confident that this is a perfect strategic and cultural match for us.
“Their innovative products and expertise are a natural complement to our ambitions at Bellrock Technologies. The integration of Mobiess with Concerto, enhances our mobile app offerings, providing a superior Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) with a fully customisable suite of mobile applications. I look forward to working closely with the Mobiess team to continue the development of the Mobiess product.”
2024 Business Predictions: Steve Fernie, director of Armsons Barlow
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 Steve Fernie, director of Armsons Barlow.
I believe 2024 will be a pivotal year for both our country and the construction industry.
I anticipate continued growth in the construction industry, particularly with warehousing and logistic hubs, serviced office accommodation and Built-to-Rent (BTR) and Private Rental Sector (PRS) residential developments.
A major area of concern are town centres where there appear to be many empty retail units. Somehow a new purpose and use for these properties needs to be found or we as a country run the real risk of many of our town centres becoming ghost towns and lost for the next generation. To prevent this happening, I believe we have to have a more relaxed planning policy, which will allow these buildings to be re-purposed.
In terms of other predictions, I expect inflation to stabilise at 3%, which still remains above the government’s target. Interest rates will start to fall, but mortgages will remain expensive for the younger generation.
I forecast a change of government, with a coalition led by Keir Starmer taking control. I believe unemployment will remain static at its current level. Economic growth will remain poor, but a technical recession will be avoided.
Like most years, what happens in the UK will, to a certain extent, depend on what happens in the United States and China.
I also anticipate that Covid will continue, although it will be largely ignored by the media.
2024 Business Predictions: Jake Ranson, CEO of Paylink
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.
In 2022, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) mandated firms to implement the new Consumer Duty, to put their customers’ needs first, within 12 months. As companies align their products with regulatory standards in the new year, Jake Ranson, CEO of Paylink, reflects on implications for the 2024 lending market.
2023 saw an overhaul in the way the regulator holds participants, in UK financial services, to account. The industry has pivoted to put the customer front and centre.
Fair4all Finance estimates that there are 17.5million UK people in financially vulnerable circumstances and excluded from credit. This figure is on the rise, exacerbated by the continuing cost of living crisis, but the flow of credit matters greatly.
People will move in and out of this financially vulnerable position throughout their lives, due to unforeseen circumstances such as redundancy, during which access to credit will help to avoid illegal money lending.
Our product, ReFi™, is a True Debt Consolidation product created to address challenges in the lending industry by automating the settling of legacy debt with a customer’s new loan. The product has already saved customers over £10m in interest payments allowing credit to flow responsibly to those who need it.
Alongside beneficial products like ReFi™, 2024 will see an increase in exclusively online relationships with money. Hyper-personalisation of user-experiences will mean consumers are offered products genuinely suited to their needs – a positive change for both the consumer and the industry, that upholds the FCA’s new Consumer Duty.
Northamptonshire group secures investment
H2 Equity Partners has invested in Buttress Group, alongside the management team.
Established over 45 years ago and headquartered in Northamptonshire, Buttress sells, installs, services and supplies warewashing and ice making equipment and parts to the UK commercial catering market. Buttress supplies an extensive range of own-brand dishwashers, glasswashers and ice machines primarily through working in partnership with 500 specialist distributors. Its service and maintenance capabilities and spare parts provision extend all ranges of equipment. Following H2’s investment, Managing Director Oliver Booth will continue to lead the business and work closely with H2 to deliver the next phase of Buttress’s ambitious growth strategy.Renewable energy and security firms found guilty of £1.5m scam
A fraudster who promised energy savings and complete home security through his products and services has been found guilty of conning elderly and vulnerable residents out of £1.5 million.
Robin McDonald, aged 45, of Park Row, Bretby, Burton-on-Trent, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation along with charges of fraudulent trading following a five-month trial at Nottingham Crown Court.
The trial took place following an investigation led by the National Trading Standards Regional Investigations Team in the East Midlands hosted by Nottinghamshire County Council. The team is supported by all trading standards authorities within the East Midlands region and represents their collective interests. This case also featured additional support from Derbyshire County Council Trading Standards.
More than 200 victims gave evidence during the trial, which heard how between 2014 and 2015, McDonald had carried out a widespread campaign of fraud and mis-selling through the businesses Sunpower Renewables Ltd and Stirling Technologies Ltd trading as Proshield Alarms.
Sunpower Renewables sold products including solar panels, air source heat pumps, and thermo-dynamic water heating systems to victims, claiming that they would receive a financial benefit through energy savings, that the cost of works was funded by the Government and that they would be compensated through being able to sell surplus energy generated back to the grid.
The court heard how sales representatives from Sunpower Renewables would use bullying tactics to secure contracts, often staying in the homes of victims for many hours to pressure them into signing contracts for works they didn’t want or need at significantly inflated prices.
Works were then carried out to a poor standard and did not deliver on the energy saving promises made at the time of sale. In some cases, solar panels were installed onto rooves which could not take their weight, creating the risk of structural collapse. Sunpower Renewables then failed to respond and rectify the works after victims complained.
Proshield Alarms told customers ‘You’ll be in safe hands 24 hours a day, 365 days a year’ as part of their marketing to sell home security products including Passive Infra-Red (PIR) detectors, window and door sensors, emergency medical buttons/pendants, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors.
Victims were misled into believing that these products were linked to a system which would guarantee a response from the emergency services in the event of it being triggered.
McDonald will now be sentenced in March.
A second defendant was found not guilty by the jury on the same charges.
Roy Hancher, aged 54, of Light Ash Lane, Coven, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading and Nicola Mather, aged 44, of Spindletree Drive, Derby, pleaded guilty to money laundering prior to the trial.
Councillor Scott Carlton, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “The guilty verdict in this case is a great result and highlights the vital work of our Trading Standards team who work to keep residents safe from fraudsters.
“In this case, the defendant and his businesses deliberately targeted the elderly and those living in vulnerable situations, using dishonest and coercive sales tactics and lies about the quality of their products and the benefit they would bring to their victims.
“I would like to thank all the victims who came forward and worked with our investigators to help bring this case to trial.
“Nottinghamshire County Council Trading Standards Service always advises residents to be alert to cold calling, never to trade or buy at the door and to always report any concerns. If something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t and you should never be afraid to close the door on scammers and those who turn up out of the blue offering to fix problems you didn’t know or think that you had.”
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said: “Homeowners living in vulnerable situations – such as older people living alone – were cynically targeted and pressurised into agreeing to home improvement works that they didn’t want or need, often at highly inflated prices.
“The criminal behind the fraud deliberately pursued more vulnerable victims and spent hours pressurising them into signing contracts using aggressive bullying tactics to line his own pockets, before delivering shoddy work that was sub-standard and could even have caused more damage.
“I’m pleased the jury reached this verdict and hope that the sentences handed down later this year will bring a semblance of justice to the victims involved. If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a fraud like this, you should report it to the Citizens Advice consumer service helpline by calling 0808 223 1133.”
SHAPE finds new teaching premises in Nottingham
FHP has handed over keys to SHAPE (Safe Haven Alternative Provision of Excellence) for the premises known as The Exchange Building, Alfreton Road, as they start their new project for bringing further teaching support for children within Nottingham.
The former CityCare building on Alfreton Road presented a rare opportunity to acquire a prominent office / warehouse property within close proximity to Nottingham City Centre, consisting of a modern detached two storey office building providing a mixture of open plan and cellular office space with an additional clear span warehouse to the rear.
The property generated a high level of enquiries throughout the marketing, resulting in numerous viewings and offers, which lead to best and final bids in order to secure the best possible price for FHP’s client. It exceeded expectations with the achieved sale price.
Amy Howard, surveyor at FHP Property Consultants, said: “The Exchange Building was always going to be in popular demand, given the lack of freehold stock within easy access to the City Centre and the hybrid approach the property offered, making it suitable for a variety of uses.
“The sale reflected a great price and I am delighted to see SHAPE handed the keys to endure their new project. It is a great concept for the property and the area, providing additional support for students and I wish them all the best.”
Shamraiz Younas, CEO at SHAPE, said: “It has been a delight to work alongside Amy Howard of FHP, & Will Torr of heb Surveyors on the acquisition of The Exchange Building, a great effort by all in seeing this over the line. This iconic building on one of the main routes into Nottingham is a great asset to add to our fast growing portfolio in our home town.”
Will Torr, partner at Heb Surveyors, added: “The search to find an alternative education facility for our client was a difficult brief to meet but the availability of The Exchange Building meant we could fulfil the requirement perfectly.
“The prominent building is ideally located and the internal configuration enables all of the education provisions to be provided under one roof. Thanks to Amy at FHP who ensured a smooth transaction and we hope Shamraiz and the team have a successful launch.”
5-acre Leicestershire site secured for new homes
The Strategic Land Group (SLG) has secured a new site in Packington, Leicestershire, with the potential to deliver 35 new homes along with new greenspace.
SLG will now work with the landowner to bring the 5-acre site forward for residential development through North West Leicestershire’s emerging Local Plan.
Paul Smith, Managing Director of The Strategic Land Group, said: “Packington is a very desirable location, and this site represents a logical extension to the village, so we look forward to working with the landowner to bring it forward.
“It has all the right attributes for development and would provide much-needed new homes within the area, both for new and existing residents.”
SLG is a land and renewable energy promoter. It is now working with an 18-site portfolio and is actively promoting sites with the potential to deliver more than 2,500 new homes and with a gross development value of circa £750million.
SLG was advised by Shakespeare Martineau and Marrons Planning, while Brown & Co advised the landowner.
What is remote desktop support and how can your business benefit from it?
The digital revolution has ushered in new methods of managing business operations, among which remote desktop support is increasingly prominent. This technology enables IT professionals to remotely access and manage a computer system, offering a lifeline in troubleshooting, system updates, and network management.
Remote desktop support has transformed the way companies approach IT problems. Gone are the days of waiting for technicians to arrive on-site. Now, immediate assistance is just a call or click away, paving the way for uninterrupted workflow and enhanced productivity.
Understanding remote desktop support
Remote desktop support allows IT experts to remotely connect to a computer from anywhere, using the internet. This technology provides the capability to perform a variety of tasks, from software installation and updates to troubleshooting and resolving technical issues. It’s like having an IT specialist on hand, without the need for them to be physically present. The versatility of remote desktop support is particularly beneficial for companies with multiple locations. It ensures uniform IT support across all sites, irrespective of their geographic dispersion.
Remote support for employee empowerment
Empowering employees with reliable companies can save on travel and related expenses by reducing the need for on-site visitors. This support is particularly valuable in a landscape where remote and flexible working arrangements are becoming the norm.
Additionally, remote support tools can be used for training and collaboration, offering an interactive platform for employees to learn and engage with each other. This improves their technical skills and fosters a collaborative work environment, crucial for the holistic growth of the organisation and its workforce.
Discovering alternatives to traditional solutions
In seeking effective remote desktop support, it’s vital to consider various options. While exploring, businesses should discover the top alternatives to TeamViewer for remote support, as different solutions offer unique features and benefits. For instance, TSplus is a notable alternative, providing comprehensive remote access and support capabilities tailored to diverse business needs.
Assessing different solutions enables companies to find a service that aligns with their specific requirements, whether it’s for scalability, ease of use, or advanced security features. A well-chosen remote desktop support tool can significantly enhance IT operations, ensuring that the business remains agile and responsive in a dynamic technological environment.
The business benefits of remote support
Integrating remote desktop support into a business’s IT strategy significantly enhances operational efficiency. Quick response times mean IT issues are resolved promptly, minimising disruption to business activities. This immediate intervention is critical in maintaining high productivity levels and ensuring that technical glitches do not hinder business processes.
