New apartments go up for sale at Chesterfield’s Waterside Quarter development
Leading housebuilder Avant Homes has released a collection of brand-new one and two-bedroom apartments for sale at its popular £36m Waterside Quarter development in Chesterfield.
Located off Brimington Road, the new apartments at the development are available in three impressive designs with prices ranging from £124,995 for a one-bedroom flat to £158,495 for a two-bedroom apartment.
The apartment building is located in a prime location at Waterside Quarter with easy access to the entrance while also sitting in a private cul-de-sac, close to the River Rother. Each home across the three-storey buildings include an open-plan living space, double bedrooms and ample storage.
Named The Stevenson, The Hepworth and The Tapton apartments, the homes also comprise a high-quality specification which features a designer kitchen with integrated appliances and boutique bathrooms with full height tiling.
Avant Homes Central sales and marketing director, Dawn Bennett, said: “Waterside Quarter is one of our most highly-anticipated developments within the region, so it’s exciting to launch our apartments to appeal even further to the wide range of buyers looking to purchase in Chesterfield.
“The Stevenson, The Hepworth and The Tapton are exclusive to Waterside Quarter and buyers won’t be able to find them at any of our other developments, so with the limited availability we’re sure they will receive great interest from commuters and first-time buyers, alike.”
Waterside Quarter forms a key part of the wider £340m Chesterfield Waterside project which is one of the UK’s largest regeneration schemes.
Once complete, it will feature 173-homes across a range of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties. Available homes at Waterside Quarter are currently priced from £124,995 for a one-bedroom apartment to £295,995 for a four-bedroom semi-detached home with three storeys.
Based in Chesterfield, Avant Homes Central is part of the Avant Homes group, one of the leading private developers of residential property in the UK. The group currently has 55 developments across its five operating regions.
£42 million Sports Village to open 21st May
Derby’s new Moorways Sports Village will open to the public on Saturday 21 May with a grand opening weekend – in time for the half term holidays.
The public will be able to try out the flumes and water slides in the thrilling Water Park, splash out in the 50m pool, and enjoy all the centre’s brand new facilities like the children’s soft play areas for the very first time.
Construction partner Bowmer + Kirkland worked with Derby City Council to ensure the £42 million complex was delivered on time and on budget.
The Council has appointed Everyone Active, a leading UK leisure operator, as its partner to manage the new iconic facility and the adjacent Moorways Stadium, with its outdoor athletics track and field facilities, and football pitches. Both sites remain in the Council’s ownership.
The opening of Moorways means that the last day of leisure operations at Queen’s Leisure Centre will be Sunday 8 May. On Monday 16 May the Council will officially hand over the keys to Moorways Sports Village to Everyone Active, and staff members transferring from Queen’s will be joined by new recruits to operate the new facilities.
In the week leading up to the grand opening weekend, Moorways Sports Village will start welcoming pre-invited schools, community groups and swimming clubs to try out the 50m swimming pool and selected other activities.
Claire Davenport, Derby City Council’s Director of Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said: “This has been a very exciting project to bring state-of-the-art leisure facilities to the city, and we’re thrilled that the wait is almost over and the people of Derby and beyond will get the chance to enjoy them.
“The high standard of facilities and flexible swimming space at Moorways will accommodate competitions, clubs, lessons and leisure swimmers. We are delighted to have Derby’s first Water Park to draw in visitors to have fun from across the region. The café and soft play areas will enable families to make the most of their time here.
“Having Moorways Stadium next door, with its outdoor track capable of hosting national competitions, alongside outdoor pitches, we have created a real sports village. We are pleased to have Everyone Active on board as our leisure operating partner, who specialise in encouraging communities to be active, maximising the opportunities these fantastic facilities provide.”
Simon Morgan, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “This wonderful new facility has an activity for everyone, no matter what your age, interests or ability and will serve the local community for years to come.
