Council plans new affordable homes for disused block of flats
A disused block of flats that has stood empty for over seven years is to be demolished to make way for new affordable housing.
The Leys building, in Beaumont Leys, was bought by Leicester City Council in 2019 with the intention of refurbishing it to bring back into use.
The building is currently in a state of disrepair and with the opportunity to acquire adjoining privately-owned land at John Calvert Court, the council is now planning to demolish the building and develop a new council housing scheme. The proposed scheme would deliver up to 52 new affordable homes and include a toddler playground for use by the wider community.
The city council originally purchased The Leys building for £1.2 milllion. The anticipated costs of the proposed new affordable housing scheme – including demolition costs of about £800,000 – is £15.5 million. This would be funded using receipts from the sale of council properties under the Government’s Right to Buy scheme.
Deputy city mayor Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, who leads on housing, said: “Leicester continues to face a housing crisis and it is essential we do everything we can to address the growing demand for high-quality affordable housing in the city.
“By acquiring more land and preparing this site for new homes, we can increase our stock of council housing and build high quality, affordable homes that meet the needs of local people as well as providing a boost to the local area.
“There is no doubt that the Right to Buy scheme has hit the supply of council housing hard. It is essential that we invest whatever proceeds we can back into ambitious schemes like this that will help address the urgent need for more affordable homes in our city.”
If given the go-ahead, demolition of The Leys is expected to take place in 2025.
A competitive tendering process will then get underway to find a development partner to design and build the new affordable homes, subject to planning permission.
Work starts on new research and development facility for food and farming sector
Work has started on creating a new research and development facility at the University of Lincoln’s Riseholme Park Campus, enabling new industry collaboration and research opportunities for the UK’s food and farming sector.
The glasshouse will facilitate regional industry specialisms, support innovation in food and farming, deliver collaborative, impactful and high value research with industry, and further establish the University’s Riseholme Park Campus and Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology (LIAT) as specialist centres.
The Glasshouse Research & Development (R&D) Facility will use geothermal ground source heating technology to provide heating from renewable energy. The building will therefore operate with a considerably lower carbon footprint than traditional facilities of its kind and will demonstrate plausible pathways towards a Net Zero transition for this segment of the agriculture and horticulture industries.
When completed, the glasshouse will offer access to specialist research infrastructure and innovation support services. This will allow SMEs and other businesses in the UK’s food sector to adapt or improve their products or services.
The glasshouse will have capacity for multiple R&D projects to take place simultaneously in independently controlled compartments. Eligible businesses will also have access to academic experts from the University of Lincoln, as well as many research and knowledge transfer opportunities. This ongoing support will enable adoption of new technology, new processes, acquisition of skills and the development of new products.
Prof. Neal Juster, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln, said: “We are very excited at the prospect of our new Glasshouse Facility being constructed at the University’s Riseholme Park Campus, and it will be working with Net Zero technologies that are in line with our ongoing commitment to sustainability and a carbon free future.
“Lincolnshire is the UK’s Food Valley, from its seafood industry in Grimsby, through agri-tech in Lincoln, to its fresh produce sector in southern Lincolnshire. We are facilitating growth with an industry-led investment agenda. Our enabling strategy, working in conjunction with industry can deliver success by attracting and supporting investors.
“By working together, locally and with the government, we can deliver much more investment, innovation, job creation and food security. It is incredibly important that we invest in applied research and development opportunities such as this and encourage the growth of our University as a commercial entity.”
The Glasshouse R&D Facility will form part of Greater Lincolnshire LEP’s proposed Agricultural Growth Zone (Ag Zone), designed to support Greater Lincolnshire agriculture and the delivery of the UK Food Valley.
The research and development infrastructure will also be used for the new AgriTech Incubator established by the University of Lincoln in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs.
The total cost of the project will be £2.2 million with the majority of the capital being provided by a local growth fund from the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Construction of the facility is expected to be completed by Summer 2025.
Rail firm hosts Christmas party to help young people who have left care feel less alone
A Derby woman has praised a community Christmas party which brought young care-leavers together for festive fun, music and food – saying they give people hope at what can be a lonely time of year.
Harley McComiskie, 22, attended the event on Monday with her two-year-old daughter, Aurora, alongside 50 other young people from across Derbyshire.
The party, which was organised by volunteers, staff from Swadlincote-based rail firm MTMS and members of the Derbyshire Freemasons, was being held for the second year and featured a turkey lunch, music, face-painting and a balloon modeller.
It was Harley’s second time attending the event, which was held at the Derby Freemasons Hall in Littleover and also saw everyone leave with a large hamper filled with Christmas presents, food and treats.
