Planning granted for £42m residential development in Edwinstowe
Housebuilder Honey will build 114 new three-, four- and five-bedroom homes in Edwinstowe after being granted planning permission for a £42m development.
Called Homes by honey at Thoresby Vale, the development is located off Ollerton Road and is part of the wider Thoresby Vale masterplan.
Homes by honey at Thoresby Vale will comprise 12 of Honey’s house types and include semi-detached and detached properties.
Located on the former Thoresby Colliery, Thoresby Vale is a redevelopment masterplan to create a new sustainable community. Once complete, it will comprise 800 new homes, a new primary school, a local centre and up to 250,000 sq ft of commercial space.
Work at Homes by honey at Thoresby Vale is scheduled to start in September. Honey anticipates that the first residents will move into their new homes in June 2025.
Honey chief executive officer, Mark Mitchell, said: “Homes by honey at Thoresby Vale will help satisfy the demand from those living in, or wanting to move to, Edwinstowe for high quality, high specification new homes.
“We have seen significant interest from prospective buyers since announcing our plans and the development will deliver a range of new homes well suited to first-time buyers, families and downsizers.
“With planning now being granted, we look forward to starting works at the site and launching the first homes for sale which combine style, substance and sustainability for the benefit of our buyers.”
Amey wins contract for hard FM services at Nottinghamshire prison
Amey has been awarded a contract to manage hard FM services at HMP Lowdham Grange, a Category B training prison in Nottinghamshire for adult male offenders.
Amey Business Director Pete Mathieson said: “We have been a strategic partner to the Ministry of Justice for several years and have a unique understanding of what is needed to deliver facilities management services within these complex sites. “HMP Lowdham Grange has a unique set of challenges, and we will be working collaboratively with existing personnel and the prison team to ensure the site is returned to a stable condition.”Amey has been supporting existing employees with initial mobilisation activities, ensuring they have the right resources, support, and guidance to transition smoothly into Amey’s ways of operating. The existing maintenance team TUPED over when the contract went live in August, with additional vacant positions expected to be filled in the coming weeks.
Partnering with clients that include the Ministry of Justice, HM Courts & Tribunals, and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, Amey looks after 64 high-profile prison sites as well as providing services that support the wider judicial system. Its expert teams offer everything from planning and secure prisoner transportation, to maintaining and enhancing courthouses and secure premises.
Charity looks to business community for new members of Board of Trustees
The charity Framework is recruiting new members to its Board of Trustees and is encouraging members of the business community to apply.
Framework provides housing, health, employment and support services to people with a wide range of needs across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Sheffield.
Its 70 services support more than 18,000 people annually and accommodate more than 1,300 people at any one time.
Framework’s Chief Executive Andrew Redfern explains: “These are important appointments as the Board is responsible for the charity’s governance, strategy and financial wellbeing.
“We are keen to attract applicants from the areas where we work – people who share our values and ethos and are committed to making a difference in the life chances of the people we support.
“We welcome applicants from all walks of life, preferably with experience of board membership, and are particularly looking for people with expertise in Finance and Risk, and Housing and Supported Housing.
“We are asking for help to identify suitable candidates for this vital role. It could be you, or someone you know. Please encourage them to apply.”
One of Framework’s current board members, Professor Sheona MacLeod, Director of Education and Training at NHS England, explained why she became involved and why the work is so fulfilling: “I applied to join the Framework Board having heard from another Trustee how rewarding he had found it, how impactful he thought the organisation was, and how much it made a difference to individuals.
“I also heard from friends working in other charities about how Framework provided for people whom everyone else forgot or ignored, and that it was a really positive organisation with lots of drive to make things better.
“As a trustee you bring a different and external perspective to help an already excellent executive team look at their work critically and see how they could be better.
“By offering challenge where you think there are other considerations or missed risks and opportunities, and by offering praise where they are doing well, you help the executive team and organisation be realistic and pragmatic in their decisions about their work, investments and future.
“If you are looking to use your experience and expertise to benefit wider society or to ‘give something back’, and to work with some dedicated and inspirational people then Framework would be a rewarding choice.
“By working with people who are most in need, and most forgotten, we create a better, more caring society for everyone. The aim of ending homelessness, the dedication of staff to achieve this, and the satisfaction in seeing the real difference the organisation makes to individuals, is something I have greatly valued.”
Full details and the application process can be found at www.frameworkha.org/board. The closing date is Friday 4 October.
Matlock Town Football Club secures investment from local businessman
Matlock Town Football Club has secured significant investment from a local businessman.
The investment aims to allow the club to attract high calibre players to become a future contender for promotion.
It will also, in the long term, help the club build on its financial sustainability.
A statement from the football club says: “Matlock Town Football Club can confirm that an agreement has been reached that secures significant investment from a local businessman with immediate effect.
“This investment will, in the short-term, enable the club to attract high calibre players to initially help maintain its NPL Premier Division status, and then aim to become a future contender for promotion.