“We are incredibly proud to have been chosen as the operator by Derby City Council and cannot wait to throw open the doors next month.
“The public will soon be able to use the wealth of top-of-the-range facilities and we very much look forward to welcoming them.”
At Moorways Sports Village the 50m pool has moveable floors and booms which means it can be divided into three 25m length pools of varying depths, offering flexibility for club and leisure use. There is seating for over 400 spectators. A separate teaching pool, with a depth of 1 metre, can be screened off for private hire and children’s parties.
The Water Park is set to become a regional attraction with its gently sloping floor into the leisure pool, which has the only wave-creating Wow ball in use in a UK public pool. It also has two four-storey flumes, the first wave rider in England, a racer slide and fun water play area for children.
A spa area with a sauna and steam room complements the swimming offer, and further attractions include a café area with views over the Water Park and 50m pool. The café also has a soft play area, with a separate, larger soft playroom by the main reception.
There will also be a 120 station gym, meeting rooms available for hire and three fitness studios, one with views across to Moorways Stadium.
Accessibility has been designed into the building, with features including a Changing Places changing room and toilet, in-built steps and a lift into the main swimming pool, and a Poolpod lift to enable independent entry into the water. The teaching pool has a portable iSwim hoist to provide convenient access.
‘A milestone moment’ for new homes and jobs in Notts
Major plans for a proposed new village near Hucknall, with over 800 homes, a new school, local shops and land that will improve employment have moved a step closer to reality today with the official appointment of a new housing developer.
Vistry Partnerships will now take on the building of approx. 800 homes at the planned new village at Top Wighay, as part of a multi-million pound agreement and one of the biggest ever development contracts for Nottinghamshire County Council*
The planned new sustainable community also aims to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs, as well as a new primary school, a local commercial centre and green spaces across the 40.3 hectare site.
It is estimated the new village will boost the economy by more than £873 million over a decade.**
The appointment of Vistry Partnerships was rubber-stamped at today’s Economic Development and Asset Management Committee. They will work closely with the council on the building of the new sustainable homes and green spaces , as well as engaging with the local community to help keep them updated as plans progress.
Committee chairman, Councillor Keith Girling, said:
“We are delighted with the appointment of Vistry Partnerships as it brings the new village a step closer to reality.
“This is a milestone moment. This flapship development, led by Nottinghamshire County Council, will benefit generations to come with the promise of much-needed new housing, new jobs and skills to boost our economy.
“This really is the best possible use for this County Council-owned land, which already has outline planning permission, as we look to create more quality, sustainable housing to meet the needs of our growing population.
“These new homes will provide a place for families to create memories and help them build a future here.
“Lucrative contract opportunities for local subcontractors will be another benefit.
“One of the key aims of this planned new community is for it to be as green as possible so as well as having greener homes, we want to encourage greener travel, as we look to help meet the UK’s net-zero targets.
“Footpaths, cycling routes and traffic calming measures are at the heart of plans and the site is already near to an existing bus route. New bus stops are also proposed.
“As well as being close to the M1, Hucknall is well served by tram and rail, with existing links to Nottingham, Derby, Mansfield and Chesterfield.”
Completed infrastructure work at the site includes an expanded roundabout on the A611/Annesley Road, a new signal-controlled junction as well as a new, three-metre wide, shared use footway/cycle lane along the northern side of the A611 north of Hucknall and to the west of Linby. This work has already help limit the impact of traffic on nearby towns and villages.
National Cyber Security Centre urges businesses to improve security in wake of Russia’s actions
Businesses across the UK are being urged to improve their online security capabilities following Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is calling on organisations to follow its guidance on steps to take when the national cyber threat is heightened.
While the NCSC and the government are not aware of any current specific threats to UK organisations in relation to the Ukraine crisis, there has been an historical pattern of cyber attacks on Ukraine with international consequences.
Guidance from the NCSC encourages organisations to follow actionable steps that reduce the risk of falling victim to a digital attack, such as a malware or ransomware strike.
