With just three weeks remaining until nominations close for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023, ensure to submit your entries for the annual celebration of the property and construction industry by Thursday 31 August.
Scheduled to take place on Thursday 28 September, the Bricks shine a light on the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes.
The glittering awards ceremony revealing winners, at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, will also offer the perfect chance to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region. The event will additionally feature Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council as keynote speaker.
Entries for the awards are open until Thursday 31 August. To nominate your (or another) business/development for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023, please click on a category link below or visit this page:
Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, the winner will be selected from those nominated)
The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 will also be awarded a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000.Find out who last year’s winners were here.
Book your tickets now
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 – click here to secure yours.
The special awards evening and networking event will be held on Thursday 28 September 2023 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from 4:30pm – 7:30pm.
Connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region, and hear from Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council, our keynote speaker.
Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:To be held at:
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The Chesterfield premises of temperature-controlled storage company Magnavale has achieved a silver award from the internationally recognised RoSPA.
The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK. Now into its 67th year, the Awards have almost 2,000 entries every year, covering nearly 50 countries and a reach of over seven million employees.
The programme recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.
Magnavale COO Amanda Cogan said: “We are pleased to be recognised by RoSPA for our commitment to employee health and safety. The award reflects the hard work of our entire Magnavale Chesterfield team.
“Reducing hazard and mitigating risk is top priority at Magnavale and we take pride in creating a safe working environment for our employees, as a responsible employer in the Chesterfield and Holmewood community.”
Sponsored by Croner-i, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry.
Microbusinesses in Bassetlaw with less than 10 employees are now eligible to apply for grants of up to £3,000 to spend on decarbonisation initiatives that would make their company greener and improve the natural environment, whilst growing the local economy.
The grant is divided into two phases. Phase 1 will include a grant of up to £1,000 which will contribute to the costs of a building energy audit. The findings of the audit will recommend what decarbonisation measures could take place as part of Phase 2.
Phase 2 offers a grant of up to £2,000 that will contribute to the installation of energy efficiency measures, recommended as part of the building energy audit, and support the reduction of the business’s carbon footprint.
Cllr Jo White, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Business and Skills, said: “This is a great opportunity for Bassetlaw businesses. Whilst decarbonisation brings down energy costs and sets in place a commitment to meet climate change needs, it is an expensive process, and these funds will help small business take these very big and worthwhile steps.”
In order to be eligible for either grant, businesses must be located and operate within the district of Bassetlaw, have fewer than 10 employees, pay business rates to Bassetlaw District Council and have no debt to the council. Licences and planning applications must be granted before the Phase 2 grant is awarded.
Bassetlaw District Council is now inviting eligible businesses to put forward their expressions of interest and request an application pack by emailing UKSPF@bassetlaw.gov.uk.
Railway engineers are about to enter an important phase to connect a major new rail freight interchange to the West Coast main line in Northampton.
Drone footage has been released showing where the new link to the Strategic Rail Freight Interchange at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton will soon be built.
When complete next year, the huge facility will have 5 million sq ft of warehouse space and employ up to 7,000 people.
The new railway connection, which will be used by freight company Maritime, will see thousands of tonnes of goods switch between rail and road beside Junction 15 of the M1 motorway every day.
For that to happen, engineers are currently completing the railway sidings for the already constructed container terminal.
While much of the track work has been taking place without any disruption to the existing railway, the next phase will see changes to some passenger services.
Next month railway teams will connect the under-construction interchange to one of Europe’s busiest mixed-use passenger and freight railway lines, by installing new track, points and signalling systems.
Installing that complex kit means a section of the West Coast main line between Milton Keynes and Northampton must close between Saturday 2 and Sunday 10 September.
During this time, there will be no direct services between North Wales and London, journeys will take longer on diversionary routes, could involve rail replacement buses and train timetables will be different.
James Dean, West Coast South route director, said: “We’re delighted to continue working closely with freight partners in delivering this new Strategic Railfreight Interchange at Northampton. This will help deliver better, faster, stronger services to support Britain’s economy and the decarbonisation of transport.”
The West Coast Main Line is one of the busiest freight routes in Europe carrying 40% of all UK rail freight traffic.
