Severn Trent retains Ashby consultancy for land and planning advice over next five years
A property consultancy’s Ashby team is set to work alongside a major water company to fulfil its ambitions of providing an affordable, sustainable service to customers over the next five years.
Fisher German has been selected for the Severn Trent Water Land and Planning framework for its AMP8 five-year plan from 2025 to 2030, following a successful retender.
Severn Trent’s plan focuses on developing new sustainable water sources, reducing network leaks, reducing pollution and saving customers money across its extensive area into Wales with Hafren Dyfrdwy.
Fisher German’s utilities and infrastructure team, along with its planning team, will support Severn Trent Water by securing the necessary land for projects, advising on planning policies and applications, liaising with landowners, and providing guidance on net-zero initiatives.
The work will be led by staff in its Ashby office alongside those in Stafford, Market Harborough, Worcester, Banbury and Newark, with additional support from teams in Chester, Knutsford and Doncaster as needed.
This contract means Fisher German will have worked for Severn Trent Water for 21 years by the end of the contract, having first worked for the company in 2009.
James Pegrum, Partner at Fisher German, said: “We are delighted to have successfully retendered to work with Severn Trent Water throughout its AMP8 cycle until 2030.
“Having collaborated with Severn Trent for several years, our expert teams have already contributed to some crucial projects, including tailored planning advice to secure the construction of Hanchurch Reservoir near Stoke-on-Trent, and advice on pipeline diversions for HS2.
“We aim to work closely with landowners and occupiers to minimise the impact of these works where they affect private land.
“As we enter AMP8, Severn Trent and the water industry face significant pressure to deliver lasting value for customers while minimising environmental impact.
“We look forward to helping Severn Trent achieve these goals over the next five years and are confident this will continue our excellent working relationship.”
Leo Conway, Land and Planning Business Lead at Severn Trent, said: “We’re happy to welcome Fisher German back on to our framework for AMP8, which will include some complex and large-scale projects.
“Fisher German has represented us well in the past and provided good advice across a range of different schemes and we’re pleased that they were successful in tendering to become a part of our Land and Planning Framework.”
Fisher German will work on Severn Trent Water’s Land and Planning Framework for AMP8 alongside one existing supplier and two new suppliers.
Spring golf day swings into corporate calendar
A new springtime golf day has been launched by Cynthia Spencer Hospice for businesses across Northamptonshire.
This inaugural event takes place on Thursday 8th May at Staverton Park Hotel and Golf Club and is open to all.
The hospice already runs an annual golf corporate fundraiser in Northampton, which last year raised more than £27,700 for the invaluable palliative care that the hospice provides across the county.
The addition of another round in the spring allows more businesses from other parts of the county to have the chance to join a golf game, whilst raising money to support patient care.
The day, headline sponsored by Franklins Solicitors, starts with a breakfast roll, tea and coffee on arrival, and a 12pm shotgun start.
The event also includes a two-course evening meal, a raffle and a presentation, at a cost of £440 per four ball.
Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser Lead at Cynthia Spencer Hospice, Nina Gandy said: “Whether you are someone who plays golf on a regular basis or, you haven’t picked up your clubs for a while, we welcome everyone.
“As the spring golf day is a brand-new event in the corporate calendar, we aim to attract new businesses from the across the county, particularly from the Daventry and Towcester area.
“Golf days prove a perfect opportunity for networking whilst catching up with familiar faces and making new connections too. This one has the added bonus of raising money for our wholly worthwhile cause.”
Leicester plastic moulding and product design specialist falls into administration
Ledwell Plastics, a plastic moulding and product design specialist based in Leicester, has entered administration.
The company had fallen into financial difficulty in a challenging operating environment, with uncertainty around taxation on plastics and packaging affecting demand in the sector.
Despite a pipeline of future work, cash flow issues meant the company was unable to stay solvent and had no option but to enter administration.
Nathan Jones and John Lowe, partners at FRP Advisory, were appointed joint administrators of Ledwell Plastics Ltd on 17th March 2025.
In a statement FRP said: “FRP is speaking to interested parties about the business’s assets and is supporting 17 employees with applications to the redundancy payments service. A further 14 staff members remain employed by the company and are assisting with winding down operations.”
Childcare organisation secures Burton office space
Commercial property agents Rushton Hickman have let the ground floor suite at 82 High Street to Bay Leaf Care Limited.
The office/retail space is located in the centre of Burton upon Trent, and since occupation the tenant has completed internal and external decorative works to create a more welcoming head office.
The new tenant, Bay Leaf Care Limited, is a non-government-maintained childcare organisation who provide crucial and essential therapeutic residential care, for vulnerable children and young people aged 5-17 years old all over the United Kingdom.
