“The layout of the apartments have been designed to maximise desirable outlook and eliminate overlooking with the use of carefully positioned internal spaces.
Plans submitted to demolish Beeston petrol station for new apartments
Plans to demolish a Beeston petrol station and garage to make way for new apartments have been submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council.
The proposals for Beeston Car Centre on Broadgate involve constructing a four storey scheme containing 32 studio flats.
A design statement says: “The design approach includes the careful consideration of the prominent nature of the plot and creates a scheme that is well suited to its context and carefully addresses the street scene.
“The scheme will enhance the appearance and quality of the existing site and is a significant improvement on the existing state of the site.
“The proposed scheme will meet the needs of the local area in supplying a purpose-built Apartment scheme.”
Another warehouse let on West Meadows Industrial Estate
As the market for industrial/warehouse accommodation under 10,000ft2 continues to prove popular due to an ongoing lack of supply of good quality units across the East Midlands, FHP Property Consultants have let E9 Ashlyn Road on West Meadows Industrial Estate, following on from the letting of G5 Cranmer Road earlier this year.
The West Meadows Industrial Estate is situated in Derby just off Pentagon Island/A52 and provides a mix of industrial, warehouse and trade counter units.
E9 Ashlyn Road comprises a terraced industrial/warehouse unit comprising 7,427ft2 of accommodation. The property benefits from a comprehensive refurbishment including new roller shutter loading door, LED warehouse lighting and newly painted warehouse floor.
The unit has been let on new lease terms for a period of 5 years at a rent equating to £6.50ft2.
Darran Severn of FHP Property Consultants says: “This is another excellent result for our client who own a significant part of West Meadows Industrial Estate. I’m pleased to say all units are now fully occupied and we have seen rental growth in excess of 20% in the last 18 months.
“There is currently good demand for industrial/warehouse space in Derby despite the economic uncertainty we faced towards the end of last year.”
Clay Cross town centre investment projects approved by Government
The Government has approved the Clay Cross Town Board and North East Derbyshire District Council’s proposals for four key town centre projects supported by the £24 million Town Fund investment.
Final details are still to be agreed, but the projects are now progressing and the council are keen to hear the views of businesses and residents of Clay Cross on these transformations.
The four proposed projects of the newly-produced masterplan for the town centre consist of:
- Transport and connections improvements (subject to an upcoming consultation) – proposals include providing enhanced parking and access from the A61, improving traffic flow through the town, re-opening Bridge Street from Harris Way and the possibility of converting the one way section of Market Street from Bridge Street to High Street into a pedestrian zone.
- Skills and Enterprise zone – renovating the clock tower building (Adult Education Centre) into a hub for learning and business engagement, which also includes a proposal to bring the library into the town centre.
- Clay Cross Community/Social area – preserving, restoring and enhancing heritage buildings in the centre of the town, focused on restoring the annex building of the clock tower building and creating a new leisure space fronting onto the proposed new town square area.
- Broadleys site – forming a new town square as the heart between other elements of the Town Deal, providing flexible accommodation for start-up businesses in pop-up enterprise units and providing a space for community activities.
Fraudsters targeting higher value assets in the Midlands amidst economic challenges
As the economy continues to face challenges, the total value of alleged fraud cases heard in Crown Courts across the Midlands in 2022 rose to £143.6m across 31 cases, compared with £59m across 46 cases for the same period in 2021.
KPMG UK’s latest Fraud Barometer, which records cases over £100,000 heard in UK courts, found that the value of losses increased significantly, highlighting that fraudsters are targeting higher value targets. The alleged fraud with the highest value recorded in the Midlands was a £100m money laundering case, a direct correlation to the rise of organised criminal rings.
Members of the general public continue to be the most common victim type by volume with 11 cases worth a combined value of £2.6m. Commercial businesses were the second most common victim type by volume, with nine cases worth a combined value of £3.2m. By value, Government was the highest victim with alleged frauds of £101.7m across six cases.
The Government has seen a steady number of fraudulent cases as criminals seek to take advantage of various loopholes in tax systems and asylum benefits. Professional criminals perpetrated the most cases of fraud across the Midlands with 16 cases worth a combined value of £129m in 2022.
Julie Bruce, forensic lead for KPMG in the Midlands, said: “Although the number of cases heard in Midlands Crown Courts decreased, the threat of fraud is still evident.
“Fraudsters are finding new opportunities and ways of getting ill-gotten gains. Financial institutions that handle high volumes of money will have to tighten up on protective measures and ensure that proper due diligence is done across all new clients, and that staff are trained to spot any suspicious cases.”
A few of the cases to reach the region’s courts during this period include:
- A Director pleaded guilty to investing most of the money from three pension schemes into his own business. The 3 schemes were left with a shortfall of £10m.
- 57-year-old garage boss admitted 8 charges of fraud by false representation over scamming victims into buying cars which did not exist and swindled £500k from customers after tricking them into a sham car selling scheme.
