Make your entry now for Architects of the Year at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023

Tess Egginton
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Make your entry now for Architects of the Year at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023
On Thursday 28 September, East Midlands Business Link’s prestigious Bricks Awards will return to the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground to celebrate the region’s property and construction industry. The annual event recognises development projects and people in commercial and public building across the region – from office, industrial and residential schemes, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. With nominations open until Thursday 31 August, and 10 categories available to enter, take this opportunity to showcase your projects and team, reward their hard work, and boost morale. Amongst this year’s categories is Architects of the Year, which can be entered here. The winner of this award will be the architects who have had the greatest impact on the region, be it in a single development or a series of them. Originality, the ability to rise to a challenge or initiative shown in accomplishing a difficult brief, this award celebrates our architects. Schemes must have been completed over the last 12 months. Last year the award was won by Rayner Davies Architects. Judges indicated that Rayner Davies Architects stood out as the winner because “they are heavily invested in carrying out work in the East Midlands and their work encompasses a diverse range of developments including commercial, retail, nursing homes, and housing. Many of their projects have been challenging, with one of their high profile projects, The Curve, being recognised as an exemplar housing project by RIBA.” Other finalists for the category included Swain Architecture and CPMG Architects. This year’s Architects of the Year award will be sponsored by Blueprint Interiors. Speaking with Business Link, Ben Dawson, Business Development Manager at Blueprint Interiors, said: “We have been involved in the awards since 2019 either as an award nominee or a sponsor. “We continue to be impressed with both the quality of award submissions, but also the event, which attracts the elite of our region’s construction and property professionals. It is therefore the ideal platform to promote our own expertise as workplace consultants and commercial office fit-out specialists.”

Submit your nominations for Architects of the Year here before entries close on Thursday 31 August.

Winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 28 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening also offering an opportunity to establish new connections with property and construction professionals from across the region. Other award categories open for entry include: Commercial Development of the Year, Contractor of the Year, Responsible Business of the Year, Residential Development of the Year, Developer of the Year, Deal of the Year, Most Active Estate Agent, Excellence in Design, and Sustainable Development of the Year. All entry forms can be accessed here. The Overall Winner award will also be presented at the event. This award cannot be entered, with the winner selected from those nominated. The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023 will also receive a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000.

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:

University joins Nuclear AMRC to work on research and skills development

Stuart Pearcey
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University joins Nuclear AMRC to work on research and skills development
The University of Derby has joined the Nuclear AMRC to collaborate on industrial research and skills development for nuclear and other low-carbon sectors. Based at the University of Sheffield, the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre is part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult. It collaborates with manufacturing and engineering companies of all sizes to help them innovate and win work in the nuclear supply chain. The University of Derby is taking tier one membership of the Nuclear AMRC, joining major industry players in nuclear new build, manufacturing, engineering services and research. The University joins as the Nuclear AMRC opens its new industrial R&D facility at Infinity Park Derby, which will also provide a new home for the University of Derby’s Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering. While the Nuclear AMRC’s original facility in South Yorkshire focuses on mechanical manufacturing processes for power plant components, Nuclear AMRC Midlands specialises in emerging technology areas which will deliver the maximum impact for the UK’s nuclear supply chain – including digital engineering, control and instrumentation systems, and additive manufacturing. The factory-scale building includes an open-plan workshop for work on large fabrications and assemblies, plus dedicated laboratories for 3D printing and rapid prototyping, virtual reality and visualisation, and equipment qualification. The centre will act as a regional hub to help Midlands-based manufacturers enter and win work in the nuclear supply chain, and will also engage with local schools and colleges to help encourage young people to consider careers in science and engineering. Around a quarter of the space will form a new base for IISE, with University of Derby researchers moving into dedicated laboratories and workspace in the autumn. Professor Warren Manning, Provost – Research and Innovation at the University of Derby, said: “Collaborating will further strengthen our partnership and enable us to share research and development opportunities, as well as exchange knowledge and expertise, supporting and addressing the local, regional and national skills needs. This is an exciting time for the sector with many opportunities, and we look forward to driving forward innovation together.” Tom Purnell, Business Development Director of the Nuclear AMRC, said: “The Midlands is home to a host of companies and organisations which can play a vital role in meeting the challenges of decarbonisation and energy security. The University of Derby is at the heart of collaboration, innovation and skills development in the region, and it’s a pleasure to formally welcome them to the Nuclear AMRC’s network. “With our shared facility now open for business alongside the Nuclear Skills Academy at Infinity Park, we are perfectly placed to work together to help manufacturers in Derby and beyond to seize the opportunities of the energy transition, and deliver sustainable growth and skilled employment for generations to come.”