“In the long-term, this investment will enable the club to build on its financial sustainability, whilst maintaining the community, fan-led ethos that will always remain pivotal to the structure of Matlock Town FC.”
Label manufacturer acquired out of administration
Schades, a supplier of POS rolls and labels, and subsidiary of Harbour Investment GmbH in Germany, has acquired Hamilton Adhesive Labels (HAL) out of administration.
HAL, a Leicestershire-based private label manufacturer, has been working with brands across the UK and Europe for over 32 years, including some of the largest household brands.
Schades will acquire all assets, including inventory, intellectual property and customer contracts.
Schades intends to make the necessary investments to further strengthen HAL’s competitiveness and expand its sales and manufacturing capabilities.
Jack Hugill, Managing Director of Schades Ltd, said: “We are delighted to welcome Hamilton Adhesive Labels to the Schades family. This acquisition is a significant opportunity to strengthen our position in the label manufacturing market and deliver greater value to our customers.”
Jun Park, CEO of Schades Group, said: “We are very pleased because the Group is implementing a long-term transformation strategy to drive sustainable growth and the acquisition of HAL is a strategic fit, delivering significant synergies with our existing UK operations and strengthening the Group’s label business capabilities.
“We made this acquisition through exceptionally quick process with our own resource and strengths.”
UK roadshow to visit West Northamptonshire’s small businesses
Small businesses in West Northamptonshire will be put on the map by the Small Business Saturday campaign later this year, after plans were announced to bring its next national roadshow to the area this autumn.
The Tour will visit local businesses in Northampton on Monday, 18 November 2024 as part of a month-long journey across the UK, telling the inspirational stories of the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses and spotlighting the real people and communities behind them.
Supported by BT, the Tour will visit small businesses in over twenty UK towns and cities, undertaking ‘behind-the-scenes’ style scenes, interviewing local business owners and sharing these across social media.
The Tour marks the official countdown to Small Business Saturday later in the year on 7 December.
A grassroots, non-commercial campaign, Small Business Saturday celebrates small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and to support businesses in their communities. Running for over a decade the campaign is backed by principal supporter American Express and has engaged millions of people and seen billions of pounds spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday.
Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure at WNC, said: “We are so proud to be working with Small Business Saturday UK to bring a focus on West Northants and it is fantastic that our local businesses will be recognised by the national Small Business Saturday campaign.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the unique and diverse businesses that make our community vibrant and thriving. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and campaigns like this highlight their invaluable contribution. This is why we are so dedicated to supporting every local enterprise & providing funding to enable inclusive, sustainable growth across all of West Northants.
“We encourage everyone to join us in celebrating and supporting these businesses, not only on 7 December, but throughout the year. Let’s continue to ‘shop local’ and ensure the success and growth of our small business community.”
Alongside the roadshow, the campaign will also offer a month of dedicated free online support for small businesses in the UK. This includes daily webinars and mentoring covering a wide range of relevant topics, as well as insight sessions with small businesses and industry experts.
Michelle Ovens CBE, director of Small Business Saturday UK, said: “Small Business Saturday has always been about supporting and celebrating the UK’s fantastic entrepreneurs and the amazing contribution they make to local communities all across the UK.
“Small businesses sit at the heart of communities like West Northants forming the cornerstone of local economies. We are really excited to have Small Business Saturday’s Tour visit the area and shine an important light on all the fabulous small businesses here, as well as all across the UK, bringing to life their brilliant and unique stories and impact.”
Travelling over 3,000 miles The Tour will make use of electric vehicles to reduce emissions and reflect the sustainable switches many small business owners are making, as part of their vital role in the race to net zero.
Chris Sims, BT’s Managing Director for Small and Medium Enterprise, said: “Given the massive role that small businesses can play in helping to boost the UK economy it’s important that we give Britain’s entrepreneurs all the support they need to succeed.
“The Tour is a brilliant way for small businesses across the country to get tailored support around growing their capability for the future. We are delighted to be supporting this effort once again, through our Skills for Tomorrow offering, which has helped over one million entrepreneurs grow their small businesses with free digital skills training.”
Council sets sights on key puzzle piece to deliver vision for Greyfriars, Northampton
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has taken an exciting step forward in delivering its ambition for the future of Greyfriars as it seeks to purchase the Corn Exchange.
The Corn Exchange has stood empty in the heart of Northampton Town Centre for more than a decade. Many people enjoyed spending time at the former Cinema then Chicago Rock Cafe before closing its doors.
WNC has worked with local residents and businesses through a two-stage public consultation to deliver the ambitious vision for Greyfriars. The 14-acre area is set to amplify a forgotten piece of the town into a new neighbourhood which will encompass multi-generational living, dedicated green space and entertaining space, while improving connectivity to the town centre with improved transport routes.
The vacant Corn Exchange sits at the heart of the Greyfriars masterplan, providing a direct link between the new activities at Greyfriars and the core town centre, currently the Greyfriars area is severed off from the town centre and effectively an island.
