< Previous10 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk FINANCE NEWS University secures backing for collaboration with financial technology firm The University of Derby has secured government funding for a new knowledge transfer partnership with a company at the cutting edge of the financial sector. Aquis Exchange PLC and the University are to collaborate on a research and development project based around machine learning, with the aim of enhancing the company’s ability to monitor trading behaviour and identify abuses within financial markets. Machine learning is the study of computer algorithms which adapt and improve through experience, and a form of artificial intelligence. The University’s role is to recruit recent graduates with the skills required by the company to undertake the project and ensure that Aquis remains a specialist provider of innovative technology to the finance sector. The partnership is backed by a £151,000 government grant delivered by Innovate UK, which enables businesses to use KTPs to improve productivity and performance by providing the funding to take forward new ideas. Jackie Edwards, Knowledge Exchange Manager at the University of Derby, said: “We are delighted to have secured this partnership with Aquis Exchange, and to be supporting the company’s objective of establishing itself as one of the leading suppliers of market trading surveillance.” Alasdair Haynes, CEO of Aquis Exchange, added: “We are very excited to be working with the University of Derby to develop further our ML and AI capabilities for surveillance. We firmly believe that this is where the future of surveillance lies and our philosophy at Aquis is to be always at the cutting edge of innovation.” The University has worked on KTPs with companies in a variety of different industries, from engineering to tourism, including one to measure the economic impact of Chatsworth House, the Derbyshire home of the Duke of Devonshire. Corby construction technology company lands £600k funding package Corby-based Green Life Buildings Ltd has received a £600,000 funding package from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) East & South East Midlands Debt Finance, managed by Maven Capital Partners. The funding will enable the company, which specialises in developing construction technology, to expand its operations and create seven new jobs. As part of its funding plans, Green Life Buildings will be increasing its manufacturing and distribution capacity. Chris Williams, Managing Director at Green Life Buildings said: “We are very pleased to have received the funding package from MEIF. This will enable us to scale our supply across the UK by increasing our manufacturing capability to deliver the innovative and efficient M2 Advanced Building system to more customers.” Graham Hall, Investment Manager at Maven said: “The M2 Advanced Building system is an advanced and proven construction technology, perfectly suited to the UK’s undersupplied housing construction market. We’re excited to partner with Chris and his team and look forward to backing them for continued growth.” Hilary Chipping, SEMLEP Chief Executive, said: “Our area will be at the forefront of the UK’s green recovery so it’s great to hear of the expansion of Green Life Buildings and the new jobs it is creating in this important sector. It’s crucial that we support our innovative businesses to access the investment they need to pursue their growth plans, particularly at this time.” Lewis Stringer, Senior Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “This investment in Green Life Buildings is evidence that MEIF and its fund managers, such as Maven, remain active and open to supporting innovative businesses looking to grow in the East and South East Midlands.” Wealth management business completes acquisition Mattioli Woods plc, the specialist wealth management and employee benefits business, has completed the acquisition of Hurley Partners Limited, the private client adviser and asset management business, following receipt of regulatory approval. The management team from Hurley Partners will be retained by Mattioli Woods following the acquisition, working together to maintain long term client relationships. Founded in 2013, Hurley Partners provides bespoke and holistic financial advice to over 300 client family groups and enjoys a strong regional presence through its three offices in London, Leatherhead and Manchester. Ian Mattioli, Chief Executive Officer of Mattioli Woods said: “We are pleased to complete our acquisition of Hurley Partners, which is an important step for the Group as we continue to expand and develop our client services. “Like Mattioli Woods, Hurley Partners offers its clients specialist knowledge, expertise and services which underpin the cultural and strategic rationale for our coming together and highlights how Hurley Partners is a great fit with our existing business.” Tony Hurley, Chairman of Hurley Partners Limited, added: “We are delighted to now be working together as part of a strong and progressive wealth management group at Mattioli Woods. “We believe our clients will see tangible benefits as a result of us being part of a larger group. With all of our employees remaining in place as part of the newly combined Group and continuing to operate from the same locations with the highest level of commitment and personal service, we continue to put clients at the heart of everything we do.” 