To begin with four freight trains will serve the new Northampton interchange each day – with the capacity for more in future.
Each freight train takes up to 76 heavy good vehicles off the road, making it a much greener way to transport economically important goods around the country.
Kate Bedson, SEGRO senior director of national logistics, said: “The Strategic Rail Freight Interchange is a central part of the SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton development and we look forward to the connection to the rail network being completed so that the terminal can be operational ahead of the first customer occupying the first warehouse.
“We are confident that the short term disruption while this vital work is undertaken will be far outweighed by the longer term benefits of the overall development and the rail freight capability at this location.”
John Williams, Maritime executive chairman, said: “These developments, at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton are important, long-term commitments for Maritime to reduce our environmental footprint by developing a network of low carbon, strategic freight connections across the country to promote modal shift from road to rail for container transport and for domestic distribution, with local distribution by electric-powered trucks.
“Building and operating modern, inland rail freight interchanges, supported by the largest dedicated fleet of vehicles in the country, enables us to deliver terminal to terminal rail solutions and highly efficient rail to door and door to rail services for our customers who are looking for long term, supply chain protection and sustainable transport solutions.”
Life science industry organisation Medilink Midlands has announced the permanent appointment of Melanie Davidson as Chief Executive Officer, and Andrea Dawson as Chief Financial and Operating Officer.Having both fulfilled their roles in an interim capacity since March 2023, Melanie and Andrea are now permanently appointed to their new positions.Medilink Midlands is the life science industry association for the Midlands, helping life science companies to set up, develop and grow. Working alongside regional organisations including the East and West Midlands Academic Health Science Networks, the West Midlands Combined Authority, the Midlands Engine, and the region’s universities, Medilink Midlands sits at the heart of academia, business, government, and the NHS.Of her permanent appointment, Melanie, who has worked at Medilink Midlands for over 12 years, said: “I look forward to formally taking on the role of Chief Executive at Medilink Midlands. Working alongside Andrea and the team has enabled us to set firm foundations for future success. “We have a strong proven track record of helping the Midlands life science community to develop and grow and we are making the most of every opportunity for our members, patrons, and the region, to be the voice of the life sciences industry.”Andrea added: “In my role, I want to ensure that the support we deliver and how we deliver it fully both meets and exceeds the requirements and expectations of the Midlands life science community. “I have worked with Melanie and the team to ensure that the service we provide is of a consistent and high standard. As we bring our plans from concept to reality, we will ensure that we do everything we can to be the number one choice for life science business support in the Midlands.”
Nottingham-based contractor Clegg Construction has handed over hundreds of pounds worth of food, toiletries, nappies and other items to Maltby Foodbank in Yorkshire.
The company is partnering with Maltby Learning Trust on a £5.9m renovation scheme to repurpose the derelict Maltby Grammar School near Rotherham.
As part of its commitment to the local community, Clegg Construction held a collection for Maltby Foodbank at its head office in Nottingham and at the site.
Clegg Construction pre-construction director, Ross Crowcroft, said: “Supporting the local community wherever we are involved in a project is very important to us.
“Our teams, sub-contractors and associates have been extremely generous with their donations, and I’d like to thank them for their kindness. We hope their support will make a big difference to families and individuals in the Maltby area who are in crisis.”
Approximately 3% of families in the UK – at least 2.1m people – used a food bank in the year ending March 2022. Maltby Foodbank gave out 391 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis last year.
The donations from Clegg Construction – which weighed an impressive 212.5kg – were handed over at the foodbank, which is based at the Full Life Church in High Street, Maltby, and is part of a nationwide network of foodbanks supported by The Trussell Trust. They included £200 worth of donations from Linsco, a Nottingham-based recruitment company working in the building, construction and property sector.
Denise Cropper from Maltby Foodbank said: “Since 2015, Full Life Church has run our local food bank in partnership with Trussell Trust. Together, we serve around 516 families a year.
“We are extremely grateful for this generous donation from Clegg Construction, its staff and associates. Our local community is really struggling with the rising costs, and this will help so many families in their time of crisis.