- Employee took over £1.4m from company through falsifying invoices to fund gambling addiction. The employee was found guilty and sentenced to 4 years and 8 months in prison.
Leicester Tigers directors plan £13m investment
Directors of Leicester Tigers, Tom Scott and Peter Tom, have made an investment commitment which could raise up to £13m for the club.
The proposal would see Scott, a non-executive director, and executive chairman Tom increase their shareholdings in the club, with Scott becoming a majority shareholder.
Shareholders will vote on whether to accept the board’s plans on March 3.
In a statement, Leicester Tigers’ CEO Andrea Pinchen said: “Tom Scott is a long-standing supporter of the club and a valued member of the board of directors who over his tenure with the club has already invested over £10m.
“Peter Tom has been chairman of Leicester Tigers since 1993, having made 130 appearances for the club between 1963 and 1968 and has been a huge part in navigating the club through the professional era.
“We are very grateful that Peter and Tom are looking to extend their investments in Leicester Tigers at a time when the club is suffering some very challenging conditions from factors mostly outside of our control.
“Their decision to invest at this time will give the club the financial assurance to execute the club’s strategy of continued success and financial sustainability.”
Leicester Tigers would initially receive £8.3 million, with Peter Tom investing £3 million and Tom Scott investing £5.3 million, to be followed by a further £4.7 million.
If the investment plans are not passed, the appointment of administrators is anticipated.
DMU helps company use AI to select green suppliers
AI is being used to assess a company’s suppliers list to help them choose more environmentally-aware firms.
Tugby-based Pure Table Top, which creates specialist ceramics homewares working with brands such as Joules and Kew Gardens, is working with De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s experts on the project.
DMU’s partnership with Pure Table Top will develop a matrix that will enable the company to score the sustainability of their supplies based on 70 different data points, such as material wastage, energy, and water consumption.
The project is one of the first to be funded through QUiDS – Quick innovation Developers – a programme at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) to help local businesses, charities and public organisations trial new ideas and innovations.
Tom Sellicks, Sustainability Officer at Pure Table Top, said: “We have been working with DMU and the QUID’s programme for over six months now in order to develop a bespoke tech solution for recording and analysing the social and environmental performance of our global supply base.
“This kind of solution does exist for larger companies with hundreds of suppliers however, we hadn’t found a scalable alternative.”
The new collaboration will use artificial intelligence and algorithms to help find the optimum way of analysing variables that reflect the sustainability of a product, in a way that is also transparent to the consumer, so that they can make more informed decisions on the goods that they are purchasing.
Darsheet Chauhan, Knowledge Exchange Officer at DMU, said: “We began with developing an understanding of what Pure Table Top’s challenges and aspirations were in relation to increased sustainability in its business operation and then sought different solutions from the many disciplines in DMU and the various mechanisms of support on offer to them.
“Pure Table Top have proven to be a very committed and dynamic local company who are at the front of sustainability within their sector. In fact, a lot of leading high street names are now looking to work and follow on the exemplary journey started by Pure Table Top.”
DMU’s knowledge exchange team recruited experienced researcher, Dr Mario Gongora, to collaborate with the team at Pure Table Top in researching and developing new ways of measuring environmental concerns.
Dr Gongora’s expertise includes the application of computational intelligence techniques to a variety of complex processes.
Mario has previously worked on a variety of knowledge exchange projects with industry, applying his research outcomes in the analysis of consumer behaviour and other complex industrial processes.
Mr Sellicks, of Pure Table Top, added: “We believe that Mario’s expertise (combined with that of the computer, engineering and media faculty) will enable us to develop a product which can be adopted by other UK SMEs to measure the sustainability performance of their supply base.”
Chesterfield manufacturer reveals new senior leadership team
Composites Evolution, part of the Clockpress Holdings group of companies, has unveiled a new senior leadership team following its recent takeover.
The Chesterfield-based specialist prepreg manufacturer has appointed Brendon Weager, Gemma Williams, Mike Harrison & Rochelle Helliwell to the team that will work alongside Clockpress’ Chris Barnes and Sam Kirk to drive the business forward.
As part of the change the original founder and owner of Composites Evolution – Gordon Bishop – is stepping away from the company.
Brendon Weager, technical director at Composites Evolution, said: “The recent investment by Clockpress Holdings and appointment of the new leadership team provides us with an excellent platform to support the next phase of our growth. The business has already made a great start to 2023 and the future is exciting, as we continue to deliver industry leading composite prepregs and customer service to our customers.”
Sam Kirk, CEO of Clockpress Holdings, added: “Chris and I are delighted to welcome Brendon, Gemma, Mike & Rochelle to the new senior leadership team. They have all demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities which, combined with their passion and hunger for success, will play a pivotal role in moving the business forward together.
“They have all contributed to the process of putting a clear and exciting vision and strategy together, and we look forward to supporting their growth aspirations over the coming months and years.”
The new team’s primary focus is to accelerate the implementation of those strategic plans, with the ultimate goal of establishing Composites Evolution as the number one partner for specialist prepregs, through world-leading innovation, sustainability, customer service, and responsiveness.