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:27 Page 5FINANCE NEWS Emergency communications system provider snapped up by Swedish firm Sdiptech AB has acquired all shares in Alerter Group Ltd, a Derby-based technology company providing emergency communications systems for disabled people. Alerter Group specialise in radio-based fire alarm systems for deaf and hard of hearing people, radio-based emergency disabled refuge systems, and other adaptable radio-based communication systems for high risk workplaces. The company has a turnover of approximately £3 million. Jakob Holm, CEO of Sdiptech, said: “We are delighted to welcome Alerter Group to Sdiptech. Through their radio-based rescue system that sends out emergency messages and enables direct communication with rescue personnel, disabled people get a better chance to get out of a burning building. And by doing so, more lives can be saved.” Alerter Group is Sdiptech’s sixth British business unit and will be included in the Special Infrastructure Solutions business area from July 2020. Anders Mattson, Business Area Manager at Sdiptech, said: “I look forward to continue developing the company together with the Haseldine family and the entire team at Alerter Group. High quality and reliable fire alarm systems are essential to create safe societies. Alerter Group’s strong niche and market leading position within the industry makes it a perfect fit for us.” CBILS sees production kick off at football scarf manufacturer A Leicestershire manufacturer that supplies scarves, hats and memorabilia to all 20 Premier League football teams has resumed full operations after calling full-time on its coronavirus lockdown, with support from Lloyds Bank. Brookes Jordan netted a six-figure loan from Lloyds Bank as part of the Government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to support the business after the pandemic halted production at its factory in Barwell, on the outskirts of Leicestershire. The Brookes Jordan team will be returning at full strength after the support package enabled the firm to secure the jobs of all 65 employees at its Barwell site. Now, following the easing of restrictions, the loan has helped the firm get the ball rolling again to quickly meet growing demand following the return of the Premier League and other sporting competitions around the world. The business is once again exporting its products to European football teams and leading NBA and NFL sides in the United States. In total, exports account for around 10 per cent of the business’ income. With the 2020/21 football season also on the horizon, the firm is anticipating a growing order book and is preparing to introduce new products. Trudy Doyle, director at Brookes Jordan, said: “We’re proud of our role in the local community here in Barwell, so it was a priority for us to ensure that we were able to keep all of our staff together. “The funding we received made this possible and we’ve been able to resume production of our high-quality, locally-made goods to help fly the flag for British manufacturers across the globe. “The support and guidance that the Lloyds Bank team provided has been vital in helping us to navigate this turbulent period. We look forward to developing our relationship with them as we continue towards recovery.” Noshad Khowaja, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank, said: “Brookes Jordan is an excellent example of a British manufacturer that has enjoyed significant growth both at home and abroad in recent years. Like many businesses, the coronavirus outbreak posed a number of challenges, but it’s been encouraging to see them returning to more normal business operations.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 11 © Shutterstock /corund © Shutterstock /Electric Egg 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:27 Page 6Chesterfield manufacturer grows workforce as post lockdown order book booms A booming post lockdown order book has prompted a Chesterfield manufacturer to create new full-time jobs, significantly increasing its workforce by more than 20 per cent. Blachford UK, based in Holmewood, is looking for 20 people to fulfil a number of jobs and add to its growing work force. The available roles include multi-skilled maintenance engineers, apprentices, FLT Drivers and production operatives. The pandemic left the business fearing for its future after it was forced to furlough all staff and shut the factory down for four weeks. After implementing social distancing measures and being given the green light by the Government to re-open, Blachford has since been met with unexpected demand for its acoustic insulation products which it produces for industrial vehicles. Managing Director Jason Lippitt explained: “It’s a complete turnaround situation and a very enviable position to be in considering the current economic climate. Like many manufacturers, lockdown came as a real blow to us and created uncertainty in the business. “However, since re-opening the factory, orders from our European and British customers have flooded in, securing the future of Blachford and creating brand new jobs. It’s a great sign for the local economy and manufacturing as a whole.” Jason added: “All these new roles are part of the company’s growing future. It’s vital to me that all employees progress successfully in their career with Blachford and, more importantly, enjoy being part of a fantastic team.” 12 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MANUFACTURING NEWS Two thirds of East Midlands SME manufacturers furlough staff A new report is asking Government for further support if manufacturing SMEs in the East Midlands are going to overcome the delay in volumes returning following the impact of COVID-19. The latest Manufacturing Barometer, the largest survey of SME manufacturers in England, highlighted that two thirds of firms in the region took the decision to furlough staff and almost a third (30%) have already made redundancies as they look to get through the economic shock of the pandemic. Worryingly, this figure is set to remain the same as the job retention scheme tapers off, with 32% indicating further job losses between now and the end of the year. Conducted by SWMAS (South West Manufacturing Advisory Service) and the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), the report showed that 34% of companies had accessed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans, whilst the same number have taken advantage of Bounce Back loans. 