“We want to make sure that no one in our local community has to go hungry, but we rely on the generosity of our supporters to help us. Donations such as these can make a real difference and we’d like to thank everyone for their support.”
The collection and donation from Clegg Construction is part of a wider commitment to the Maltby area, with the company also planning to support Maltby Academy students with careers advice.
Built in the early 1930s, Maltby Grammar School closed in 2012 and had fallen into a state of disrepair after being mothballed.
Maltby Learning Trust is now bringing the historic building back into use creating an incubator space for training and apprenticeships, bookable workspaces and serviced hot-desking, and start-up support for the leisure and hospitality sectors.
The re-purposed building – known for its impressive clock tower – will also extend Maltby Learning Trust’s Post 16 specialist facilities for students who attend Maltby Academy and Sir Thomas Wharton Academy sixth form. As part of the project, Clegg will preserve and repair the clock tower, which hasn’t worked for over 8 years.
Other members of the team on the project, which is being supported by £4.5m from The Levelling Up Fund, include Self Architects, engineer GCA Ltd and employer’s agent and project manager Cube.
Wavensmere Homes and Clowes Developments have submitted a full planning and listed building application to Derby City Council for the redevelopment of the city’s historic Friar Gate Goods Yard.
The detailed design proposal sets out the vision for the reanimation of two landmark Grade II listed buildings into over 110,000 sq ft of commercial space, with 276 new homes also planned for the 11.5-acre (4.96Ha) site.
A painstaking restoration of the 19th Century Bonded Warehouse and Engine House could deliver a total of 111,275 sq ft of flexible offices, health and fitness space, a restaurant/café, together with a regional sales centre for Birmingham-headquartered Wavensmere Homes.
Steps at Bonded Warehouse at Friar Gate Goods Yard
The plans also include extensive new areas of Public Open Space, including play spaces and pocket parks. A new multi-purpose public realm and community space is also proposed for the elevated area adjacent to Friar Gate Bridge, with retention of some of the original railway arch facades.
New vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access would be created at various points around the site, from Uttoxeter New Road, Great Northern Way, and Friar Gate, with the Mick Mack cycling route also extended.
Friar Gate Goods Yard has been in the ownership of the Clowes family for over 40 years, with a number of options for redevelopment proposed but not progressed, due to heritage constraints and commercial viability. Wavensmere Homes and Clowes developments have worked with Glancy Nicholls Architects and Pegasus Group to incorporate the views from over 200 local public consultation responses into the plans for the redevelopment of the derelict site.
Houses at Friar Gate Goods Yard
James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “This is the most comprehensive planning application we have ever submitted. We have fully 3D modelled the entirety of the 19th Century Bonded Warehouse and Engine House, which has enabled us to present how the buildings could be carefully brought back to life.
“The context of the new homes and several acres of new Public Open Space are also fully illustrated. The opportunity to work collaboratively to reanimate this landmark city centre site is an honour and the plans showcase our vision, fine attention to detail, and bold investment into this nationally important regeneration project.
“When we first revealed our indicative plans during the public consultation process, we received a pleasing amount of interest from prospective operators of the health and fitness centre, office space, and the restaurant/café – all of which will be within the Bonded Warehouse.
“We also have a database of over 500 prospective purchasers wishing to buy one of the townhouses, indicating the pent-up demand and appeal. We look forward to continuing to work with Derby City Council’s Officers, Councillors, and wider stakeholders, as this planning application is considered.”
Houses at Friar Gate Goods Yard
Adam McPartland, Director of Glancy Nicholls Architects, said: “The Friar Gate Goods Yard redevelopment plans illustrate the millions of pounds that need to be invested into saving these distressed 150-year-old listed buildings. Glancy Nicholls Architects has brought its expertise in restoration and retrofit design to sustainably restore two of Derby city centre’s most notable historic structures, providing a vibrant new chapter of their story.
“The overarching brief from Wavensmere Homes was for a huge emphasis to be placed on exemplary placemaking. By having a mix of commercial uses within the two buildings – and opening the inaccessible site up to create a series of new linear parks – it could enable hundreds of people to appreciate these heritage assets on a daily basis.
