Key milestone reached in Severn Trent’s £76m Mansfield makeover
Severn Trent’s £76m Mansfield makeover has reached a major milestone with the completion of the first town centre rain garden.
The company is installing sustainable drainage systems across the town to help protect against flooding, while bringing big community benefits.
Over the next three years communities should become more resilient against the increasing threat of flooding as Severn Trent has collaborated with Mansfield District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to develop a greener, cleaner vision for the town.
The completion of the first town centre rain garden is the first of thousands of sustainable drainage systems set to be installed across the town to reduce the risk of flooding for up to 90,000 local people. Not only will they look smart and be good for the environment, they’ll also help to stop our sewers becoming overwhelmed during heavy rain and reduce the need for overflows to be used.
Severn Trent’s first raingarden was completed by working partners Galliford Try, who will be continue to work with Severn Trent as the project moves to Ravensdale.
Adam Boucher from Severn Trent said: “This really is a key moment of the project, as our first rain garden in the town is now complete, and it’s been a truly collaborative effort. With the support of the local councils and our contractors, we’re really excited that those living in Mansfield will soon benefit from the rain gardens and makes us excited about what we can achieve over the next couple of years.
“When all the plants are in full bloom, this area of the town will look greener and be a place for people to enjoy visiting. While the rain garden has a very real purpose of reducing flooding and protecting businesses from flooding, it will improve how the area looks and boost the biodiversity in the area and make Mansfield a nicer place for people to spend time.”
Councillor Andy Burgin, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Leisure, said: “These gardens bring endless benefits to our communities, alleviate the growing risk of flooding, and make Mansfield cleaner and greener.
“This location is perfect, right in the heart of town, and will bring a sense of calm and enjoyment to the Market Place. The Memorial Garden is also just a stone’s throw away, giving residents and visitors another relaxing and green environment to enjoy and reflect.
“The innovative Severn Trent programme fits perfectly with our ambitious plans to ‘green up’ Mansfield. We’re pleased that our urban greening project works are underway. Most recently, the Pocket Park near Walkden Street car park is now fully open for use, and planting 3,200 trees in our award-winning parks is under way too.
“I am confident as the roll-out of these rain gardens continues that it will help to make Mansfield more attractive and encourage people to spend more time in the town centre for the benefit of the local economy, our residents and visitors.”
Nottingham homeless to benefit from local man’s Antarctica trip
Charities supporting homeless people in Nottingham are set to receive a £5,000 donation from local software firm Ideagen, after one of their employees completed a trek to the South Pole.
The money will go to Nottingham Street Aid after Ideagen asked team member, Adam Cooper (47), to pick a charity of his choice in recognition of completing his gruelling Antarctica expedition earlier this year.
Speaking about the donation Adam said: “I chose to spend several nights out in the cold recently, some people don’t have that choice. Being able to help in some way is important to me.
“I live close to Nottingham city centre and when I heard about Nottingham Street Aid, what they do, how they operate and their long-term objectives they sounded like the ideal recipient for this donation.”
Nottingham Street Aid is hosted by Street Support Nottingham, part of an umbrella network spread across over 30 UK towns and cities. Street Support provides information for the public about homeless charities in those cities and how the public can help by donating time, money, or goods.
Paul Scotting, who coordinates Nottingham Street Support’s activities, said: “This generous donation from Ideagen will make a real difference. On any given night there will be 20 to 30 people sleeping rough in the city. But there are hundreds who are vulnerable.
“Any Nottingham charity can apply to the Street Aid fund on behalf of an individual to buy specific items that will help them move on from homelessness.”
Claire Knee, global community lead at Ideagen, said: “We are delighted to be able to help Nottingham Street Aid. Our company values are Ambition, Adventure and Community and Adam’s expedition and his choice of charity, embodies those values perfectly.
“We are a global business, but we’re headquartered in Nottingham, so supporting local initiatives, is important to us.”
Adam skied 80 miles in temperatures as low as minus 30 before tackling the 16,000-foot Mount Vinson (which is a few hundred feet higher than Mont Blanc).
After hearing what he was planning to put himself through, Ideagen CEO, Ben Dorks, promised the donation to a good cause of Adam’s choosing.
Proposals revealed to transform Northampton car park into Heritage Park
Business, residents, and community groups are being invited to provide their views on proposals for a Heritage Park along Marefair in Northampton Town Centre.
West Northamptonshire Council is seeking feedback on proposals to transform Chalk Lane Car Park in Marefair, Northampton into a Heritage Park. This will offer open green space for families and the local community to enjoy while celebrating the heritage of the area.