21% of management teams have already taken additional financial steps to protect their businesses, including personal loans and re-mortgaging commercial or residential properties. Martin Coats, Managing Director at MGP, said: “64% of manufacturers have told us that they are either just surviving or recovering and this, along with the other data, tells us that there is an urgent need for further business support, which the Government could help with. “Industry is very resilient, but it is very difficult to plan for sales stopping overnight across numerous sectors and then you’ve got the added complications of supply chain interruptions and trying to organise factories that are COVID-19 secure.” Sharp decline for manufacturing activity but gradual recovery expected UK manufacturers reported that output volumes in the three months to July fell at a similar pace to the quarter to June, according to the latest CBI quarterly Industrial Trends Survey. However, firms expect output to begin to recover in the coming months, marking the first time that manufacturers have anticipated output to grow since the COVID-19 crisis hit. The survey of 356 manufacturing firms saw total new orders in the three months to July fall at their fastest pace since October 1980. Within this, domestic orders and export orders declined at record paces. The COVID-19 crisis continues to weigh heavily on investment plans, as the shares of manufacturers citing uncertainty about demand and cash flow-related concerns as factors to limit investment reached survey-record highs. But there are some early signs that the worst might be behind us. Business sentiment stabilised in the three months to July, following a survey-record plunge in April while export sentiment fell at a slower pace following a record decline last quarter. Investment spending for the year ahead is still planned to be cut back sharply, but to a lesser degree than in April. And total new orders and domestic orders are expected to pick up in the next three months, while export orders are anticipated to fall at a slower pace. Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Economist, said: “Manufacturers continue to face extreme hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis. Output volumes continued to decline at a record pace, while total orders have fallen at their fastest rate since October 1980. “There are tentative signs of gradual recovery on the horizon, with firms expecting output and orders to begin to pick up in the next three months. But demand still remains deeply depressed.: © Shutterstock /Matej Kastelic Jason Lippitt, MD of Blachford UK 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:28 Page 7www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 13 MANUFACTURING NEWS Nottingham researchers in €8m project to help SMEs adopt cloud-networked manufacturing The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham is part of a new €8m initiative to drive cloud-based on-demand manufacturing among small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Europe. The EU-funded, Horizon 2020 initiative, called DIGITbrain, will give SMEs easy access to digital twins – a virtual model of a product, process or service in a manufacturing machine, line or plant. Digital twins use data analysis and simulation to monitor systems to control production quality and optimise performance, before problems can occur, thereby reducing costs. DIGITbrain aims to take the digital twin concept a step further – developing a ‘Digital Product Brain’ which will store data throughout the entire life cycle of a production line or a machine. By collecting all this data, it will be possible to customise and set-up machines and/or production assets for very specific manufacturing tasks, whenever needed. Manufacturers need lots of standard and specialised equipment to get products out the door. This is a serious amount of overhead and investment burden for an entrepreneur or small company. DIGITbrain will give SMEs the means to work to a new AI-based production model, called Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS). MaaS is a way to distribute and share the functions that are most critical in manufacturing today and lowers barriers of entry for companies. MaaS allows them to use a third party’s infrastructure to turn their concept into a reality. Doing this saves considerable investment expenses, as well as the cost of labour, maintenance and upgrades. It also helps us use resources more effectively, as services in the cloud. MaaS also allows for on-demand manufacture of much more specialised products, even in smaller quantities and still in a profitable way. Derby launches bid for new advanced manufacturing centre Derby city leaders have launched a bid for Government funding to establish a new advanced manufacturing research centre in the city – creating 70 jobs and helping to reboot the local economy after the coronavirus crisis. The move follows the success of a pilot project run over the past 18 months and would see a new partnership formed to help businesses in the region boost employment through innovation. The £20m initiative would create a new permanent home on Derby’s Infinity Park for the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, an organisation which helps companies develop new techniques and processes to win work in the nuclear sector and tackle manufacturing challenges in automotive, rail, aerospace, renewable energy and other high-value sectors. It would also become a base for the University of Derby’s Institute of Innovation in Sustainable Engineering, which has developed an international reputation for innovation in design, manufacturing, product lifecycle management and the application of new and smart materials. The project is viewed as a key part of the city’s post-COVID economic recovery strategy and would provide businesses with access to cutting edge research and development facilities to help them diversify, grow and create new jobs. The initiative is being supported by Derby City Council, the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, the university and Nuclear AMRC and a funding bid has been submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Nuclear