Notts firm digs deep to fund new charity scheme

Tess Egginton
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Notts firm digs deep to fund new charity scheme
Nottinghamshire PR agency Arch Communications is funding the launch of a major new project for a local homelessness charity. The Friary in West Bridgford wants to transform its old allotments into a haven of peace and reflection for the vulnerable adults it supports. The launch of the scheme has been made possible by a £10,000 donation from Arch, which is based in the South Nottinghamshire village of East Leake, just a few miles from the allotments. It marks the 35th anniversary of charity, which is appealing for further funding to bring the plans to full fruition. The Friary has helped hundreds of people through its drop-in centre and outreach work. Demand for its services has increased by more than a third over the past year alone. The charity has supported more than 850 vulnerable people in the last 12 months. The project will see the charity’s three allotments in West Bridgford re-vamped to create a quiet and creative space, where service users can help to grow vegetables, learn new crafts and practice mindfulness. With the help of volunteers, the allotments already produce one tonne of produce a year. This is used by the charity’s drop-in centre on Musters Road or given away to other good causes. The Chief Executive of The Friary, Ben Talbot, said: “These allotments will provide the perfect place for our clients to learn new skills, while also helping their mental health and giving them a sense of purpose. “We started to draw-up some proposals for the allotments a few years ago, but then the pandemic came along and we had to abandon the idea. We’re extremely grateful to Arch Communications for their financial and practical support, which is now helping to get the whole idea off the ground. “It’s still a tough time for many people at the moment and we hope this area will become an ideal space for some peace and reflection. Our clients already feel part of The Friary family and, with the valuable help of our volunteers, we hope this will be a space they can feel part of too.” Based in East Leake, Arch Communications believes in ploughing profits back into the community. The firm has donated over £165,000 to local good causes through donations and unpaid work. Arch Communications founder and director Matt Youdale said: “We’ve been aware of The Friary’s excellent work for some time, so when we heard about this project we were keen to help bring it to fruition. As well as providing the initial funding, our practical support is part of our whole business ethos.” Part of the donation from Arch has already paid for the replacement of an old wooden-framed greenhouse with a brand new high-spec greenhouse with tempered safety glass. There are further plans to improve the infrastructure, with a range of new facilities for things like woodwork, arts & crafts and meditation. The Friary hopes to attract further funding for the ongoing management of the allotments and the supervision of visitors.

Government announces financial backing for SMR nuclear power

Stuart Pearcey
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Government announces financial backing for SMR nuclear power
The government is to pump millions into development of nuclear power to develop cutting-edge technologies delivering cleaner, cheaper, more secure energy. Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps says Great British Nuclear will drive the rapid expansion of new nuclear power plants in the UK at an unprecedented speed, boosting UK energy security, reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports, creating more affordable power and growing the economy, with the nuclear industry estimated to generate around £6 billion for the UK economy. Companies are now able to register their interest with GBN to competeto secure funding support to develop their products, with the potential to create billions of pounds of public and private sector investment in small modular reactor (SMR) projects in the UK. Unlike conventional reactors that are built on site, SMRs are smaller, can be made in factories and could transform how power stations are built by making construction faster and cheaper. Rolls-Royce at Derby has already done considerable work on the technology GBN will play a key role in helping the government hit its ambition to provide up to a quarter of the UK’s electricity from homegrown nuclear energy by 2050 and achieve among the cheapest wholesale electricity prices in Europe, whilst supporting jobs across the country. Simon Bowen, interim chair of GBN said: “GBN is core to delivering the government’s new nuclear programme. Building on the work done at Hinkley Point and Sizewell, announcement of the start of the SMR selection process signifies a real step forward in delivering the scale of nuclear power that Britain needs for secure, sustainable energy future.