Marefair and the surrounding area has a fascinating and important history which includes archaeological excavation sites, historic local buildings such as the Old Black Lion Pub, Hazelrigg House, Castile Hill URC and St Peters Church and even Castle Mound, the site of the once famous Northampton Castle.
Castle Mound, where part of the castle used to stand, forms part of this new Heritage Park and the council are looking to understand how it can best reflect the heritage of the area into the designs for the new park and share the stories of this area with all the people who visit.
People are invited to review the plans and have their say on the online consultation, which runs until Friday, 7 April.
There will be public engagement sessions where members of the public can drop in anytime to view the plans and discuss with the officers and architects working on the project. These will be held on:
- Saturday 4 March from 10am – 4pm at the Grosvenor Centre outside the Primark unit on the ground floor
- Wednesday 15March between 4:30pm – 7:30pm at Springs Family Centre, 9 Tower Street, NN1 2SN.
Ibstock Brick donation helps Air Ambulance build new HQ
A third of the thousands of bricks needed to build a new air ambulance HQ of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity near Cosford have been given by Ibstock Brick.
Four years in the planning, the charity’s new facility will complement its existing air ambulance-led service across six Midlands counties to help some of the region’s most critically ill and injured patients. Designed to future-proof the advanced pre-hospital emergency service, the headquarters will include a new environment for crew and charity staff, including main offices, warehousing and storage and space for two aircraft and critical care cars to allow the charity to expand its service in the future. As a recognised ‘Centre of Clinical Excellence’ for pre-hospital emergency medicine, it will also help develop clinical skills and talent.
Martin Runc, National Contract Sales Manager at Ibstock Brick, said: “Our business is at the heart of building, so there couldn’t be a more worthy beneficiary than a charity that provides lifesaving care. It was great to visit the construction site to see first-hand the difference our donation has made, and I’ll follow the progress with interest.”
Hanna Sebright, Chief Exec of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, added: “We’ve used a proportion of our modest reserves to fund the new airbase. Therefore the brick donation is greatly appreciated and means so much. Our sincere thanks go to the whole team at Ibstock Brick.”
More than 90 per cent of funding for the new airbase and headquarters facility has been obtained via major grants from organisations such as the Department for Health and Social Care and the HELP Appeal. In addition, the charity is undertaking fundraising campaigns for specific areas of the new construction, including a clinical simulation training suite, memory garden and community education zone. The facility is expected to be completed summer 2023.
Industries come together to learn more about workplace wellbeing
Industry leaders from warehouse, transport and logistic businesses across West Northants joined West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to learn more about wellbeing in the workplace.
WNC’s health protection, public health and regulatory service colleagues held the forum for businesses on Friday, 10 February at the Ford Motor Company, Daventry. Representatives from Ford Motor Company Ltd, DHL and Pristine International attended to encourage and share best practice with businesses.
The forum provided businesses with information on future health and safety priorities and initiatives, to encourage change and reduce accidents that result from occupational behaviour.
Key topics including staff training, focus on wellbeing and how this can reduce accidents in the workplace, as well as how to manage workplace hazards.
Cllr David Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Engagement and Regulatory Services, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer businesses the opportunity to hear from our colleagues about wellbeing in the workplace. We’re dedicated to providing businesses with the tools they need to keep their employees safe and look forward to holding more forum events in the future.”
Cllr Matt Golby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “Being able to support positive workforce wellbeing is hugely important, and it is great to be working with local industries on providing information and advice on how to achieve this. These events support the workforce wellbeing agenda and provide a brilliant opportunity for businesses to network and find out more about the many wellbeing services available and how to access them.”
Losses widen at Oncimmune
Losses have widened at Oncimmune Holdings, the Nottingham-based immunodiagnostics group, with administrative and research & development expenses jumping.
According to audited results for the 15-month period ended 31 August 2022 (FY2022), while revenue grew slightly to £3.79m, from £3.72m in the year prior, loss after tax stood at £11.52m (2021: £5.08m).
Stronger growth is being reported in the current financial year, however, with first half revenue already expected to exceed the revenue generated in the whole of the 15-month period to 31 August 2022.
Dr Adam M Hill, CEO of Oncimmune, said: “FY2022 was a period of investment in the ImmunoINSIGHTS platform following a successful, oversubscribed fundraise in March 2021, which allowed us to evolve our offering, substantially increase capacity and drive our pipeline.
“The short-term impact of investment and effort has been to increase the quality of our revenue, with more partners opting for multi-year Master Service Agreements in order to access the platform across multiple studies.
“The medium-term impact is likely to result from the development of novel IP related to immune-related diseases, in which Oncimmune is recognised as expert, and their treatment.
“These developments would not have been possible without both our people and all of our stakeholders, including our finance providers, who remain steadfast in their commitment and unwavering support and who we would like to thank.
