Yorkshire renewables firm makes tenth strategic acquisition
Fast-growing cleantech business Green Building Renewables’ tenth acquisition sees it surpass the £40m turnover milestone as it continues its rapid expansion across England at the start of 2024.
Crawley-based Doré Woodman has joined Green Building Renewables’ nationwide network of renewable experts, allowing the company to expand further into Kent, Surrey, and Sussex.
Since 2021, Green Building Renewables has increased its turnover more than tenfold from £3m to over £40m. At the same time, staff numbers have risen from 18 in its York office to over 200 across its fourteen regional offices in England.
Green Building Renewables aims to be the largest installer of domestic renewable technology by 2025 with a turnover of £100m.
Managing Director of Green Building Renewables, Chris Delaney said: “Our tenth acquisition and surpassing the £40million turnover mark is a double milestone for the company and a great start to the year. Everyone within the business can be extremely proud of our achievements in the last two years.
“We have grown our reach and expanded our coverage across England. Our ambitions for 2024 are even bigger as we aim to have full coverage of England. We welcome Ben Freeman and the team at Doré Woodman to ours.”
Ben Freeman, founder of Doré Woodman, said: “From the outset of our discussions, it was clear that Green Building Renewable is creating something unique. Its model of a nationwide network, based on local installers, is exactly what this market needs and aligns with our own core-beliefs.
“Unlike conventional heating systems, heat pumps require extensive design, installation and commissioning capabilities coupled with a supportive, customer-driven mentality. Our full-system approach links the many different renewable systems into one bespoke solution, thereby ensuring a streamlined, efficient process to deliver the perfect outcome and a best-in-class customer experience.”
Doré Woodman serves residential clients in Kent, Surrey and Sussex and specialises in heat pump installations.
Green Building Renewables recently appointed Chris Joubert as its new Merger and Acquisition Director to lead further growth of Green Building Renewables through the strategic acquisition of reputable renewable installation companies across England.
Chris said: “Doré Woodman is the perfect example of the calibre of company that we want to join Green Building Renewables and to help expand its network. While I can’t take responsibility for bringing this acquisition on board, it is a perfect blueprint for the type of business I will be looking for and aiming to get into the company’s nationwide network.
“I am looking forward to working alongside Chris and the team at Green Building Renewables to help reach its ambitions of becoming the largest domestic renewables installer in England and to reach its £100million turnover.”
Work completes on office development in landmark Bradford building
Work is complete on a brand-new serviced office development within a Grade II listed former Victorian mill building in Bradford city centre.
The 19 Grade A office suites range in size from 150 to 600 sq ft and form part of the Conditioning House development.
The multi-million-pound mixed-use scheme has been developed by Yorkshire-based Priestley Group and also includes 166 luxury residential apartments, a gym and café, with a grand covered atrium at the heart of the development that creates a unique break out area.
The serviced ground floor offices will be managed by Priestley Group’s ‘Worx’ office brand. Every suite benefits from a communal reception area and meeting rooms, free use of the on-site gym, and overnight security.
Georgia Nicholson, asset manager at Priestley Investments, said: “We’re thrilled to complete work on this latest phase of Conditioning House. Brand-new Grade A office suites in and around Bradford are few and far between and especially in historic Grade II listed buildings that have been sensitively restored to such an exceptional standard.
“Crucially, the development is also in a highly sought-after location, with all Foster Square Retail Park’s shops and amenities on the doorstep. Bradford Forster Square railway station is an easy eight-minute walk away and there’s the added advantage of free on-street parking right outside the building.
“As a result, we’re already attracting high levels of interest from businesses that want a genuine statement office space, in a creative and entrepreneurial environment, where they can grow and thrive.”
West Lindsey offers free advice for leisure and tourism businesses
Leisure and tourism businesses in West Lindsey are set to benefit from a series of free workshops designed to maximise the visitor economy offer in the district.