“We look forward to working with all interested parties – technology vendors, the supply chain, the wider industry and local communities as we move this essential programme forward.”

On top of today’s GBN competition launch, the government is also announcing today a grant funding package totalling up to £157 million: Up to £77.1 million for companies to accelerate advanced nuclear business development in the UK and support advanced nuclear designs to enter UK regulation, maximising the chance of small and advanced modular reactors being built during the next Parliament. Up to £58 million funding for the further development and design of a type of advanced modular reactor (AMR) and next generation fuel. AMRs operate at a higher temperature than SMRs and as a result they could provide high temperature heat for hydrogen and other industrial uses alongside nuclear power. Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: “The launch of GBN marks a new era for nuclear deployment in the UK – helping drive a programme of construction at pace and at scale to strengthen our energy security, create good jobs across the country, and advance our net zero future by providing up to 25% of our future power needs. “Focus on the SMR selection will demonstrate the commitment to deployment of innovative technologies and open up new opportunities for the UK industrial supply chain here and abroad. There a range of sites and communities across the country ready to host SMR technology, alongside the large scale nuclear capacity we will also need.

“Britain has an important leadership role in the global nuclear industry, and nowhere more so than in our determination to drive Russia out of the nuclear fuel markets. The government’s Nuclear Fuel Fund will bolster those world-class capabilities that make us uniquely placed to help our allies replace Russian supplies with Western nuclear fuel.”

New support set for Ilkeston and Long Eaton town centre shops

Tess Egginton
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New support set for Ilkeston and Long Eaton town centre shops
A new grants scheme to encourage fresh shops into empty town centre retail units in Ilkeston and Long Eaton is poised to see Erewash Borough Council help pay for the signage the stores need to get up and running. The grants apply to new shops only and are worth up to £2,000 each. Erewash Borough Council experts are aiming to support new business and fund “quality signage, thereby enhancing the street scene and improving the overall vitality and viability of our town centres.” A report says the money will help “reduce vacancy rates in our town centres by encouraging new businesses to occupy empty units.” The grants over the next two years will come from cash allocated to Erewash under the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Erewash’s Council Executive meets on 18 July and is set to give the green light to what is called the Empty Shop Signage Grant Scheme. The borough’s Director of Resources said: “It will allow the council to support town centre businesses with immediate effect.” Councillor Alex Breene, the council’s Lead Member for Town Centres, Regeneration and Planning, said: “We want our town centres to be vibrant and thriving but too many shops have been left vacant. “These grants of up to £2,000 recognise financial support is necessary when opening a new business. The grants also signal the council’s wider ambitions to revitalise Erewash high streets.”

Flooding hardship fund opens to provide emergency payments to Derbyshire businesses

Tess Egginton
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Flooding hardship fund opens to provide emergency payments to Derbyshire businesses
Businesses hit by recent flooding, including the torrential downpours on Saturday 8 July and during June, can now apply for emergency financial help from Derbyshire County Council’s hardship fund. The council have set up the scheme to offer one-off grants of £500 for businesses employing up to 50 people. In total, up to £20,000 of financial support is available for eligible households and businesses in Derbyshire affected by the recent surface water flash flooding. Initial feedback shows that a number of towns have experienced flash flooding including Matlock, Cromford, Ripley, Killamarsh, Dronfield, parts of Chesterfield, and in Swadlincote. The emergency payments aim to help cover the loss of any immediate, short-term loss of income and cashflow difficulties and to help pay for repairs and replacement of items until insurance claims are settled. The fund closes on Friday 4 August. To make a claim, businesses will need to provide photographs showing spoilt items of stock, internal building damage and receipts for replacement products. Payments to businesses will be made by BACS bank transfer. Council Leader, Councillor Barry Lewis, said: “The torrential downpours in early July caused unavoidable flash flooding in Matlock and other communities across Derbyshire as drains were overwhelmed with the huge quantity of rainwater. “Since that weekend, I’ve seen the impact of the surface water flooding and spoken to a number of residents and businesses in the areas affected. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with local communities and our financial grant scheme will help people deal with the aftermath of the flood damage and clean up, supporting their business or their home. “The flood grant application process is straightforward and I’d urge people to apply for the help on offer. If we experience any further flooding over the coming months, we intend to reopen the scheme to provide additional, emergency support to local communities.”