Harley, who works as a TikTok content creator, said: “People that are in care don’t get to spend a lot of time with other people, and at Christmas time it can be hard for everyone.
“This is really good fun, it gets people at the house and having some fun for Christmas. It’s about good company, good people, it’s just really nice to spend time with others.
“I feel like these Christmas parties should continue to happen, they give children that little bit of hope before Christmas.
“I would usually just be spending Christmas with Aurora but this party is all fun and games for us two, this is what we enjoy.”
This party followed a similar event which was held in Burton for young care-leavers from across Staffordshire last Friday (December 6), where 100 guests also tucked into a lunch and enjoyed music and fun.
The idea for the parties dates back nine years, when Trandeep Sethi, district leader for children’s services for South Staffordshire at Staffordshire County Council, put out a call searching for help to organise a Christmas party for young people who had left the care system.
He decided to take action after finding young people who had been through care had taken their own lives at Christmas, when their feelings of isolation and loneliness often come to a head.
There have been no suicides while the parties have been taking place, and Malcolm Prentice, group chairman of MTMS, urged more organisations to step forward to hold Christmas parties too.
He said: “We welcomed special young people for a Christmas lunch and plenty of fun. We try to put on the best possible day for them, a community environment with activities and entertainment.
“Without this, some of these people would not get a proper Christmas surrounded by people who care about them. They have not got parents or people to go to at Christmas so they are most likely to be on their own.
“But this is not possible without funding, so we are asking for support from businesses to help us put on these fantastic parties and make young people feel cared for and less lonely around Christmas.
“We need to raise money to pay for the parties for young people who live independently after leaving the care system. Next year we want it to be bigger and better by helping more people across more venues.”
Each year, MTMS launches its annual appeal to raise money to fund the festive fun. The aim is to raise money to pay for all the food, musical entertainment and hampers at the two parties.
Anyone who would like to make a donation can do so by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/makeadifference2024
Blueprint Interiors appoints commercial director
Workplace consultancy and commercial interior design firm, Blueprint Interiors, has appointed John Tansur as commercial director.
The Ashby-based business recently announced a management buyout, with operations director Rachel Biddles and creative director Chloe Sproston taking ownership of the company.
The newly created commercial director role will help shape and deliver Blueprint’s business strategy, and enhance its marketing and business development functions.
Previously in business development and senior management positions, John brings over 25 years of commercial and culture acumen and will be part of Blueprint’s leadership team.
John Tansur said: “Knowing the team at Blueprint and seeing their progression over recent years, I feel privileged to be asked to be part of the business for what we know can be a very exciting future.
“The culture within Blueprint and their reputation for injecting passion into delivering projects for clients is very appealing to me, and we look forward to sharing our expertise across a number of sectors as the business continues to grow.”
Rachel Biddles said: “It’s such a pivotal time for Blueprint. Following the recent MBO, our investment in the commercial director post is a key part of our strategic growth strategy.
“John will be an asset to our expanding team. His expertise and ambition will be a valuable addition and will enable Blueprint to take greater strides in core areas of our business.
“Welcome John and thank you to our talented team here at Blueprint for being on this incredible journey with us.”
Nottingham Venues confirms commitment to being a Real Living Wage employer
Nottingham Venues, the collection of independent venues specialising in meeting and events set within the University of Nottingham campus, has confirmed its commitment to being a Real Living Wage employer.
The company, which employs over 280 people, received full certification from the Living Wage Foundation in November 2023 and has once again pledged that it will continue to pay all its staff the Real Living Wage or above.
Nottingham Venues remains committed to paying the Real Living Wage following the increases to the National Minimum Wage announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the October Budget. It will pay the National Living Wage of £12.60 per hour, which is higher than the National Minimum Wage, and is independently calculated based on what people actually need to meet the cost of living, not just the Government minimum.
The pledge reflects Nottingham Venue’s dedication to ensuring fair and sustainable pay for all its employees, recognising their essential role in delivering the best possible guest experience and ensuring the future success of the business.
Tom Waldron-Lynch, CEO of Nottingham Venues, said: “Given the nature of our industry, we are a hugely people focussed organisation, and I am committed to rewarding people for delivering great service.
“We want our employees to feel valued and supported at work so that they can deliver an outstanding guest experience, and the best way you can do that is to ensure that people are paid appropriately. I am proud of our commitment to paying the Real Living Wage and would call on other employers to do the same where they can.”
Nottingham Venues values the wellbeing of its employees highly and has a range of initiatives across the business designed to support employee’s mental health and wellbeing.
