Electric vehicle scheme to bring thousands of jobs to Midlands Consortiums
New workplace designer joins Blueprint Interiors
Assembly Rooms plans unveiled for Derby’s new cultural heart
Planning permission granted for Louth residential development
Planning permission has been granted to developer Charterpoint and housebuilder Snape Properties for a 90-home residential development in Louth.
It marks the sixth and final phase of the popular Westfield Park scheme masterminded by Charterpoint.
The developer has now sold the 12-acre site off Daisy Way to Snape Properties – paving the way for work to get under way on the final 90 homes.
Once these have been delivered, the 47-acre site will be complete – featuring a total of 330 homes, plus Meadows Park Care Home.
Adrian Goose, CEO of Charterpoint, said: “Westfield Park has developed into a flourishing community and this additional piece of land will facilitate the natural extension of it. It is the sixth and final phase of a residential scheme that we are very proud to have masterminded.
“The site off Daisy Way will provide 90 much-needed homes for the Louth area, and we are delighted that East Lindsey District Council has granted full planning permission for the scheme, which allows building work to start.”
The 90 properties include a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes, plus a children’s play area, surface water attenuation ponds, wildflower meadows, sustainable drainage and an amenity lawn for communal informal recreation.
The site, which is bounded by the A16 Louth bypass to the north west and by Westfield Park to the south and east, will include green infrastructure to provide an attractive quality environment for residents and visitors with consideration given to access for pedestrians and cyclists, enhancement of wildlife biodiversity, sustainable drainage solutions and promotion of use of outdoor spaces for improved mental and physical health and well-being.
Open water, swales and ditches are also included as part of the sustainable drainage strategy to contribute to local biodiversity.
Nottingham MedTech company raises £8.4m
Think there’s no such thing as bad publicity? Trust me, it’s your funeral: by Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR
Investment in engineering and physical sciences training to enable Loughborough to build green hydrogen workforce of the future
Loughborough University is set to launch a new research training facility that will help accelerate the affordability, scalability and sustainability of green hydrogen.
Almost 1 in 4 deals in Midlands is cross-border
Cross-border deals accounted for almost one in four mergers and acquisitions in the Midlands during 2023, compared to almost one in three the previous year, according to research by business advisory firm Dow Schofield Watts (DSW).
DSW’s figures show that while the total number of deals involving Midlands companies fell by 9% last year to 513, the number of cross-border transactions declined much faster, falling by 27% to 119. As a result, cross-border deals accounted for 23% of all transactions in 2023, compared to 29% the previous year.
Almost two-thirds of international deals in 2023 were acquisitions by overseas companies and they proved slightly more resilient than overseas acquisitions by Midlands companies.
DSW was the founder of the international advisory network Pandea Global M&A, which helped to compile the figures. Harry Walker, a Partner in DSW’s Midlands corporate finance team, said: “The wider macroeconomic environment has had a significant impact on cross-border M&A activity as a whole, with declining market confidence throughout 2023.
“While Sterling’s weakness against the dollar may have had some impact on overseas acquisitions by Midlands companies, activity by overseas buyers has held up slightly better. Clearly the region remains a very attractive marketplace for them, in particular for those from the US.
“As yet the impact of the National Security and Investment Act, which was introduced in 2022 and allows the UK government to scrutinise and block foreign takeovers, isn’t clear in terms of deal volumes. However the novelty of this regime and its broad scope, covering around 17 sectors, has presented challenges on some deals throughout 2022 and 2023.
“While there are still headwinds in existence this year, with interest rates expected to fall, there should be an uplift in market confidence which will drive increased cross-border activity throughout 2024 as companies look to grow in the improved economic environment.”
In the UK as a whole, US companies were by far the most active foreign buyers in 2023 and responsible for over a third of all overseas acquisitions, followed by buyers from Sweden, Ireland, France, Germany and Netherlands. The US was also the most popular destination for UK companies acquiring overseas, followed by Ireland, Australia, Germany, Netherlands and Canada.
DSW’s figures, which were compiled using data from Mergermarket, show that technology, healthcare and ESG were key trends in cross-border deals during 2023.
Callum Sellar, a corporate finance specialist with DSW and a board member of Pandea Global M&A, added: “Technological disruption, the rise of artificial intelligence and climate change are all helping to shape the global deals market.
“The technology sector was the most active in terms of investment and completed deals and expected to produce the highest level of growth in the year ahead. Meanwhile in the healthcare sector, global trends in the wake of the pandemic and our evolving healthcare needs are driving investment.
“ESG is another trend worthy of note. The energy transition continues to drive business transformation in energy and utilities, and for businesses in general, ESG credentials are seen as increasingly important by potential buyers.
“Overall, global trends suggest 2024 will see an increase in M&A activity. There is clear pent-up demand from investors and with interest rates expected to stabilise, coupled with falling inflation, predictions for 2024 point towards a more positive outlook for the year ahead.”
Notable inbound acquisitions during 2023 included Thermo Fisher Scientific’s £2.3bn acquisition of Birmingham medical diagnostics manufacturer The Binding Site Group and that of Nottingham-based Pendragon Vehicle Management by US company Lithia Motors for £367m.
Nottingham-based investigation tech firm appoints new chair
Nottingham-based investigation tech firm, Altia, has appointed a new chair as the company looks to strengthen its growth plans throughout 2024 and beyond.
Stuart Warriner, who holds over 35 years of corporate finance experience, will join Altia as chair this month, succeeding Simon Hook, who had held the position since 2020.
The move comes as Altia looks to strengthen its senior leadership team with a view to delivering on its strategy which will further cement its position as a leading provider of investigation software.
A specialist in its field for almost 30 years, Altia creates intelligence and investigation software to assist law enforcement agencies, government departments, and private sector businesses.