West Lindsey District Council is engaging with Unmissable England, who specialise in working with businesses to develop new bookable experiences that tell the story of the people and the place.
Two new free workshops are now available, via funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for West Lindsey businesses which are aimed at the leisure and tourism sector. A further two will be planned for the autumn with more details to be confirmed.
Cllr Lesley Rollings, Chair of the Leisure, Culture, Events and Tourism Group at West Lindsey District Council welcomes the news of the free new training series. She said: “These workshops are a great opportunity for any businesses looking to further develop their offer, adding value, and stimulating the growth and development of the district’s visitor economy.
“West Lindsey has a great visitor offer with its rich heritage within the market towns, to the breathtakingly beautiful countryside of the Lincolnshire Wolds. I look forward to seeing how businesses can take advantage of the fantastic opportunity.”
Chris Brant, Director & Experiential Tourism Advisor at Unmissable England said: “I’m really excited to be back in Lincolnshire and supporting businesses in the West Lindsey District to develop new bookable visitor experiences for domestic and international markets.
“Globally, there’s been a big uplift in experiential travel. Visitors are no longer looking to simply just visit a place; they want to experience it. They want to go where the locals go, go off the beaten track, listen to the stories of a place, learn something new and create lasting memories.
“Unmissable England has worked all over the country supporting businesses to design authentic experiences, creating new collaborations and new products for a range of markets. We are now about to do the same in West Lindsey in partnership with the District Council.”
Experience Maker Workshop
Thursday 29 February, 11am to 2pm (includes lunch) at Rand Farm Park, Rand, Market Rasen LN8 5NJ
How to Attract Walkers and Cyclists WorkshopThursday 14 March, 10.30am to 12.30pm followed by a networking lunch at The Bistro Bar & Kitchen, 55 Queen Street, Market Rasen LN8 3EN
Contractors move in to regenerate site of Sheffield’s former castle
Contractors Keltbray have moved onto the former home of Sheffield’s Castle Market to set up a site compound and start clearing the area, kickstarting a regeneration project which will oversee a public open space once home to a 12th-century castle, the birthplace of Sheffield.
Once planning conditions are agreed, this phase is expected to continue until July and will include the demolition of concrete structures (remnants of the Castle Market) as well as various cut & fill earthworks. The archaeological excavation of the Castle’s Gatehouse and Moat as well as 19th century steelworks will also start.
Keltbray Highways’ MD Louise Pavitt said: “We are thrilled to work with Sheffield City Council on a project with such a rich cultural history. Our site teams have extensive experience of working with Sheffield City Council and are delighted to start works on the Castlegate scheme, providing an exciting open space for the public.”
The first phase is said to be important to develop and inform the of the site, allowing visitors to see the remains of Sheffield Castle including the Gatehouse. Apart from the excavations of the 1950’s, this will be the first time the gatehouse will be opened up since the Castle was demolished in the late 1600’s.
As part of Phase 2 of works, further nods to the city’s history will be created with the development of a 500 people capacity events space, reminiscent of the ‘bowling green’ believed to have occupied the area in the 17th century and heritage interpretation boards and public art throughout the site.
The site is also the place where the river Sheaf, which gave the city its name, and the river Don meet. Phase 2 will include opening up the Sheaf, making it visible in the City Centre for the first time since the Victorian age and create the Sheaf Fields area of the park.
Hannah lands place with British Art Network’s Emerging Curators Group
Beverley Art Gallery Curator Hannah Willetts has been selected as a member of the British Art Network’s Emerging Curators Group 2024.
As part of the group, Hannah, pictured above, will take part in a series of workshops between January and September, both online and in person, and has been awarded funding to pursue her personal research.
Her research question is: ‘What role can a local authority Art Gallery play in a town community? Exploring ways of creating an active space for engagement with a collection and exhibition programme’.