Boots abandons plastics in wet wipes and launches plant-based alternatives
Nottingham-based Boots has eliminated unnecessary plastic in wet wipes by not only reformulating its own brand versions, but also by committing to eliminate plastic from all wipes it sells – no matter the brand – to deliver on a pledge it made last year.
Natalie Gourlay, Head of ESG at Boots said: “Boots believes that healthy communities need a healthy planet, we have a rich legacy of operating responsibly because we recognise it is the right thing to do. Together with our customers we want to inspire positive action and encourage the little switches that make a big difference.”
Boots teams worked hard with suppliers to make the switch, ensuring all brands of wet wipes sold at Boots are now biodegradable-only without compromising on options available to customers. To support the correct disposal of wet wipes, all Boots brand wipes are labelled as “Do Not Flush”, or where we need to provide flushable wipes for intimate use, they are developed to meet the Fine to Flush standard.
Fleur Anderson, Labour MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields said: “A huge thanks to Boots and thanks especially to all of the staff who’ve been involved in delivering on your commitment to take plastic fibres out of Boots own brand, and then all the other brands sold at Boots.
“The damage that plastic in wet wipes does to our environment is huge, right from what they’re made from all the way through to seeing them on the banks of the river Thames as I have. I hope this move from Boots will inspire lots of other shops to do the same thing.”
Nottingham start up secures funding to explore potential of AI for aircraft safety
Nottingham-based artificial intelligence start up Blueskeye AI has been awarded £20,000 to investigate how face sensing technology can be used to obtain insights about human behaviour in the aircraft cockpit.
The research will identify the key drivers, enablers and barriers to using such technology in aircraft cockpits. It could pave the way for their adoption by the aerospace sector enhancing passenger and crew safety. The award was made by the Aerospace Unlocking Potential (UP) Programme. Aerospace UP is a £20m European Regional Development Fund project which is in its final year. It aims to help the aerospace supply chain in the Midlands unlock its innovation potential. The project is delivered by the University of Nottingham and the Midlands Aerospace Alliance. Professor Michel Valstar, founding CEO of BlueSkeye AI, welcomed the award saying: “This award shows the potential of our face scanning software in safety critical environments. Our software uses machine learning to objectively and automatically analyse face and voice data to interpret attention, engagement, tiredness and fatigue as well as medically relevant expressive behaviour and assist in the assessment and monitoring of, and the response to, health, mood and mental state.” Dr Nicola Deards, technology manager for Midlands Aerospace Alliance, said: “I am delighted to have helped BlueSkeye AI secure an innovation grant as part of the Aerospace UP programme. The company is an excellent example of a business that isn’t currently part of the UK’s aerospace supply chain but has the potential to be so. I would encourage other businesses to follow their example and explore whether they could be eligible for support from the programme.” The project is due to conclude in March.Mazars delivers 23% growth in latest annual results as East Midlands office continues to grow
Mazars, the audit, tax and advisory firm, grew 23% in the UK in the year to 31 August 2022, recording revenue of £288m. Growth was strong across all service lines and sectors, in audit and non-audit.
Meanwhile, the team in East Midlands has continued to grow, with 20 additional team members added over the year, the recruitment of new partner Hina Desai, and several promotions into director and manager roles.
The team has focussed efforts on expanding existing services, with a new, locally based Financial Services team created, as well as development of and investment into the tax capability across the corporate, private client, international, transactional and specialist tax teams.
Commenting on the firm’s growth and expansion of services in the East Midlands Steve English, East Midlands office managing partner, said: “It’s been a hugely positive year for the East Midlands team, with additional members of staff joining and a raft of promotions over the year.
“We’ve been focussed on delivering good work for our clients, and have invested in our people and capabilities across all of our service lines, including creating a new Financial Services team, and look forward to building on these successes in the next period.”
Across the UK headcount grew to 2,890, an increase of 18.5% from the previous year. The firm promoted 980 team members in FY22. The team also committed 9,000 hours to wellbeing and volunteering projects.
Phil Verity, CEO, said: “We are harnessing the firm’s positive momentum to invest in building the team of the future. From defining enhanced career pathways to creating a culture of mentorship across the firm, we are investing today to build a team with the skills, resources and support to succeed in the future.
“The business environment is uncertain, but we remain driven by our relationships with our clients, supporting them through a volatile and shifting economy, and consistently delivering quality work.”
Mazars Group, operating in nearly 100 countries worldwide, grew by 16.4%, reaching €2.45bn in fee income. The Group performed strongly across all geographies, with particularly significant growth in Africa and the Middle East (21.7%), the Americas (22.4%) and Asia-Pacific (17.1%).
Hervé Hélias, CEO and chairman of Mazars Group, said: “Despite a complex global environment, 2022 was an excellent year for Mazars across all geographies and service lines. Our performance confirms the quality and relevance of our services, as we continue our drive to offer choice and a different perspective in a highly concentrated market; providing essential competition for the healthy functioning of financial markets.”