“The ImmunoINSIGHTS business is now seeing improving growth in the first half of this financial year and has a growing number of contracts.
“Whilst short-term challenges remain in the operating environment and in financing, the Board is determined to meet these and to enable conversion of the growing pipeline of opportunities to deliver the significant returns available from our differentiated offering and expertise.”
Leicester prepares launch of ambition to develop ‘Space City’
Leicester is planning for the launch of ‘Space City’, which it claims will be the UK’s definitive cluster for space research, production, manufacture, and development.
The cluster will be made up of the science and innovation hub Space Park Leicester, and the flexible working space and high-tech business incubator facilities at Dock and Dock 2. The workspace will be expanded to include Dock 3 innovation workspace and newer industrial and business incubator facilities at Abbey Court, making it one of the largest and most connected Enterprise Zones for space-related activities in the UK.
Space City is also open to non-space related businesses in the knowledge economy, those working towards decarbonisation, innovative start-ups and established businesses looking for space to grow.
The launch event is scheduled to take place at the National Space Centre on Tuesday, 14th March, 2023, from 8am till 10am. Attendees will enjoy a networking breakfast, which will be followed by speeches from Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, National Government representatives, the University of Leicester, and several businesses that have set up in Space City.
The event will provide an insight into the plans to make Leicester a vital part of the UK’s Space Spine, which will further establish the city as a leading location for the research and development of space and space-related technologies.
Stirlin to deliver £10m worth of schemes in 2023 as it hits 15 years of trading
Lincoln-based Stirlin Construction, part of Stirlin Group, has reached 15 years of trading, with completed projects totalling over £70m and plans to deliver £10m worth of schemes in 2023.
The milestone comes just months after Stirlin Group expanded its senior contracting team with the hire of Howard Griffith as head of construction and Ryan Goddard as quantity surveyor.
Stirlin Group is a development and construction company based in its purpose-built premises on Sadler Road in Lincoln.
Since its first commercial project in 2007, Stirlin Construction has successfully delivered 30 commercial and residential schemes across Lincolnshire, for private clients and joint venture partners.
The recent hire of Howard and Ryan takes the team to 20, and as the company increases its portfolio of projects, the team will expand further this year with the hire of a commercial manager and a number of other positions.
Stirlin Group’s strategy for 2023 is to further build its presence and reputation for quality in its home county, along with expansion into the wider Midlands – with conversations already taking place with clients.
Tony Lawton, Managing Director of Stirlin Group, said: “Our ambition has always been to be one of the leading residential and commercial developers and contractors in Lincoln and I believe we have achieved this. With the sustained demand for our services and approach, we are growing our team and widening the areas that we operate in to enable us to meet that demand and attain our aspirations for the future.
“Stirlin Group is largely known as a property development company – which it certainly still is – but we have also been successfully managing the construction of our own developments and projects for a variety of clients, developing a strong reputation over the years.
“It’s wonderful to have reached 15 years of contracting, and with a strong order book for this year, ambitious growth plans and our talented team, it’s a very exciting time for the business. I would like to thank the whole Stirlin Group team for their passion and commitment and to our valued clients who choose to work with us.”
Active projects for the contractor include a 10,000 sq ft office development for Duncan & Toplis in Louth, an industrial/office development at the Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ) in Holbeach, and new phases added to commercial schemes at Kirk’s Yard in Branston and Leafbridge Business Park in Hykeham.
Swedish medical technology manufacturer chooses Derby for new HQ
Swedish medical technology manufacturer Getinge has revealed plans to establish a new Global Centre of Excellence for Chemistry and UK headquarters at St. Modwen Park Derby. Within the facility, the MedTech company will bring together its chemistry and instrument decontamination business, as well as its UK sales offices, service functions and logistics operations.
Getinge, which acquired Derby-based Quadralene in 2020, will be operational within the state-of-the-art, sustainable 78,000 sq ft building in August 2023.
The site will also feature Getinge’s new Global Centre of Excellence for Chemistry – a department focused on chemistry and instrument disinfection which is led by a dedicated research and development team. Complete with microbiologists and full-time chemists, the centre aims to create new products and solutions for the healthcare industry.
A new training academy will also form part of the new headquarters, allowing the company to supplement the current expertise of its specialist workforce with the brightest young talent available in the region.
Finally, a dedicated showroom will also be installed to allow Getinge to showcase the wide variety of products across its portfolio – from operating tables and ventilators through to the decontamination products it supplies globally across the medical industry.
Following support from Derby City Council and Marketing Derby, Getinge becomes the first global MedTech company to move into St. Modwen Park Derby following a £46.5m investment by St. Modwen Logistics to regenerate 67 acres of brownfield land and initially develop four high-quality warehouse spaces totalling more than 300,000 sq ft.