“In addition to the proposals for the listed buildings, the designs for the 227 two- and three-bedroom townhouses are bespoke. Curved and terraced street scenes celebrate the beauty and vista of the Bonded Warehouse, while incorporating a range of energy saving technologies and strategies.
“We have also proposed a four-storey apartment building containing 49 apartments to reinstate the lost streetscape of the Stafford Street frontage. The highest EPC rating of A is being targeted for the new homes and commercial space to keep energy consumption and carbon emissions to a minimum.”
Three-storey townhouses at Friar Gate Goods Yard
The site sits just outside the Friar Gate Conservation Area, which features notable Georgian townhouses with high-quality brickwork and fine architectural detailing. The Friar Gate Goods Yard was intended as the main goods depot for the Great Northern Railway line, to handle coal, livestock, timber, and metals.
Designed in 1870, and entering operation in 1878, the Bonded Warehouse building contained extensive warehouse space and offices. It was used as a store for the American Army in WWII to house ammunition and other supplies.
The Engine House was also built for the Railway by Kirk & Randall of Sleaford. It is Italianate in style and built from Welsh slate roofs. The Engine House supplied power to the hydraulic lifts and capstans at the Bonded Warehouse.
The site first became derelict in 1967, and over time became overgrown and fell into a poor state of repair. An arson attack took place at the Goods Yard in 2020, which exposed the whole inner iron structure of the two historic buildings.
Rural businesses in North West Leicestershire are set to benefit from nearly £500,000 in grant funding to support the growth of the rural economy.
The North West Leicestershire Rural Business Grant programme, funded by the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is being run by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC).
The council has received a total of £469,090 for the programme, which will be split across the next two years.
The grants will help small and medium-sized businesses in rural locations to fund projects that support business growth, tourism and visitor economy development, invest in carbon reducing technology or farm diversification.
£117,272 is available in 2023, with businesses able to apply for a grant of between £1,000 and £25,000. Recipients will have to provide at least 50 percent match-funding alongside the grant.
The fund is now open for applications and will close on 30 November at 5pm. Applications will be considered on a first-come-first-serve basis.
SME’s employing under 250 staff can use the funding to support capital projects, such as:
buying new equipment to modernise
farm tourism facilities such as accommodation, wedding venues and leisure facilities
investing in energy efficiency or achieving zero carbon
investing in premises, new technology and innovation
An estimated 3,120 businesses in the district could be eligible for the fund.
NWLDC has used guidance and eligibility criteria from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). DEFRA has defined areas of the district as rural; this definition excludes businesses in parts of Bardon, Coalville, Hugglescote, Thringstone and Whitwick.
Councillor Tony Gillard, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Economic Regeneration, said: “As a predominantly rural district I am delighted that we have received government funding to help us support our rural businesses.
“The rural economy is a thriving part of the district, and one we want to continue to grow. I would encourage any rural business looking to expand, innovate or diversify to apply for the fund.”
Shine a light on exceptional businesses and developments, and reward the teams behind them, by submitting a nomination for East Midlands Business Link’s esteemed Bricks Awards before entries close on Thursday 31 August.
The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 will celebrate the region’s property and construction industry, its people, and outstanding projects. Award categories include: most active estate agent, commercial development of the year, responsible business of the year, residential development of the year, developer of the year, deal of the year, architects of the year, excellence in design, sustainable development of the year, contractor of the year, and overall winner.
Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 28 September,at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening that will also provide plenty of opportunities to establish new connections with property and construction professionals from across the region.
After winning a trio of awards at last year’s event, Jon Marston, Managing Director of Building East Midlands, Galliford Try Construction, said: “We are immensely proud of the work that has taken place at Broad Marsh Car Park, and the recognition it has received at the East Midlands Bricks Awards is just reward for the efforts of the team. I congratulate all those involved for their achievement in winning these three awards.”Entries for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 are open until Thursday 31 August. To nominate your (or another) business/development, please click on a category link below or visit this page:
Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, with the winner, and recipient of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, selected from those nominated)
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 – click here to secure yours.
The special awards evening and networking event will be held on Thursday 28 September 2023 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from 4:30pm – 7:30pm.
Connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region, and hear from Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council, our keynote speaker.
Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:To be held at:
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To be held at:
