Planning permission granted for Nottingham student accommodation scheme
Northants company provides vital support to local community food kitchen
1.2million sq ft Leicester Logistics Hub site sold in Leicester
The Drummond Estate and Inverock have agreed a sale of an 82-acre site adjacent to the M1 and M69 in Leicester. Together they secured outline planning permission for circa 106,500 sq m of advanced warehouse and distribution space at the site, known as Enderby Logistics Hub, in September 2024.
Royal London Asset Management Property, partnering with Canmoor, plans to speculatively develop 1.2 million sq ft of prime logistics space with an estimated GDV of £300m. Strategically located in the heart of the UK’s logistics ‘Golden Triangle,’ the site sits at junction 21 of the M1 and junction 3 of the M69 on the outskirts of Leicester. The development will also feature a flagship 500,000 sq ft unit to address strong occupational demand. Ultimately, Enderby Logistics Hub will help to meet the region’s pressing need for employment space and would create some 2,000 new jobs, boosting the local economy. Martin Ward, on behalf of The Drummond Estate, said: “The site offers an exceptional location, adjacent to the M1 and at the heart of the UK’s logistics golden triangle. We had an extremely high level of interest as expected and following a competitive tender process have selected Royal London Asset Management Property and Canmoor, both of which have extensive track records of high-quality developments around the country.”Sale of Leicester packaging company set to deliver major growth
Developer ordered to halt Leicestershire housing project over planning breach
Work on a 239-home development at Brascote Park in Newbold Verdon, Leicestershire, has been suspended after Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council issued Persimmon Homes a Temporary Stop Notice. The council acted after determining that construction activities had started without all necessary planning conditions being met.
This is the second time in less than a year Persimmon has received such a notice, following similar enforcement action at a site in Earl Shilton in November 2023. The latest notice demands an immediate halt to activities such as topsoil removal, bund creation, pond formation, and construction of compound areas.
The Brascote Park development has faced ongoing controversy. It was initially refused planning permission in 2023 over concerns about traffic and infrastructure strain, but permission was later granted on appeal. Reserved matters were only approved in March this year, with nearly 90 objections submitted during the planning process.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council described the Temporary Stop Notice as a key enforcement tool to prevent environmental harm and protect public safety. Council officers plan to meet with Persimmon Homes to discuss compliance and next steps. If the developer continues construction without approval, it risks prosecution.
Persimmon Homes maintains that all works have been carried out within permitted boundaries and has criticised the notice as unnecessary.
Nottingham-based Avant Homes East Midlands appoints head of sales to support regional expansion plans
RMS Locotec strengthens presence in Chesterfield rail sector
RMS Locotec, a key player in industrial rail services, has centralised its operations in Chesterfield, a hub for rail-related businesses in Europe. The move merges teams and assets from various sites into an established transport and engineering facility, located near the grave of George Stephenson, a key figure in industrial rail development.
The company offers a range of services, including locomotive leasing, rolling stock maintenance, and engineering support for infrastructure across depots, ports, terminals, and quarries in the UK. RMS Locotec currently leases 16 shunting locomotives to a mix of passenger and freight operators, as well as clients in the logistics, shipping, and aggregate industries. Additionally, the company has six locomotives available for short-term or long-term hire.
With the relocation, RMS Locotec has appointed Lauren Parker as General Manager to oversee business growth and expansion into new markets. Parker, who joined the company in 2010, will focus on enhancing customer relationships and furthering the company’s reach in the industrial railway sector.
Victorian Society challenges £132m redevelopment of Derbyshire County Hall
Plans to redevelop Derbyshire County Council’s historic Matlock headquarters into a hotel, new offices, and 50 homes have met strong opposition from the Victorian Society, a heritage preservation charity.
The £132 million project would see the Grade II-listed Smedley’s Hydro building converted into a hotel, a five-storey council office built nearby, and housing added to former car park land. The Victorian Society has lodged formal objections, warning the scheme would damage the site’s historic character and undermine the architectural significance of Matlock’s Victorian and Edwardian heritage.
Key concerns include the demolition of original structures, disruption to the historic gardens, and the scale and design of the proposed new office building, which critics say is out of step with the existing site. The Society also objects to the removal of heritage features, such as Doxey’s Girder Bridge.
Derbyshire County Council argues the redevelopment is necessary due to rising maintenance costs, low office occupancy, and the need for investment in the local economy. The council estimates the regeneration will create 130 hotel jobs, deliver a new eco-efficient office space for 500 staff, and inject £150 million into Matlock’s economy.
Parking capacity on the site would be cut by around two-thirds, with 389 spaces lost. A master developer is expected to be appointed by early 2026, with project completion targeted for 2030 Planning decisions are pending with Derbyshire Dales District Council.
Older homeowners control £2.89 trillion in UK housing wealth, says Savills
Homeowners aged over 60 now hold 56% of the UK’s owner-occupier housing wealth, with a total net value estimated at £2.89 trillion, according to new figures from Savills. Despite this substantial equity, the group still has £60 billion in outstanding mortgage debt, representing around 2% of the value of their homes.
Savills’ analysis shows that over-75s alone account for nearly a quarter of the UK’s property wealth, while those under 35 hold just 6%. Older homeowners are more heavily concentrated in regions such as the South West and Wales, with lower representation in London.
The figures highlight the deepening generational divide in property wealth. Older generations, having benefited from decades of equity growth and reduced borrowing, now dominate the housing market, while younger buyers have faced greater barriers to building property wealth.
Savills argues that encouraging downsizing among older homeowners could help ease pressure on the housing market by freeing up family-sized homes and releasing equity to support younger buyers.
Regional estimates from the research show that the South East leads with £603 billion in housing wealth among those over 60, followed by London at £400 billion, the East of England at £354 billion, and the South West at £326 billion. Other regions include the North West with £234 billion, the West Midlands with £212 billion, Scotland with £186 billion, the East Midlands with £178 billion, Yorkshire and the Humber with £169 billion, Wales with £106 billion, the North East with £64 billion, and Northern Ireland with £54 billion.
Savills based its calculations on a combination of HM Revenue & Customs data, the Census, and the English Housing Survey. The findings have important implications for businesses involved in property development, retirement living, and financial services that target later-life planning.
Furnace Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire sold