She said: “In my research, I’m looking to capture the playfulness and enthusiastic participation I’ve seen from our visitors here at Beverley Art Gallery and translate it into meaningful activities and engagement with art. This research will shape and feed into a new collection display and the future exhibition programme at the gallery.”
Councillor Nick Coultish, the council’s Cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, said: “Congratulations to Hannah on this well-deserved and highly prestigious accolade! I am very much looking forward to seeing the fruits of her research reflected in the future programme at Beverley Art Gallery”
The Group is a supportive forum for the next generation of curators in the UK, enabling peers to come together and share experiences and thinking around curating British art.
The British Art Network awards bursary funding to fifteen emerging curators each year. The Network aims to connect the group with expertise in the field of British art through a variety of events and resources.
Barnsley grant promises to boost employee wellbeing and product quality
Barnsley-based blind manufacturer Perfa has been awarded a grant of almost £12,350 from the UKSPF Business Productivity Grant to install a temperature-controlled chamber in its premises.
The company, in Barugh Green, has been facing challenges due to the extreme temperatures in the warehouse, which range from freezing in the winter to scorching hot in the summer – conditions which have been affecting the well-being of the staff and the quality of the fabrics.
Thanks to the Business Productivity & Digitisation grant; currently being delivered across South Yorkshire via part funding from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and £5.2m of investment through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Perfa has seen many benefits to the newly installed chamber.
The grant provides 50% contribution for projects up to £24,999 for South Yorkshire SMEs to improve their productivity and digital innovation through the provision of capital or revenue grant, and to identify and address their business productivity challenges.
Perfa MD Piotr Lugowski said: “This project will not only improve the working conditions for our staff, but also the quality of our products and the efficiency of our operations. We are confident that this will lead to more growth and more jobs for our company and our community.
“It has been a huge support to have Enterprising Barnsley on hand to help us with the application. It’s something we haven’t done before and Matt Smith has really added value with his contributions, highlighting other areas of support we may need in the future as well.
Matt Smith, Key Account Manager at Enterprising Barnsley, said: “This is a great example of how SMEs can innovate and improve their processes and products while creating jobs and contributing to the local economy.”
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and places, supporting local businesses, and people and skills.
New CEO appointed at Sheffield Forgemasters
Gary Nutter is joining Sheffield Forgemasters as CEO as David Bond plans to step down.
He’ll full responsibility next month, and brings significant experience of global business leadership, most recently serving as CEO and Director of aerospace engineering group RLC Aerospace Ltd, following careers at Kongsberg Marine Ltd and Rolls-Royce Plc.
David Bond has led the business since 2018 and will soon step down, having extended his tenure to oversee our acquisition by the Ministry of Defence in 2021 and the launch of our recapitalisation programme, supporting manufacture for UK defence.
The appointment of Gary as the new CEO comes at a time of unprecedented change in the company’s history. He will join a strong and highly experienced Board to deliver the recapitalisation programme which is now taking physical shape as we prepare the site for new, large-scale manufacturing facilities, unmatched within the UK.
Gary brings a strong track record of top-level management and understanding of global business operations, which will be vital to delivering the scope of change required at Sheffield Forgemasters and ensuring that our defence and commercial market demands are met.
Archaeological dig sees step forward for East Bank Urban Village
An archaeological dig is taking place this week on the former Clarence Mill site as the next phase of the East Bank Urban Village project gets underway.
The exploratory works will be undertaken by Humber Field Archaeology and are expected to last up to two weeks.
This statutory investigation is taking place so that Hull City Council can gain a clear understanding of what, if anything, survives of the physical history of Hull at the site.
Subject to any discoveries, it is hoped that this work will be followed by a community dig this summer when the site will be opened to the people of Hull to uncover the hidden history of the city for themselves.
The East Bank Urban Village is an ambitious project which will see up to 850 new homes and mixed-use areas on brownfield land on East Bank next to the River Hull.
The development will help to support growth and investment into the city centre.