If the acquisition is successful and plans are approved, the Corn Exchange will be a cultural anchor for the Greyfriars project, creating a new performance and creativity hub and leisure destination, attracting significant footfall and investment into the town.
Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture, and Leisure at WNC, said: “We are passionate about transforming Northampton Town Centre into a vibrant hub where everyone across West Northamptonshire and beyond can shop, dine, and enjoy all that the area has to offer. The acquisition of the Corn Exchange is a pivotal step in the ambitious regeneration of the 14-acre Greyfriars site.
“This long-neglected property, vacant for over a decade, occupies a key spot overlooking the soon-to-be revitalised Market Square and backing directly onto the Greyfriars site. We’re excited to move forward with this purchase, bringing it into our bold vision for Greyfriars, and breathing new life into the building as a dynamic community venue that will once again serve and inspire the local community.”
The proposals to purchase the Corn Exchange will be considered by WNC’s cabinet on 17 September, and if approved for recommendation will be presented by WNC’s full Council on 26 September.
JD Sports warehouse to close in Derby
Almost 200 jobs have been lost at a JD Sports warehouse on Derby Commercial Park, following the decision to close the distribution centre.
Staff were told on Friday that they were being let go following a six week consultation period, according to BBC reports.
A process is said to be in place to see if there are alternative roles within the business for employees affected.
It follows the retailer signing a 20-year lease on the 514,000 sq ft distribution centre just three years ago.
Elsewhere in Derby, it was recently announced that JD will more than double the size of its existing 9,397 sq ft presence at Derbion. Set to open towards the end of this year, the new 20,175 sq ft flagship store will showcase brands including Nike, Adidas, The North Face, Jordan and EA7.
Focus presents £6,000 to BASE 51 after Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
Multi-disciplinary consultancy Focus has handed over £6,000 to Nottingham-based charity BASE 51 after completing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge.
The company undertook the challenge as part of Focus’s 30th anniversary celebrations.
Founded in Nottingham in 1994 and now with offices in London and Leicester, the Focus team wanted to mark the occasion by helping a local charity.
The donation will support BASE 51’s vital services, which provide crucial support and resources to young people in the Nottingham area, including mental health support, educational programmes, and recreational activities. The funds raised by Focus will help continue and expand upon these essential services that already have a positive impact on those in the local community.
Recently, two representatives from Focus, Managing Partner Jason Redfearn and Senior Consultant George Jones, presented a cheque for £6,000 to BASE 51. This impressive total was made possible by the support and contributions from clients, friends, family, and the dedicated efforts of the Focus team.
Jason Redfearn said: “Completing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge was an exhilarating experience for all of us, but the true highlight was the overwhelming support we received from our clients, friends, and family. We are deeply grateful for the generosity shown and are honoured to support BASE 51’s incredible work with this donation.”
Verity Woods, Head of Fundraising & Events at BASE 51, commented on the donation: “We were delighted that Focus chose to support Base 51 with their Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge, as a local charity the support of business makes a huge difference to our work – the money they raised will help provide over 80 hours of counselling for young people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Thank you to everyone who took part and donated!”
The Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge, which involves hiking over 24 miles and climbing three of Yorkshire’s tallest peaks—Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough— in under 12 hours, was a formidable challenge for the Focus team. However, the sense of camaraderie and the motivation to support BASE 51 kept the team going.
Leicester hotel secures funding package
Assetz Capital, a provider of property-secured finance, has successfully structured a funding package of £9.95m facility for VOCO Leicester Hotel financed with Atom bank.
Last year, hotel management company Kew Green Hotels announced their plan to reflag two existing properties in Leicester and Manchester under IHG’s VOCO brand. The group acquired management of Hotel Brooklyn Leicester and Hotel Brooklyn Manchester and has signed a franchise agreement with IHG to rebrand them as VOCO properties during 2024.
David Hehir, relationship director at Assetz Capital, said: “I enjoyed playing a vital role in structuring this finance package with Atom bank to ensure its successful delivery for the Voco Leicester Hotel.
“Following Assetz Capital recent completions of an IBIS Styles Hotel in Glasgow for £5m, it is positive that we have expanded our reach structuring this fantastic hotel in Leicester. We would also like to pass on our thanks to Paul Goodman of Goodman Corporate Finance for his help with the transaction.”
Andrew Fraser, chief commercial officer at Assetz Capital, said: “We are pleased with the commerciality and speed shown by Atom on this £9.95m transaction. Assetz Capital and Atom bank have now completed a series of deals including office investments, leisure assets and now a branded hotel chain.
“The transaction completed in less than 12 weeks from initial discussion. We look forward to continuing to work further with Atom bank in the real estate space providing loans up to £10m.”
David Castling, head of intermediary distribution at Atom bank, added: “Our capability to fund loans of up to £10m in size at speed across the whole of the UK, reinforces our ongoing appetite to support the whole SME debt spectrum from small to large loan sizes.
“Assetz Capital and Atom bank’s collaborative approach ensured a smooth and efficient transaction, and we look forward to providing further funding to companies like VOCO in the future.”