Hannah Schofield, Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The NCSC publishes weekly threat reports – if organisations in Lincolnshire have their IT provided externally it’s likely that these businesses will already be looking into this, but if they do their own IT then it’s wise to keep up with the NCSC website.
“It’s all good practice. Cyber isn’t just an IT problem, it’s a business continuity problem and should be in all business plans to help mitigate future risks.”
The NCSC website explains how to ensure basic cyber controls are in place and functioning correctly. This can include:
- Check your system patching
- Verify access controls
- Ensure defences are working
- Logging and monitoring
- Review backups
- Incident planning
- Check your internet footprint
- Phishing response
- Third party access
- Brief your wider organisation
Redundancies double as energy costs spiral and war in Ukraine dampens optimism
The number of planned redundancies in the UK has jumped 103% in just one month, from 8,869 in January to 18,043 in February, says specialist employment law firm GQ|Littler.
The number of redundancies planned by businesses has increased sharply as interest rates continue to rise. In February the Bank of England made the second of three increases in interest rates – pushing up the cost of borrowing for businesses.
Raoul Parekh, Partner at GQ Littler says: “An extreme shortage of staff and hopes of a post COVID recovery had persuaded businesses to hold off on redundancy programmes, with numbers in December 2021 and January 2022 at their lowest levels since April 2019. It looks like that period of stability might be behind us.
“It’s clear that the Bank of England intends to slow the economy in order to keep inflation under control. Spiralling energy costs and other impacts from the war in Ukraine are also likely to dampen optimism amongst businesses and lead to cost cutting.”
The company feels it’s likely that some businesses are making redundancies in anticipation that consumer spending will drop off in some sectors due to the cost-of-living crisis which is expected to be exacerbated by the rise in National Insurance rates in April.
This climb in the number of planned redundancies comes after months of low redundancy rates.
Mr Parekh adds: “It is not yet clear whether these higher numbers of dismissals will result in higher unemployment, or whether the current labour shortages instead create a higher sectoral churn. Given the attention paid to P&O’s mishandled redundancy programme employers will want to ensure that any similar measures are undertaken with extreme care and as sympathetically as possible.”
Export sales growth stagnating, says BCC
A survey of more than 2,700 UK exporters has revealed that UK export sales growth has been effectively stagnant for the past year.
The quarterly Trade Confidence Outlook from the British Chambers Of Commerce showed the proportion of exporters reporting increased overseas sales to be unchanged from Q4 at 29%, while those reporting a decrease rose 1 point to 25%.
The data showed that manufacturers were more likely to report increased export sales than either business to business service firms (such as lawyers or accountants) or business to consumer service firms (like online clothing stores).
Conversely, B2B service exporters were more likely than either manufacturers or B2C service exporters to expect profitability to increase in the coming year.
Responding to the findings, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, William Bain said: “This data confirms our concerns – that for the last year there was a broadly flat picture for UK exports. This is in contrast with the performance of our near neighbours, with Germany’s exports both within and outside the Single Market steaming ahead by double digit margins and with trade losses from the pandemic already effectively recovered.
“UK exporters are facing the headwinds of higher red tape costs from trading with the EU, raised raw material pressures, and ongoing issues in global shipping markets. If we are to realise the aspirations of the UK Government’s Export Strategy then 2022 has to be the year where these structural factors holding back our exporters are addressed.
“Sustained export growth should be powering our economic recovery from the pandemic. Chambers and their members are already working hard to increase exports but need more substantive measures from Government now.”
Four areas where your business needs professional help
As a business owner, the idea of asking for help can seem a little tricky to get your head around. After all, you are the one in charge, and if this is your business, then you will have built the whole enterprise from the ground up. It can be so easy to get into a mindset where you feel like you need to do each and every thing all by yourself to be confident that it has been done right.