The site has been allocated for high-quality apartments with the opportunity for features such as social rooftop areas and spaces for families, outdoor play and integrated quality private amenity spaces.
To facilitate the scheme, the council has allocated £10m from its Levelling Up Partnership Funding it received from central government last autumn.
MFG to acquire 337 Morrisons forecourts
Motor Fuel Group (MFG) is set to acquire 337 Morrisons petrol forecourts (including fuel, convenience retail kiosk and ancillary services) and more than 400 associated sites for Ultra-Rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging development.
The proposed £2.5bn transaction forms a new strategic partnership between the two companies. As part of the transaction Bradford-headquartered Morrisons will take a minority stake of approximately 20% in MFG, and enter into commercial and supply agreements with MFG.
Every Morrisons forecourt colleague will be provided with an in-store position on the same pay and employment terms, and in nearly all circumstances this position will most likely be in the store to which the forecourt is attached. There will be no compulsory redundancies.
Rami Baitiéh, CEO of Morrisons, said: “As the needs of the customer continue to evolve, Morrisons and MFG’s partnership will see us combine our respective expertise and resources to deliver the best value for customers at the pump, in our convenience stores and in our supermarkets.
“It means Morrisons customers will continue to see a competitive and attractive forecourt offering, including expanded access to EV charging, while also benefitting from greater focus on investment in Morrisons’ core food business. We are delighted to have such a strong partner in MFG and look forward to the opportunities a combined MFG and Morrisons forecourt offering will provide.”
William Bannister, CEO of MFG, said: “MFG is proud to be a British entrepreneurial success story that is investing in jobs, critical infrastructure, and serving our communities to help the country achieve its decarbonisation transition. This strategic acquisition, and the resulting partnership with the highly respected Morrisons brand, is the next major growth investment for MFG.
“It is anchored in the potential for us to accelerate the roll-out of Ultra-Rapid EV charging infrastructure across the UK while also giving customers a first-class retail offer. We will be there to serve and power our customers, regardless of what car they drive in the years and decades ahead as we play a key role in keeping the country and its economy moving.
“We look forward to working with Morrisons to provide best-in-class charging, refuelling and retail experiences for all our customers.”
Leeds-based property group secures £47m funding
Aldermore Bank has provided a subsidiary of the Pickard Properties Group with a £47m loan to refinance existing loans from other lenders with additional funds to support the continued development in Leeds of Tetley Hall, the former catering hall of residence at the University of Leeds, into the award winning Spinning Acres private rented sector scheme.
The funding will help acquire additional mixed-use assets, including student housing, residential, industrial and essential retail properties.
Pickard is a property investment and development business based in Leeds with over 50 years of experience in purchasing and developing residential, commercial and student properties.
The finance package was supported by Newsource Commercial Finance.
Michael Graham, senior lending manager at Aldermore, said: “We’re delighted to continue to support Pickard and further strengthen our relationship with them as a long-standing client.
“Pickard has a wealth of experience in the property sector and with our knowledge of their business and expertise, we were able to work together with them and Newsource to tailor a finance package they needed to make this deal happen.
“This additional funding helps Pickard in turn support many of their SME business tenants, as well as building sustainable housing and we look forward to continuing to work with Pickard as they go from strength to strength.”
Catherine Coleman, finance director with Pickard Group, said: “This finance from Aldermore will allow us to continue to acquire, manage and grow further in our core areas of expertise across Yorkshire. It’s fantastic to see our relationship with Aldermore continue to flourish and this is due to their ongoing commitment to understand our needs and ambitions.”
Brian Walters, director of Newsource, said: “This was very much a team effort from start to finish between ourselves and Pickard’s commercial finance broker, Tim Wilde whose long standing relationship with these valuable clients goes back many years.
“This was a complex deal involving a range of commercial and residential investment assets and a significant debt quantum which Aldermore was able to accommodate. I am delighted that we were able to successfully facilitate the completion of such an important refinance for the Group in what was a very challenging economic climate.”