Taylor Millington, Senior Surveyor, said: “The work that Bay Leaf Care do is absolutely vital to help young children and so we were delighted to be able to help find them their new premises. The whole team at Rushton Hickman wish them the best with their new space.”
Boyes relocates to 30,000 sq ft former Wilko unit in Newark
Family-owned retailer Boyes is expanding in Newark-on-Trent, relocating to the former Wilko unit in St Marks Place.
The 30,000 sq ft space will allow the brand to offer a wider product range, anchoring the Shopping Centre and enhancing the town’s retail offering and experience.
“This store will be one of the largest in our portfolio, enabling us to showcase our full product range for the people of Newark—something we hope they’ll be pleased with,” said Robert Van Der Heijden, Retail Operations Director at Boyes.
Currently trading from 8,000 sq ft on Appleton Gate, Boyes’ move reflects both growing demand and the retailer’s commitment to Newark. The larger premises will improve the shopping experience, provide greater variety, and better serve the local community.
“We are delighted to see Boyes expanding into this key retail space. Their commitment to Newark is a great sign of confidence in our scheme and in the town’s future,” said David Biggs, Asset Manager at Topland.
“Right-sizing Boyes in the town and re-anchoring St Marks Place is fantastic news—not just for the landlord and adjacent tenants, but for shoppers who will now have access to a fuller retail offering, something they will have missed since losing the much-loved Wilko,” added Jack Shakespeare MRICS, Director at FHP.
“With this move and the visible progress on the former M&S redevelopment by the local council, there’s a real sense of positivity on Newark’s high street.”
The new store is set to open this summer.
Surge in University of Nottingham spin-outs fuels innovation
A rise in the number of spin-outs and start-up companies from the University of Nottingham has underlined its role in driving innovation and economic growth, newly released figures reveal.
The number of spin-out companies launched by the Russell Group university has grown rapidly in the last ten years, compared to the previous decade.
Between 2005 and 2015, eight spin-outs were launched, and in the decade that followed, 2015-25, this figure more than tripled, with 29 companies being added to the portfolio.
Figures from Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reveal that in addition to its spin-out companies, the university has a current portfolio of 36 staff start-ups, 135 student start-ups and seven social enterprises.
Nottingham is also second in the UK for the turnover of its student start-ups, with its student ventures bringing in more than £400 million for the year 2022/23.
The news coincides with a national campaign by Universities UK which shines a spotlight on the billions of pounds worth of local growth and investment resulting from higher-education support. Its campaign, Unis Start Up the UK, highlights how universities drive entrepreneurship across the nation, supporting new enterprises that boost growth, investment, and jobs.
Nationally since 2015, universities have helped create 38,750 companies, with a 70% rise in active firms. Student start-up turnover grew by 757%, investment by 346%, and employment by 177%, reaching 64,384 jobs in 2022-23.
Professor Tom Rodden, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, said: “We are supporting UUK’s Unis Start Up the UK campaign because it’s vitally important that the role of universities in supporting regional growth, providing a rich talent pool and supporting inward investment and job creation is recognised.
“Through our expertise and know-how, combined with the world-class research that is synonymous with the University of Nottingham, we have established an eco-system that supports new start-ups and spin outs.
“Whatever the route to market, and be it led by students and staff or our commercial team, our entrepreneurial spirit and the drive to translate our research and innovation into tangible benefits for society are at the heart of everything we do.”
The University of Nottingham’s Nottingham Technology Ventures team helps turn university research into real-world solutions, through the commercialisation of intellectual property and support to founders. It currently manages a portfolio totalling almost 40 spin-out companies, which are developing cutting-edge technologies in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and the environment, digital, and materials and manufacturing.
The university, as part of the eight Midlands Innovation universities, has launched an investment fund, Midlands Mindforge Ltd. Mindforge aims to raise up to £250m to accelerate the commercialisation of the transformational technologies being developed by the spin-out portfolio, further highlighting the potential for driving economic growth across the region and beyond.
Meanwhile, the university’s Ingenuity Lab provides students and alumni with the space and resources to explore their business ideas and start their own enterprises. Based at the Ingenuity Centre on Jubilee Campus, it fosters an innovative community of entrepreneurs, working together to develop ideas, encourage radical innovation and produce exciting new start-ups. Through its Ingenuity impact programme, it has provided £1 million in seed funding to create 489 new ventures to address local social and environmental challenges.
Nottingham’s entrepreneurial graduates are also making an impact, as reflected in a study by PitchBook, a source of data, research, and insights on global capital markets. It analysed 167,000 university alumni from European universities who have successfully founded companies and raised venture capital in the last 10 years. The study revealed 175 of these founders attended the University of Nottingham – which was ranked as a top 10 university in Europe. UK fusion energy project set to boost economy with thousands of jobs
A new economic impact assessment predicts significant long-term financial benefits from the UK’s prototype fusion energy power plant, STEP, set to be built in West Burton, Nottinghamshire. The project, led by UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS), part of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), is expected to be operational by 2040 and drive economic growth through job creation and investment.