As with all the buildings on the first phase of the Park, Getinge’s new headquarters has been rated as ‘Excellent’ by BREEAM – the certification body for sustainable construction – and comes complete with an EPC A rating to demonstrate the building’s energy efficiency.
“By relocating to this new, larger facility we continue to execute on our strategic ambition to widen our Infection Control portfolio towards consumables, developed and manufactured inhouse, which will make our financial performance more robust and sustainable,” says Bob Newsome, Managing Director, Centre of Excellence Chemistry at Getinge.
“We are very excited about this opportunity and believe this merger of all our facilities in the UK will greatly benefit our business as well as our customers,” says Avril Forde, president North Europe Region at Getinge. “At the new site we will also incorporate our training academy and a showroom to display our detergents and disinfectants as well as other solutions from the Getinge portfolio.”
Robert Richardson, development director, St. Modwen Logistics, added: “This deal has been a real triumph for teamwork and relationships. St. Modwen Logistics has been working with Bob and his team for more than three years to understand the businesses needs of Getinge to ensure that we developed the type of versatile building necessary to support their operations. We are thrilled to finally be able to welcome another great manufacturer into St. Modwen Park Derby.
“This deal would also not have been possible were it not for the support received by Marketing Derby and Derby City Council and we must also express our gratitude and thanks to them for their efforts.”
Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, added: “This is another brilliant piece of news for Derby. Within the space of two weeks we’ve been able to announce investment from not one but two industry leaders who have chosen to put down roots at St Modwen Park Derby.
“Getinge is an internationally recognised industry leader, serving hospitals and life science institutions across the world and we’re thrilled that they have chosen to invest into our city, creating more jobs, providing a boost to our economy and continuing to put Derby on the map as prime location for investment.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming Getinge to Derby.”
John Forkin, Managing Director of Marketing Derby, said: “This is a really important investment that delivers genuine growth in a long-standing local company, as well as significant international investment in Derby.
“We first met with the Getinge team at our London Embassy in 2021 and have been working closely with our colleagues at the city council, as well as St. Modwen Logistics and Innes England, to land this.
“Getinge is a £2.5 billion turnover MedTech company, which we believe will thrive in Derby and bring significant benefits to the city.”
Derby-based Innes England is marketing the site alongside the Birmingham office of Savills. Nick Hosking, director, Innes England, said: “Take-up within Derby’s industrial sector has reached a record high over the last 12 months, with St Modwen’s delivery of 300,000 sq ft of new build Grade A supply in the first phase at SMPD helping to satisfy pent-up demand from within the local market. Attracting Getinge to the scheme is great news for Derby, enabling their continued expansion and securing hi-tech jobs within the city.”
The substantial fit-out of the unit is being managed by Jonathan Heath of Derby-based Armsons Barlow and is due to complete in August 2023.
Burton waste and recycling firm secures significant reappointments
Burton waste and recycling firm, Willshee’s has secured two significant reappointments with Hobbycraft and Brunel Healthcare.
Hobbycraft has reappointed Willshee’s as their sole waste and recycling partner after a successful first term. With over 110 stores and more than 200,000 product lines, Hobbycraft’s has a 220,000 square foot national distribution centre in Burton employing 300 staff.
Anthony Oldfield is retail operations manager for Hobbycraft’s Burton national distribution centre. He says: “Working with the Willshee’s team as our total waste management partner is bringing many benefits to our business.
“They take a very proactive approach which is refreshing as well as being hugely advantageous. Through their investments and industry relationships, Willshee’s has introduced better routes for recycling wood, hard plastics and glass which have reduced some of our costs.”
Brunel Healthcare is a leading manufacturer of vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements. Based in Swadlincote and employing 500 people across four sites, the company specialises in private label and contract manufacture of shelf-ready goods for the global marketplace.
Brunel has reappointed Willshee’s to provide total waste management across all four sites – including the supply of onsite compactors and balers. This means Brunel can now recycle in the most effective and cost-efficient way.
Brunel Healthcare warehouse & services manager Colin Sturgess has been working with Willshee’s for nearly 10 years, and said: “We enjoy a really productive and rewarding partnership approach with the Willshee’s team. Despite working together for nearly a decade, the standard of account management is consistently excellent.
“We’re always looking at new ways to further improve our carbon footprint and environmental legacy and Willshee’s continue to re-evaluate our waste streams and look for new and innovative solutions. This really adds value.
“For example, some of our waste now goes to an anaerobic digestion plant rather than becoming Refuse Derived Fuel. Anaerobic digestion is higher up the waste hierarchy, recycling more and reducing our levels of general waste – which is good news for us, and good news for the environment.”