Employees are supported in their roles through excellent training and development, and the company’s latest staff survey showed that people felt they had a good work life balance and that leaders demonstrated that people are important to the company’s success.
The company has also signed The Hoteliers Charter the national standard that champions the hospitality industry and advocates for working in hotels as a viable long-term career choice.
In becoming a Charter Hotelier, Nottingham Venues is committed to providing a workplace environment built on the foundations of respect, fairness, equality, diversity and opportunity, and supporting employees’ career development, their wellbeing and to ending low pay.
This commitment to its employees led to Nottingham Venues winning the ‘Commitment to People Development Award’ at the 2024 East Midlands Chamber of Commerce Nottinghamshire Business Awards.
Nottingham Venues is a collection of independent venues specialising in meetings and events, set in the grounds of the University of Nottingham campus. All venues, including the East Midlands Conference Centre, the Jubilee Hotel and Conferences venue, Campus Venues and the 4* Orchard Eco Hotel were brought together under one brand in July 2022 with the aim of providing an unrivalled guest experience.
Nottingham-based Inaphaea BioLabs appoints Head of Scientific Operations
Inaphaea BioLabs, the translational contract research organisation based at MediCity Nottingham, has promoted Melissa Barr to Head of Scientific Operations.
Melissa joined Inaphaea in 2023 as Lead Scientist. Since then, she has played an instrumental role in delivering preclinical drug discovery projects across oncology and women’s health, as well as leading a team of scientists on-site.
Spun out from ValiRx PLC, Inaphaea offers cell-based assays specialising in oncology. Its aim is to improve the translation of early drug discovery projects towards the clinic.
Commenting on her promotion, Melissa says: “I have had the privilege of growing alongside Inaphaea since its inception. Being part of a start-up has been an exciting and rewarding journey, offering opportunities to develop not only technical expertise but also operational and leadership skills.
“Highlights of my role so far have included establishing and characterising patient-derived cancer models, driving their use in translatable research, managing our laboratory operations, and leading a talented team of scientists.
“In my new role as Head of Scientific Operations, I am excited to continue supporting our amazing team, strengthening our current capabilities, and driving forward innovative research. I look forward to contributing to the technical, operational, and strategic aspects of our work as we deliver impactful solutions for our clients and stakeholders.”
Mark Eccleston, ValiRx CEO, adds: “We’re delighted to announce Melissa’s well-deserved promotion. She has played a key role in Inaphaea’s growth and development journey so far, bringing specialist scientific expertise as well as helping to drive operational efficiencies.
“Melissa’s practical laboratory experience, academic understanding of oncology, and commercial experience in the contract research space will be an invaluable asset as we work with a growing number of customers to accelerate the progress of their drug candidates.”
East Midlands could ‘lead the country in skills’ says new Chamber President
East Midlands Chamber’s new President Dawn Whitemore says skills are to be front and centre of her agenda for the year ahead.
The SMB College Group Principal and Chief Executive took over the post on 9th December from former Alliance & Leicester Director Stuart Dawkins, who stepped down after completing an extended two years as President.
During her time at the Leicestershire college group Dawn oversaw the merger of Melton and Brooksby College with Stephenson College in Coalville. Prior to that, Dawn was Principal and Chief Executive of New College Nottingham and established the University of Derby Corporate – an operating division dedicated to working with employers through higher apprenticeships.
Dawn Whitemore said: “The time is perfect for me to be East Midlands Chamber President because it’s a real opportunity for me to highlight how important skills development is and link it directly in with our businesses.
“Why shouldn’t we be leaders in developing a joined-up approach to making sure our businesses get the skills they need. No business knows exactly what they want when it comes to skills – they have an idea, but they don’t know now what skills they will want in five years’ time.
“Businesses need to be vocal about what they need because that’s the way things change – if we get our skill provision right, with the right sort of investment, that increases the benefits to the economy and society.
“Our members already appreciate lobbying, and I want to use my time as President to really help translate what businesses and Further Education need to ensure the skills of the future are delivered.
“My campaign for the year is going to be about making sure businesses embrace the skills agenda and influence what is needed. Our region is already stronger than most, but if we get that right we could lead the country in skills.
“It’s about changing lives through equipping people to be self-sufficient and independent. I’m really excited about the next 12 months. I think it’s an opportune time to be doing this.”
East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “We all know the skills challenges businesses face now – championing skills for the future and life-long learning is essential for businesses to determine what skills will be needed in the short, medium and long term.
“After knowing Dawn for about 20 years across her FE career, I’m delighted to work much closer with Dawn in her year of Presidency of the Chamber.”