Stuart joins Altia with an impressive portfolio of chair and non-executive director (NED) roles, and currently serves as chair at Mortgage and Surveying Services Limited and Blue-i Group.
He is also a NED at Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listed The Pebble Group plc and at the privately owned Lodestone Communications, as well as being a senior advisor to Houlihan Lokey.
Joining Altia, Stuart’s board roles will be complemented by his extensive corporate finance background, having served as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and as a Managing Director at GCA Altium.
As chair, Stuart will support the company’s senior leadership team in implementing growth across the company, leveraging his expertise in market analysis and strategic planning.
Rob Sinclair, CEO, Altia, said: “Stuart’s experience in corporate finance and his successful track record across various leadership roles is simply second to none. He will be an invaluable addition to Altia.
“Stuart’s expert guidance will be vital as we continue to deliver on our growth plans which will further position the company as the UK’s leading investigation software provider.
“At Altia we want to deliver the best possible products and service, as well as developing a culture which empowers all our employees to thrive. That means we must seek out the best and Stuart ticks all the boxes as we look to continue our ambitious plans moving forward.”
Stuart Warriner said: “Altia is top of its class when it comes to delivering intelligence and investigation software solutions. That, mingled with their ambition to always be the best in everything they do, presented a hugely exciting prospect to me.
“Naturally, I’m delighted to join Altia, and I look forward to being a part of driving the company forward towards its goals. Altia has a remarkable reputation in its field, and I’m looking forward to further building upon this and contribute to its ongoing success.”
Charity bike ride aiming for 1,000 smiles from 100 miles steps up a gear with new partnership and top cyclist
A new partnership is getting the wheels rolling on a 100-mile bike ride to support two charities giving low tech breaks to hundreds of Derbyshire children who might not otherwise get a holiday at all.
Cosy Foundation, the charitable arm of Kings Award winning sustainable outdoor children’s furniture business Cosy Direct, has taken on the running of the “Skegvegas 100” bike ride in which cyclists pedal the 100-mile distance from Derby to Skegness.
Now organisers of this year’s ride on Saturday May 18 would love to see more cyclists and businesses get involved, with participants able to rub shoulders with record-breaking cyclist Leigh Timmis, as well as the current High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Theresa Peltier, and William Cavendish, The Earl of Burlington, all of whom are excited to be taking part.
The countryside to coast bike ride has been raising money for the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre for the past ten years, having been set up and organised by former holiday centre attendee Terry Willis and his son Aaron.
This year for the first time, the money raised will be split between the holiday centre and Derby Kids’ Camp.
Cosy Direct founder and Derby Kids’ Camp patron Peter Ellse, who has taken part in the ride in the past and will be doing so again this year, said: “The Skegvegas 100 is not a race, it’s a really great, friendly event that we hope to grow and see as many people as possible either taking part in or becoming involved with in some way – whether that’s by providing sponsorship, useful equipment or actually getting on their bike!
“Cycling is clearly a highly sustainable mode of transport, which ties in perfectly not only with our environmental ethos at Cosy but also with what the fabulous volunteers and staff at Derby Kids Camp and The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre are trying to do: give children a break, not just from some tricky situations they might be in, but through playing with other children, a break from their screens too. What better way to raise money for these two charities than with a bike ride all the way from Derby to Skegness!
“This ride is for everyone. Cycling is a great thing, and we want to celebrate that. It’s been brilliantly organised for 10 years and we’re taking it on to hopefully benefit even more Derbyshire children.
“It would be great to see businesses getting enthusiastic and joining our Cosy team in coming along and pedalling those miles. Having done it myself, I can attest to the fact it really is pretty flat and there is some lovely scenery to admire along the way! You can either take on the whole 100 miles or why not enter a relay team to divide up the miles?”
Between them, Derby Kids’ Camp and The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre have been giving free holidays to Derbyshire children in need of a break for nearly 175 years. Derby Kids’ Camp celebrated its 50th birthday in 2023 and has over the years welcomed around 15,000 children to enjoy a week’s camping including craft activities, climbing, swimming, before snuggling down for the night in tents with comfortable camp beds. Many of the children who go are living in poverty, have suffered a close bereavement or are finding social interaction difficult.
The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been going since 1891 and provides five-day stays in Skegness which include days out, a fully-equipped games room, meals out, and, of course, a good old run around on the beach. Children are nominated to go through their school if it is felt that, due to financial hardship or other reasons, they may not otherwise get a break.
Local organisations have already signed up to join the SkegVegas 100 team to help make this year’s event a big success.
Car manufacturer Toyota has provided three electric cars to provide support while riders are en route, as well as its new Hydrogen bus to ferry riders back to Derby after they have finished. The YMCA is providing lunch for hungry riders mid-ride, and Church Broughton-based WeBuyCycle has agreed to come on board to help with any bike maintenance issues along the way – something that Peter himself found helpful last year.
He said: “Everyone was so helpful last year. My chain broke and someone stopped and helped me. I got a puncture too! I was so delayed that I had to run the last few miles and my brother Paul was actually returning to Derby by the time I made it into Skegness! It’s that camaraderie that has inspired me to take on the organising of the event through our team at Cosy Foundation.”
The launch of this year’s new SkegVegas 100 partnership, with its aim to celebrate cycling amongst the Derby community, follows on from the announcement last year of Derby City Cycling (DCC), the city’s first ever road racing team.
DCC founders Dean Jackson from HUUB and Paul Martin from WeBuyCycle aimed with its launch to turn the city into a Mecca for cyclists.
Anyone who would like to join this year’s SkegVegas 100, either through sponsorship, buying a specially branded t-shirt, taking on the whole distance or as a relay with colleagues and friends, is asked to contact organisers at N.Taylor@cosydirect.com