Remote support extends beyond just problem-solving. It encompasses proactive system monitoring, timely updates, and routine maintenance, all of which are crucial for the smooth running of IT infrastructure. This proactive approach minimises the risk of system failures and downtime, thereby safeguarding the business against potential losses that can arise from such incidents.
The cost-effectiveness of remote support
The financial benefits of adopting remote desktop support are substantial. Companies save on travel and related expenses by reducing the need for on-site visits. This efficiency translates into lower operational costs, making it an attractive option for businesses mindful of their expenditure.
The scalability of remote support means it can adapt to the varying needs of a business. Small-scale issues can be addressed with minimal resources, while more complex problems can be tackled without a corresponding increase in costs. This flexibility ensures that businesses only pay for the level of support they require, a more economical approach compared to traditional, fixed IT costs.
Enhancing security with remote support
Security in the digital domain is a top priority, and remote desktop support strengthens this aspect significantly. IT professionals can swiftly respond to and resolve security threats, mitigating risks to the business. This rapid response capability is crucial in an environment where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and damaging.
Remote desktop support also facilitates the regular updating of security protocols and software, ensuring that the company’s IT infrastructure remains protected against emerging threats. This ongoing maintenance is key to building a resilient digital defence, safeguarding sensitive data and business operations from potential cyber-attacks.
The future of IT support
As we look towards the future, it’s clear that remote desktop support will play a pivotal role in shaping IT strategies. This technology aligns with the evolving nature of work and offers a flexible and scalable solution to managing IT infrastructure. Its ability to provide immediate and effective support regardless of location is invaluable in a globalised business landscape.
The continual advancement in remote support technologies suggests an even more integrated and efficient future for IT management. Businesses that embrace these innovations position themselves to benefit from enhanced operational agility, a crucial factor in staying competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace.
The takeaway
Remote desktop support is an essential tool for any forward-thinking business. It offers a blend of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and security, crucial in today’s fast-paced commercial environment. By adopting this technology, companies can streamline their IT operations and foster a more flexible and empowered workforce. As the business landscape continues to evolve, remote desktop support stands out as a key ingredient for success, driving innovation and ensuring businesses stay ahead in the digital race.
Airfield runway specialist makes senior appointment
Lincolnshire-headquartered global airport runway specialist Jointline has appointed Matt Ragless as Head of Airfield Lining, Grooving and Distribution Centres.
Matt Ragless joins Jointline from Lincolnshire-based BESA Group Ltd, where he was Head of Operations. Prior to that he was the Operations Manager for TMAK Construction Ltd, and previously a Contracts Project Manager for Education Business Partnership.
Mr Ragless commenced his career at T&S Group, where he was based for five years. The 38-year-old brings a total of 17 years’ industry experience to the Witham St Hughs-headquartered firm.
Jointline has undertaken renovation and improvement works at every major civilian airport in the UK as well as runways across continental Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.
Matt Ragless has been appointed to lead a team of 20 experienced technicians, ensuring projects are programmed and delivered to schedule. He also undertakes the commercial aspects of running the department.
Gary Massey, Managing Director of Jointline, said: “Matt has made an immediate impact to Jointline. His ambition, commitment and professionalism are first rate. Matt also has outstanding technical knowledge to help our customers implement the most effective solution within budget.
“The team we now have in place will enable us to fulfil many more airfield projects overseas during 2024 and beyond. This year will be pivotal for the long-term growth and success of the business.”
Matt Ragless, Head of Airfield Lining, Grooving and Distribution Centres at Jointline, said: “Jointline is already known across the industry, but the new investment in technology, machinery and people at every level of the business is creating a new buzz.
“It’s a really exciting time to join such a brilliant team. We hope 2024 will be a year of ‘firsts’ as we put ourselves in the running for larger, more technically complex projects, while making significant inroads into the distribution centre market.”