AMRC is part of the Government-supported High-Value Manufacturing Catapult, which bridges the gap between industry and academia to bring innovative ideas into commercial reality. It set up a pilot operation at the iHub on Derby’s Infinity Park in February last year and since then has worked on projects with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Sellafield nuclear plant and has collaborated with East Midlands universities on renewable energy and decarbonising transport initiatives. Andrew Storer, Chief Executive at Nuclear AMRC, said Derby was a perfect location to expand the organisation’s operations. “Derby already has a base in civil nuclear through Rolls-Royce, with whom we work as part of the UK small modular reactor consortium. We are anticipating increased investment into clean energy and low- carbon technologies, which can play a significant role in helping the city and region rebound from the pandemic slowdown and deliver sustainable growth for decades to come. “We have initiatives in place to support the wider supply chain and help them capitalise on opportunity. We also hope to support diversification in sectors such as aerospace and automotive.” © Shutterstock /Willyam Bradberry 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:28 Page 8PROPERTY NEWS Job creating site wins outline planning approval Stirlin has secured outline planning approval from West Lindsey District Council for its new development: Enterprise West Lindsey. Working in partnership with Castle Square Securities and Banks Long & Co, Stirlin have been given the green light for the new site, which means more than 400 new county jobs are now one step closer. Stirlin Developments Managing Director, James Kirby, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have secured outline planning permission. This scheme has been several years in the making and it will provide opportunities for many many years to come. We first identified the site in 2015, as an obvious and required extension of our Saxilby Enterprise Park. “The Saxilby & Ingleby Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan consultation was in full swing and we had to move swiftly to promote our scheme for its inclusion. The Parish Council was fantastic to work with and appreciated the merits of our proposal, with its economic benefits and infrastructure improvements. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group for their assistance and support during the consultation process and beyond.” The 20-acre site will provide more than 200,000 sq ft of space and offer design-and-build requirements from 3,000 sq ft to 30,000 sq ft and a range of freehold and leasehold properties. These will include light industrial, hybrid and office units suitable for a wide range of businesses, from start-ups to small-to-medium enterprises and larger national operators wanting a presence in the Lincoln area. Plans revealed for new 3,500 capacity venue in Derby Plans to deliver a new 3,500 capacity venue in Derby’s Becketwell area have been drawn up by developer St James Securities and Derby City Council. The new entertainment and conference venue will be located in the heart of the city centre on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub. It is expected to be a significant attraction for Derby by adding a much needed new ‘Cultural venue’ but also supporting the regeneration of a long disused site linking the Intu Shopping centre and the Cathedral Quarter. It’s anticipated that the venue will hold hundreds of cultural and commercial events each year, offering a varied programme for local people, and attract an additional quarter of a million visitors to Derby. Over 200 new local jobs are expected to be created giving the city centre economy a significant boost. The scheme is set to generate more than £10m per year for the area, providing a massive stimulus to local businesses. On the announcement Cllr Matthew Homes, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council, said: “We are working together with experienced commercial sector partners to put the best venue option on the table. “This is about creating a vibrant, thriving city centre, and rejuvenating areas that have seen a decline. A new venue like this will significantly aid our recovery efforts and boost business confidence by creating hundreds of jobs, putting millions into the local economy, and make a big contribution to Derby’s future prosperity.” The new music, entertainment and conference events venue will be housed in a purpose-built facility. It will be a fully flexible, scalable space, with a capacity of up to 3,500, with secondary space up to 400 capacity. 14 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Refrigeration specialists move all warehouse and logistical capabilities In a significant restructure of the business, commercial refrigeration specialists Capital Cooling, which has operated from just outside of Edinburgh since 1996, is to move all warehouse and logistical capabilities to Northamptonshire over the coming months. Capital Cooling CEO, Steve Steadman, said: “While Capital Cooling will always have roots in Scotland it was clear to see that the operational side of the business was simply in the wrong part of the country. “More than 80% of our deliveries take place south of the border and by shipping all goods to Edinburgh to then return them back down south for delivery was not only poor for efficiency but also for our environmental impact.” A new operational hub, a 26,000 square foot new build facility just off the A14 in Kettering, will serve the entire UK. It will be home to 24,000 square feet of warehousing while a showroom and 2,000 square foot of office space will be used by the southern based members of the team. This move also allows the business to exit the existing head office just outside of Edinburgh with the team moving to a more modern and sustainable facility just three miles away within the industrial hub of Livingston. 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:28 Page 9PROPERTY NEWS Extra 574,000 sq ft approved at logistics scheme An additional 574,000 sq ft of warehouse and logistics space at a new development in north Derbyshire has been given the go-ahead. Joint venture partners St Francis Group and iSec have secured planning consent for a second phase at Markham Vale’s Horizon29, just off junction 29a of the M1 between Sheffield and Nottingham, for three more industrial units ranging in size from 113,000 sq ft to 250,000 sq ft. The additional planning consent will bring the total space at the landmark scheme to an impressive 1.4m sq ft, with the potential to create more than 2,000 jobs for the region. Work at Horizon29 is already underway with extensive ground works completed and infrastructure changes and highways and service upgrades about to commence. The first phase of the development, for 824,000 sq ft across five units, ranging from 73,000 sq. ft to 310,000 sq ft, was granted planning consent earlier in the year and plots are now available for development. Gareth Williams, Development Director of St Francis Group, an expert in brownfield development and regeneration, said: “We and our partners, iSec, are delighted to have worked closely with the local planning authority in order to deliver this major consent for the second phase of our strategic logistics project, Horizon29 at Markham Vale. “The East Midlands has seen a good take up of large, bespoke industrial premises over the last 12 months. We expect keen interest from a range of occupiers wanting first class accommodation, prime location and labour supply.” Distribution group chooses Kettering industrial development for new warehouse Bunzl plc, the FTSE-100 specialist international distribution and services group, is the first customer at the 70-acre SEGRO Park Kettering Gateway industrial and warehouse development. The 230,000 sq ft warehouse facility is the first to be built at the site, which has outline planning consent to deliver a total of up to 1.2 million sq ft of industrial and warehouse space with buildings ranging from 50,000 – 750,000 sq ft on a flexible freehold/leasehold basis. The Bunzl Retail Division is establishing a new operation at SEGRO Park Kettering Gateway in order to continue to consolidate its warehouse footprint and improve the quality of its operations. The new warehouse will provide a workplace for around 100 people when it opens and will also feature an innovation centre enabling Bunzl to showcase its products and services to customers. Andrew Pilsworth, SEGRO’s Business Unit Director, National Logistics, said: “We understand the importance for our customers of having high-quality, sustainable, well-located and flexible industrial and warehouse space. SEGRO Park Kettering Gateway meets these needs perfectly and we’re pleased that the new facility will help Bunzl deliver its growth strategy, as well as new employment opportunities.” Helen Cockerham, Bunzl Retail’s Divisional Managing Director, said: “Finding the right location for our new warehouse and distribution hub was a critical part of our growth strategy. The location and connectivity, the infrastructure which is already in place, and the speed at which our new facility can be delivered, made SEGRO Park Kettering Gateway a great choice.” A portfolio of five industrial assets in Northamptonshire have been acquired by a £100m multi-let investment fund for a total of £10.4m. Managed by property investment company JR Capital and industrial asset manager Chancerygate, the fund now owns five properties totalling 130,619 sq ft within five miles of Northampton town centre. The properties are located at Brackmills, Moulton Park and Round Spinney industrial estates. The portfolio comprises two multi-let estates and three single-let units and are fully let to 11 tenants. The properties were sold by Edmond de Rothschild Real Estate Investment Management (REIM) on behalf of Highgate Unit Trust. The five assets within the portfolio range between 4,953 sq ft and 64,832 sq ft in size and are located within the heart of the ‘Golden Triangle’. Tenants across the five industrial properties include distributor of toys and collectables, Click Distribution; freight specialists, Normal Global Logistics; healthcare provider, Millbrook Healthcare; and business process automation specialist, Exela Technologies. This marks the second acquisition by the JR Capital and Chancerygate fund in Northamptonshire following its purchase of the 127,550 sq ft Wollaston Industrial Park for £7.24m in September last year. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 15 Northamptonshire industrial properties snapped up in £10.4m deal 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:28 Page 1016 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk COMMERCIAL PROPERTY I n order to ensure efficiencies and meet increasing demand for speedy deliveries, the East Midlands requires a constant influx of new warehouses, logistics and distribution parks and modern, fit-for-purpose infrastructure. In this article, we’ll touch on some of the latest developments that are helping our region maintain its reputation as one of the nation’s most important logistics hot spots as demand continues to rise, especially in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Firstly this issue, we focus on the approval of plans to develop land at Cowthick Plantation in Stanion for employment use that have recently been approved by Corby Borough Council. The plans for the site – currently agricultural arable farmland and part woodland – will involve the development of up to 4.35 million square foot of warehousing and ancillary buildings, with additional floor space provided in the form of mezzanines. The applicants – Greatline Developments and Mulberry Developments – note that the campus style logistics development could accommodate approximately 7,112 employees. Despite receiving numerous objections, the council have approved the plans, admitting the benefits far outweigh the potential drawbacks. “The site offered is considered to be highly accessible and appropriate to a