Plans submitted for Edwalton retirement apartments and convenience store

Tess Egginton
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Plans submitted for Edwalton retirement apartments and convenience store

Developer Charterpoint and retirement housing provider Anchor have submitted a joint planning application for 77 retirement apartments at Edwalton, near Nottingham. A convenience store, which will be operated separately, is also part of the plans.

Earmarked for land on the corner of Rose Way and Melton Road, the retirement scheme would provide a range of one and two-bedroom apartments in a three-storey block.

The proposals also include a residents’ restaurant, lounge, outdoor dining terrace, hairdressing salon, beauty and treatment studio, guest suite, and a courtyard garden and will be operated by Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people in later life.

The apartments will be a mix of shared ownership and rental properties – filling a gap in the market in the West Bridgford area.

A single-storey convenience store is also planned for the 2.2 acre site, both accessed off Rose Way, which will be operated separately from the retirement scheme.

The site has outline planning permission for development, but now Charterpoint and Anchor have submitted detailed designs for the land to Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Charterpoint CEO Adrian Goose said: “This is a prominent site in an area of Edwalton which has seen considerable development in recent years, providing a range of housing and community facilities.

“Our integrated plan will introduce a handy convenience store for local shopping needs to augment what is there already. This plan, submitted in conjunction with Anchor, will fill a gap in the market and create much-needed retirement apartments for the area, helping to free up larger family homes in Edwalton and West Bridgford too.”

Victoria Mager, director of development delivery at Anchor, said: “We are looking forward to working with Charterpoint on the development of high quality, affordable independent living apartments in Edwalton. In line with Anchor’s vision, this development takes us one step closer to delivering 5,700 homes where people can love living in later life over ten years.”

The plans for the Edwalton site have been designed by Brewster Bye Architects.

Developer submits plans to build 79 new homes in Syston

Tess Egginton
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Developer submits plans to build 79 new homes in Syston

Bellway Strategic Land is looking to secure planning permission for up to 79 new homes in Syston. The housebuilder has submitted an outline planning application for a 16.8-acre site identified for housing off Barkby Lane, to the south of the town.

The land is bordered by the railway line to the east, existing properties to the west, and Barkby Lane to the north. The site forms the northern part of a site identified as an allocation for residential development by Charnwood Borough Council in their emerging Charnwood Local Plan. The plan is currently being considered by the government and Charnwood Borough Council will be looking to adopt it as soon as they can.

Bellway Strategic Land has also submitted a planning application for up to 130 homes on the southern portion of the site, which is accessed off Barkby Thorpe Lane in Thurmaston. Together, the two applications, which are separated by a green corridor, will help deliver the housing allocation and improve land supply in Charnwood in accordance with the local plan.

The proposals for the Barkby Lane site in Syston delivers 30 per cent of the homes as affordable housing for low-cost rent or shared ownership, with 10 acres of open space created including a children’s play area and a network of footpaths and cycleways, along with areas for Biodiversity Net Gain.

Fergus Thomas, Bellway Strategic Land Director for the Central region, said: “We have worked closely with Charnwood Borough Council to develop our plans for Barkby Lane in Syston and ensure the proposed scheme meets the needs of the local community.

“There is an identifiable need for new housing in the area and this is a site which is close to town centre amenities and will align with the emerging Charnwood Local Plan.

“Our outline proposals include a primary tree-lined street which will lead into the site from Barkby Lane while an ‘arrival space’ in the north-western corner of the site will greet pedestrians entering the development via a new footpath link.

“Our sustainable design sets aside an area of 10 acres of open space within the development, which includes an area for children to play, recreational walking, and would feature new planting alongside the retention of trees and hedgerows wherever possible. Areas of green infrastructure in the east and south of the site will create new habitats of ecological value, such as scrub and wildflower grassland, to help protect and promote local wildlife.

“Care has been taken in the preparation of the illustrative layout to show how a detailed scheme could be brought forward as the next stage of the planning process that positively responds to local character. In particular, assessments are presented in the submitted documents that show an understanding of local materials and of how built form and massing create interest along Barkby Lane.”