However, if you want your business to succeed then you need to know when it is time to ask for advice from someone with specialist knowledge and years of experience. This is especially important right now, when we are emerging from two years of unprecedented difficulty into a period of rising costs and continuing uncertainty. You need to be doing everything you possibly can to ensure that things run smoothly and to avoid one issue spiralling into something that could potentially cause real trouble. Here are just a few of the areas where your business could use some outside expertise in the months ahead.
Find An Excellent Business Lawyer
It is never a good time to find yourself in a position where you need legal help. As a business owner, however, there are several instances where you will need to reach out to an excellent business lawyer to guide you through the legal process. A solicitor can be an invaluable asset if you are looking at taking your business to the next level, as they will be able to talk you through any potential pitfalls and help you to draw up contracts and agreements.
There are going to be times when you will need a good business lawyer to make a claim for you and to recover the losses that you are owed. You simply cannot afford to be losing out on what you are due right now. So, for example, if your business has suffered from the professional negligence of another party, your professional negligence lawyer will talk your claim through with you and advise you on the best course of action. Hugh James is a top 100 law firm with a wealth of experience in professional negligence claims.
Ask For Financial Advice
If your business does not have an accountant on staff, then it is high time that you think about bringing one on board. Most small business owners will have an accountant or financial advisor that they use to discuss their taxes at the end of the year, but anyone who has had even a quick look at the way the markets have been going in recent months knows that planning for your business’s financial security is not something that can wait. A good accountant will be able to help you strategize how to build a cushion to carry you through any slow months, and they can help you look at any government programmes you can apply for. Should things take a real downward turn, they can also help you to figure out how you can make cuts that won’t affect your business too badly.
Digital Marketing Is Going To Be Crucial
Just because you know your business inside and out, that does not necessarily mean that you know the best way to communicate it to potential customers and clients. Given everything that UK businesses have been through in the last couple of years, it is not surprising that competition is absolutely brutal out there right now. If you are planning a digital marketing campaign, you need to remember that there are companies with more resources and experience than you who are fighting for the same eyes online. A good digital marketing agency will understand that it is not about the resources that you have available to spend, but how good your campaign is. Find an agency that understands your brand and what sets you apart from the competition. Work with them to draw up person specifications for your target audience and talk to them about how you can continue to make use of customer data after the campaign is over.
Cybersecurity Is Still A Risk
As much as it pains us all to admit it, the cybercrime wave is not going to go away any time soon. When the numbers started to spike back in 2020, it made a lot of sense given that there were so many more people doing their business online. However, it is two years later, and the experts are warning us that the risks are as great as they ever were. Now, we all have a rudimentary understanding of the basics when it comes to cybersecurity. We use different passwords for different accounts, and we know not to click any obviously suspicious email links. However, it is clear that we need to be taking this issue more seriously. That means bringing on a cybersecurity expert to sit down with your IT team and identify those areas where you need extra help.
Nottingham City Council agrees to hand over tennis centre
Nottingham City Council has announced it is ready to hand over the Nottingham Tennis Centre to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) from the end of April.
The move follows talks between the City Council and the LTA that began in August 2021 over the future of the Tennis Centre. Public consultation was undertaken on proposals for the LTA to take over the lease to secure its future. The arrangement would build on the centre’s success, aiming to further develop it as a key grass-court tournament venue, enable further investments to develop the facility into a world-class tennis training and competition base, while retaining community and public tennis facilities.
The process is now completed. With centre users and other stakeholder feedback collated and evaluated as well as with staffing, legal, and commercial aspects addressed, the City Council is pleased to be able to formally announce that the site lease and operation of Nottingham Tennis Centre will be handed over to the LTA from the end of April.
Feedback and questions from the consultation centred around the implications for current Active Nottingham fitness members as well as for those who use tennis facilities or are on the current coaching programme.