logistics use fulfilling locational/accessibility objectives to take advantage of Corby’s geographical advantages. It is considered that the loss of the openness of the site can be adequately compensated for by appropriate conditions and commuted payments,” the council said in a statement. “Officers acknowledge that the building of a logistics proposal on the logistics With its central location and the presence of the so-called ‘golden triangle’ of logistics, the East Midlands is critical to the storage and distribution of goods the length and breadth of the country. Here, we shine a light on some of the latest developments bolstering the region’s logistics capabilities. subject site results in some difficult choices, but taking all factors into consideration with this application, it is considered that the over-riding socioeconomic benefits of providing future jobs in the magnitude offered have been demonstrated to outweigh the loss of the site and any negative aspects.” In mid-July, real estate company SEGRO completed the development of a new 177,500 square foot warehouse distribution facility for fantasy miniature manufacturer Games Workshop at SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway (SLPEMG) ahead of schedule. Games Workshop signed a fifteen-year lease for the unit which will become the Shining a light on 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:31 Page 1main distribution hub when it is operational in Autumn 2020. It joins other customers such as Amazon, XPO Logistics, Kuehne & Nagel and ShopDirect on the 700-acre flagship site. As part of the development of SLPEMG, a £100 million infrastructure project has created a new by-pass around the local village of Kegworth, a new route to connect the site via a bridge over the M1 motorway and highway improvement works. To date, over two million square foot of space has been let at SLPEMG contributing www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 17 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 19 Á © Shutterstock /Kletr © Shutterstock /Jat306 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:31 Page 2Armstrong house Offering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House on Armstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports of Grimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre, off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors, meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming offices are located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. At Armstrong House, the flexible in/out terms of contract mean confidence when it comes to affordability and with a range of office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. If you require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 per month. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements, give Scotts Property a call today on 01472 267000 and ask about Armstrong House. Last remaining office suites Prime location in Grimsby Superb Location - - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre Secure off street parking High speed internet availability Easy in/out terms A range of affordable office sizes 3 3 3 3 3 Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 • Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk www .shutter stoc k.com/ter ekho v igor www .shutter stoc k.com/Y entafer n 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:31 Page 3www .shutter stoc k.com/Y entafer n to job creation in the local and surrounding areas. The development is forecasted to create over 7,000 jobs on site, 900 construction jobs and 3,000 indirect jobs. Lastly, we look at the coming together of key funds for a major new regionally strategic logistics and manufacturing site. The site in Bolsover, Derbyshire – adjacent to J29a of the M1 between Sheffield and Nottingham – has secured a £15.25 million senior and mezzanine debt facility to facilitate the development of a premier logistics hub. The funding was provided by the South Yorkshire Pension Fund together with the SCR JESSICA Fund in its first joint loan. Both funds are managed CBRE’s Investment Advisory team, part of CBRE Capital Advisors. The Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire D2N2 LEP has contributed a further £5.8 million of grant funding towards land preparation work, readying the site for development. Derbyshire County Council has also committed a further £2 million grant. The Horizon 29 scheme, being delivered by joint venture partners iSec and St Francis Group, will bring forward a total of ninety-four acres of employment land that can deliver 1.4 million square foot of development. The regeneration project will create more than 2,000 jobs for the region. Just a week after the joint funding was announced, an additional 574,000 square foot of warehouse and logistics space at the development was the go- ahead. St Francis Group and iSec secured planning consent for a second phase for three more industrial units ranging in size from 113,000 square foot to 250,000 square foot. The additional planning consent will bring the total space at the landmark scheme to an impressive 1.4 million square foot, with the potential to create more than 2,000 jobs for the region. Work at Horizon29 is already underway with extensive ground works completed and infrastructure changes and highways and service upgrades about to commence. “The East Midlands has seen a good take up of large, bespoke industrial premises over the last 12 months,” said Gareth Williams, Development Director of St Francis Group. “We expect keen interest from a range of occupiers wanting first class accommodation, prime location and labour supply.” Of course, these latest developments only just scrape the surface of the pipeline in progress across our region, but each are crucial for ensuring the East Midlands can continue to meet demand as well as scale-up and excel. © Shutterstock /zhu difeng www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 19 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 11:31 Page 4Next >