The report forecasts that the construction phase will generate over 1,000 jobs annually in Nottinghamshire, adding £86 million annually to the local economy. Once operational, the facility is expected to create 2,760 jobs annually, contributing £210 million per year. Across the East Midlands, the total impact is estimated at nearly 3,000 construction jobs and over 6,400 operational roles, boosting the regional economy by £725 million annually.
The project also includes plans for a skills centre and business park, further supporting economic growth. Local councils, including Nottinghamshire County Council and Bassetlaw District Council, partnered with UKIFS to commission the study, which Amion Consulting conducted.
The STEP programme is expected to provide substantial opportunities for regional businesses, infrastructure development, and supply chain contracts, with economic benefits projected well beyond 2065.
Historic Leicester building to become premium student accommodation
Student accommodation provider true student has secured planning permission to convert the former Freeman, Hardy and Willis building on Rutland Street, Leicester, into a 472-bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development.
Located near the city centre and serving students from De Montfort University and the University of Leicester, the project will retain historic site elements, which dates back to 1876. The building, previously a footwear retailer’s headquarters and later the International Hotel, has been vacant for over a decade.
This marks true student’s second East Midlands development, alongside its Nottingham project. The Leicester site will feature 1,758 sqm of social space, including a 465 sqm gym, yoga and boxing areas, co-working spaces, private study zones, a cinema, and a dedicated event space. A cycle hub with 238 spaces will support Leicester’s cycling infrastructure.
Sustainability is a key focus, with the retrofit approach reducing carbon emissions by preserving much of the existing structure. The development will also include sustainable urban drainage systems and provisions for solar panels.
true student’s “true life” programme, designed to foster student wellbeing and community engagement, will be a core feature of the new accommodation, offering events and workshops aimed at personal and professional development. The first students are expected to move in by summer.
Nottingham Venues to make £1m investment in Orchard Hotel and Bramley’s Restaurant
Nottingham Venues’ Orchard Hotel and Bramley’s Restaurant, located within the University of Nottingham campus, is being transformed, with a significant refurbishment project currently underway.
The Orchard Hotel’s lobby, mezzanine, bar area and Bramley’s restaurant is being re-designed to create a new layout and environment to enhance the guest experience for both corporate and leisure guests.
The £1 million project will transform the ground floor of the hotel, creating a stylish space where guests can gather for coffee, drinks and dinner. The bar will be repositioned and expanded, and the guest check-in area will be relocated to the front of the lobby, ensuring a more seamless arrival experience. Work is expected to be completed in April 2025.
The hotel’s restaurant, Bramley’s, is also undergoing a full reimagination to create a welcoming environment for both corporate and leisure guests.
With a vision to establish Bramley’s as a premier dining destination in Nottingham, Nottingham Venues has appointed David Cartwright as Head Chef. Cartwright, formerly the Head Chef at the renowned fine dining restaurant World Service, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to elevate the restaurant’s culinary offering.
The bar will also be enhanced, with a newly appointed Bar Manager overseeing an expanded cocktail menu and a selection of small plates and casual dining options will be available throughout the day.
The refurbishment project is currently underway and is being carefully managed to ensure The Orchard Hotel remained open, with the team working diligently to minimise disruption to guests.
Tom Waldron-Lynch, CEO of Nottingham Venues, said: “This refurbishment marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing outstanding hospitality. We want to create an enhanced space where all guests will want to spend time in, particularly our corporate guests who want to unwind and socialise following meetings or conferences at the adjacent East Midlands Conference Centre.
“Our Bramley’s restaurant is a huge focus for us, and I am looking forward to seeing the restaurant develop in the coming months. We want to put the restaurant on the food map in Nottingham and create a high-quality restaurant that people in Nottingham want to visit, along with our corporate guests.
“The new environment will help this, but we are also refining our food and beverage offering, with a real focus on sustainable sourcing of quality produce. The new menu David is creating will help us to showcase this produce to create a memorable experience for our guests.”
Lincolnshire offers free business advice to struggling farmers
Lincolnshire County Council funds business advice sessions to support farmers facing financial and regulatory challenges. The initiative, part of the Lincolnshire Farm Support Programme, follows a £50,000 funding boost in December to help farming businesses plan for the future.
Farmers can access one-on-one advice or group workshops on business planning, cash flow management, diversification, and succession planning. Savills delivers the sessions, which are coordinated by the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub.
The council cited concerns over rising costs from National Living Wage and National Insurance increases and the sudden closure of the government’s Sustainable Farming Initiative, which previously provided guaranteed income for environmental land management.