As the handover continues, the centre will continue to operate its existing programme of activities. Further communications will be sent out to members and facility users outlining what the change in ownership means to them and for their Active Nottingham membership contract. The LTA will also be holding events in-centre for people to come and discuss their plans and membership options.
Active Nottingham Tennis coaching members, with their permission, will be moved to the new LTA programme. All Active Nottingham gym and fitness members can access facilities at any of the six other city-wide sites. There are several membership options and the team is committed to discussing options for ongoing membership with individuals.
All current Active Nottingham members will maintain their free membership which allows discounts on pay as you play bookings and activities at the remaining City Council sites.
Cllr Eunice Campbell-Clark, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture, and Schools said: “We are so pleased to be able to move forward with the transfer and we look forward to hearing about the LTA’s ambitious development plans in greater detail in the near future. We truly believe this agreement is the best way of building tennis in the city and beyond using the strong foundations that are already in place at the centre. While we are mindful that the change in operations will mean changes for some of our Active Nottingham customers, we are committed to making the transition as smooth and as seamless as possible.”Gary Stewart, LTA Head of Operations, said: “We’re delighted to be taking over the lease and running of the centre. This is a strategically important site for British tennis, and this move will allow us to safeguard its future. Work has already begun on upgrading the existing tennis facilities and there are more plans in the pipeline, as we look to add additional indoor courts over the next 12 months. These changes will help us support the thriving community tennis programme as well as provide infrastructure for events throughout the year. The tennis courts will be amongst the best in the country, but still available for the local community to use.”
Northants occupational health business acquired in £14.9m deal
Business-critical services and software firm Marlowe has acquired Northamptonshire-based TP Health, a provider of technology-enabled Occupational Health services in the UK, for an expected enterprise value of £14.9 million.
TP Health, established in 2006, is headquartered in Northampton and employs approximately 240 staff, including over 130 clinical professionals.
Marlowe said of the acquisition: “The acquisition of TP Health offers attractive operational synergies with Optima Health and adds further scale to Marlowe’s UK leading Occupational Health offering, a core compliance market for Marlowe within its Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) division.”
For the year ended 31 December 2020, TP Health generated a profit before tax of £1 million on revenue of £14.6 million. Net assets at 31 December 2020 were £1.9 million.
The total enterprise value will comprise an upfront cash consideration of £13.3 million in addition to an estimated £1.6 million in performance-related contingent consideration. The acquisition will be funded from Marlowe’s existing cash resources.
Mather Jamie closes duo of land deals with housebuilder
Specialist land development and property consultancy Mather Jamie has completed the sale of two plots of land which will be developed for housing in North Leicestershire and Warwickshire.
The two sites are in highly desirable locations in Rugby and Long Clawson.
Located East of Brownsover Lane, the Rugby site has been purchased by Jelson and comprises 5.69 acres. It has planning permission for 14 new dwellings which will be a mix of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom houses along with the creation of a community green space.
The Long Clawson development has also been purchased by Jelson and has outline planning permission for 45 houses on the site of former farm buildings and large storage barns.
Commenting on the two completions, Mather Jamie senior associate director Gary Kirk said: “One of our key strengths is that we often work with our landowning clients on a strategic basis over a number of years to bring forward development opportunities. Both Rugby and Long Clawson are examples of sites we have been closely involved with for several years and we are proud of the outcome for both clients.
“Early engagement in any site allows us to feed into the planning process in such a way as to maximise value and saleability of a scheme in order that our clients achieve the very best outcome on sale. We expect to continue delivering similar sites to market in order to meet the high demand for greenfield sites for new build housing.”
Kieran Henry, land manager from Jelson, added: “There is huge demand for new build developments in rural locations as the new generation of hybrid worker seeks to escape the city and enjoy the countryside. We plan to build sensitively, whilst also bringing much needed new housing to these areas.
“As a well-respected 130 year old family owned business, we are committed to building strong connections with our local communities and pride ourselves in changing unused spaces into places where families can build a life and thrive.”