Sale of Boots back on the table as takeover bid proposed for US owner
The owner of Boots, Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), is said to be the subject of a more than $10bn takeover bid.
It is understood that the deal would see private equity firm Sycamore Partners launch a fresh search for a new owner of Boots if it succeeds in taking WBA private, as reported by Sky News.
It follows a previous string of aborted attempts to sell the Nottingham business, and could see Italian dealmaker Stefano Pessina play a central role in the Boots carve-out. Pessina has led a number of deals involving Boots and holds around a 17% stake in WBA.
WBA has failed to sell Boots a number of times over the last few years, starting talks with bidders only to conclude that offers did not reflect the health and beauty retailer’s value.
Boots has over 52,000 team members and around 1,900 stores, ranging from local community pharmacies to large destination health and beauty stores.
New student accommodation plans recommended for approval at Nottingham’s Island Quarter
Plans for the construction of new Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) as part of Phase 2B of the Island Quarter in Nottingham have been recommended for approval ahead of a planning committee meeting next week.
The application comprises 394 student bedspaces arranged within a ‘V’ shape building, split into four adjoining ‘blocks’ of between seven and 11 storeys.
The building would stand at the back edge of City Link and Manvers Street with a private courtyard to the rear.
Of the 394 bedspaces proposed, 313 of these would be provided within cluster flats and the remaining bedspaces within single occupancy studios.
This is the second phase of student accommodation at Conygar’s Island Quarter, with construction completed at the 693-bed Winfield Court this year.
The Island Quarter could eventually be home to more than 1,000 students from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University.
Music festivals at Catton Park calling for urgent infrastructure investment
The three festivals staged at Catton Park – Bloodstock Festival, Bearded Theory and the Derbyshire Sausage and Cider Festival – are shining a spotlight on the positive impact these long-standing events have on the local economy.
An independent survey reveals that these three award-winning festivals contribute over £16 million annually to the regional economy, amounting to £160 million over the next decade.
This economic contribution is under threat due to ongoing infrastructure challenges, particularly the state of the historic Chetwynd Bridge – the primary access route to Catton Park and its surrounding communities.
Chetwynd Bridge, a Grade II*-listed structure built in 1824, is no longer able to support the volume of modern traffic it endures today. Due to its historic significance, English Heritage has stated that the council cannot carry out the recommended work needed to make the bridge more structurally sound, resulting in the need to build a new bridge.
Width and weight restrictions have already been implemented, causing significant disruption to not only the events, but to local traffic and business, especially farming. Emergency services are also affected, given the width restriction of the Bailey Bridge at Walton.
Plans for a new alternative bridge (with Chetwynd Bridge preserved for cyclists and pedestrians) have already been discussed, but local authorities say they lack the funds to progress with construction.
“The success of the events at Catton, which bring in a significant amount of money to the local economy, are in a large part, due to the easy access to Catton Park from the A38, which does not disrupt any local villages,” said Ollie Neilson, landowner of Catton Estate.
“If the Chetwynd Bridge were to close, traffic would be diverted through rural communities in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, causing significant disruption to residents and event attendees alike. The potential economic and community impact of inaction is staggering.”
Bloodstock Festival and Bearded Theory have taken proactive measures to minimise strain on the local infrastructure. Both festivals have extended their arrivals over two days, spreading out traffic to reduce congestion for local residents and alleviate pressure on the ageing bridge and surrounding roads.
While these measures help mitigate immediate issues, the long-term solution lies in building a new bridge that meets the needs of today’s traffic demands.
Bloodstock Festival, Bearded Theory, and the Derbyshire Sausage and Cider Festival are jointly urging local authorities, national policymakers, and other stakeholders to prioritise funding for the construction of a new bridge.
The festivals collectively highlight how the £16 million annual income they generate every year far exceeds the estimated cost of building a replacement bridge, a project that would pay for itself many times over.
None of the events wish to have to relocate or discontinue, depriving the local area of this crucial income, but fear they may soon be backed into a corner with little choice.
When so many independent festivals are closing every year – the latest report from the Association of Independent Festivals detailed 72 closing in the UK in 2024 alone (and a total of 204 since 2019) – factors such as local infrastructure remain critically important to their survival, whilst they face a sea of other challenges.
“As festivals, we are not just about music, food, and community spirit – we are engines of economic growth for the region,” adds Rachael Greenfield, Director of Bloodstock. “This is not just about preserving access to Catton Park and our individual events; it’s about securing the future of the many local businesses, jobs, and services that depend on these events. The time to act is now.”
The festivals are calling on the community to join them, to amplify their voices, and urge policymakers to prioritise this critical infrastructure investment.