Industry continues to drive forward digital revolution towards Net Zero

Tess Egginton
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Industry continues to drive forward digital revolution towards Net Zero
Britain’s manufacturers are powering forward in their digital journey towards Net Zero as the sector moves to reduce energy usage and costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost productivity, according to new research published by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, and cloud business management solutions firm Sage. The research – ‘Decarbonisation through Digitalisation’ – shows manufacturing businesses are investing in digital technologies more than ever before and reaping multiple benefits – from productivity increases to product improvements, reduction in waste and labour efficiencies. Use of a pool of digital tools including data analytics, supply chain management to boost resilience and full automation of business processes including finance, human resources, manufacturing and procurement have been working together to boost productivity. Nearly half of manufacturers have an active plan to invest in digital technologies to decarbonise their business and almost a quarter have already invested in digital solutions. A further 23% plan to do so in the coming 12 months. Some 62% of companies which have already adopted digital technologies into their production processes reported energy cost savings – over half said those savings were between £10,000 and £100,000 the last 12 months. A further 46% said energy savings came in under £10,000 but were still significant to their businesses. But savings did not end there with companies citing real cost savings on labour, material wastage and water usage. Almost half (44%) of companies surveyed said that digitalisation has been their firm’s top driver of productivity improvements, with production processes tightened up. The need to reduce carbon is now embedded in most companies’ business plans with a quarter of Britain’s manufacturers believing new digital technologies have already had an impact on decarbonisation and their ability to achieve challenging Net Zero targets. Just one in ten businesses do not believe that digitalisation will have any impact on their Net Zero ambitions. Of those surveyed, 30% of businesses reported they had already invested in supply chain management digital tools which can reduce emissions and build resilience from delivery disruptions caused by new Brexit trading rules and long-term Covid disruption in Asia. However, significant barriers to digitalisation remain, with six in ten manufacturers still wary of the upfront cost without accurate timings for return on the investment. Companies (45%) said more evidence on investment return would help drive positive decisions towards the adoption of digital tech as part of their journey towards Net Zero. Half of manufacturers said that tax incentives to invest in digital decarbonisation technologies and upskill their current workforce would provide a major boost to uptake. Again, SMEs found taking those first digital steps much harder than larger companies with  64% of smaller firms saying they experience skills shortages while trying to invest and adopt digital tech. Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK, the manufacturers organisation, said: “Britain’s manufacturers have long been at the forefront of digital innovation globally and they have taken significant steps to cut carbon emissions and move towards Net Zero. “But in order to supercharge that journey, business needs Government to play its part in driving the process forward. “To that end, Government needs to help them move forward faster by committing to a national rollout of the industrial digitalisation programme Made Smarter across the UK and expand its remit to include industrial decarbonisation. “Made Smarter has already delivered amazing successes in helping SMEs boost their productivity through digitalisation, and they are ideally placed to pick up the mantle to help decarbonise through digitalisation. “We need to see an expansion in the R&D tax relief to include capital equipment relating to industrial decarbonisation and the introduction of a Help to Grow Green tax credit to incentivise businesses to take those first active steps to produce goods more sustainably at a time companies are cash-strapped through the burden of higher labour and energy costs.”

Major Derby business park plans get the go ahead

Tess Egginton
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Major Derby business park plans get the go ahead
Plans for a major new business park, delivering over 1.6 million sq ft of floorspace and forming part of the Infinity Park Derby site, have been approved by Derby City Council.
Outline planning permission for the development was sought by Infinity Park Derby LLP. The scheme’s uses are to include storage and distribution, general industrial and light industrial, research and development, office, hotel, pub, and drive thru cafe use.
The construction costs for the development are estimated to be approximately £150 million over a seven-year build programme. An estimated 318 temporary direct and indirect jobs could be supported per annum. Once fully developed and occupied, the development is expected to support 2,731 gross full-time equivalent jobs on site and it is estimated that the wages paid to the on-site workers would be around £80 million per annum. The GVA to economic output is estimated to be around £138 million per annum.
Outline planning permission for a business park of this nature was already agreed in principle on the site, but this has now expired.
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