- Around 730 solar panels providing a minimum of 225 MWh per annum
- A new ground source heat pump system, which will help reduce the Library’s reliance on fossil fuels and will generate an anticipated 1MW of energy – the equivalent of powering 650 average homes
- Additional smart meters, better insulation and the replacement of low-energy efficiency fluorescent lamps within existing buildings
Sustainable British Library redevelopment granted planning permission by Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council has granted planning permission for the large-scale redevelopment of the British Library’s site at Boston Spa in West Yorkshire.
A major construction project will transform the 44 acre site – originally a World War II armaments factory, and for the past six decades the northern home of the UK national library – into a modern archive capable of storing its growing collection for decades to come.
The £95 million Government funded redevelopment will create much-needed storage capacity, with further work dedicated to improving facilities for staff and visitors and making significant improvements to the environmental sustainability of the site.
Following significant government investment announced in the March 2020 Budget, the Library is expanding and refurbishing the West Yorkshire facility just outside Boston Spa, near Wetherby. The Library’s team, supported by Carter Jonas, Project Management and Planning Consultancy teams, submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council last year.
The plans reflect the importance of sustainability within the development, which will see the creation of a low carbon archive and new green spaces designed to support biodiversity.
The Library’s design team will work alongside Wates Construction, architects, Carmody Groarke, building services engineers, Buro Happold, structural engineer, Price and Myers, and landscape architects J&L Gibbons to advance the aspirations for the site.
The Library has also secured a Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) grant. An additional £8.5 million in funding means a range of energy-saving initiatives are already being introduced at the Boston Spa site, including installing:
Avacta Group plc has paused sales of the AffiDX® ffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test
Avacta Group plc (AIM: AVCT), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer therapies and powerful diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, provides an update on the performance of the AffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test (LFT) with the Omicron variant.
The performance of all rapid antigen tests has come under recent scrutiny in light of the large number of mutations in the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the US Food and Drug Administration, as well as other sources, has indicated that antigen tests generally will detect the Omicron variant but may have reduced sensitivity.[1]
As reported on 15 December 2021, the AffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen test has been shown to detect the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in patient samples in a small clinical study. Whilst the AffiDX® antigen test is effective at identifying high viral loads of Omicron, further laboratory analysis carried out by Avacta indicates that the sensitivity of the test is reduced at lower viral loads when compared with the sensitivity of the AffiDX® test with previous SARS-CoV-2 variants.
The AffiDX® SARS CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test contains both a proprietary Affimer® reagent and a commercially available antibody. Our data show that the Affimer® reagent in the AffiDX® test detects the Omicron variant with the same sensitivity as the Delta variant, and it is the performance of the antibody, with which the Affimer® is paired in the test, that has been affected by the additional Omicron mutations. The Company has therefore independently taken the decision to pause sales of the AffiDX® antigen test whilst it replaces the antibody in the product to ensure that its performance with the Omicron variant matches the high performance with previous mutations.
Alastair Smith, Chief Executive of Avacta Group, said: “The continued high performance of the Affimer® reagent in the AffiDX® antigen test, despite the large number of mutations in the Omicron variant, is testament to the robustness of our platform technology.
“As a responsible business, we set very high standards for ourselves and our products and have continually kept the performance of the AffiDX® antigen test under review as new SARS-CoV-2 variants have arisen. Our determination to only provide high quality, high performance diagnostic tests has led us to the correct decision to pause all marketing of the AffiDX® lateral flow antigen test. We have, of course, been unable to market the product in the UK since October 2021, as the product continues to await approval under the new CTDA regulatory process.
“We believe COVID-19 testing remains a long-term commercial opportunity. We will therefore use the robustness of the Affimer® platform, and what we have learned about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, to generate the next generation antigen test that will be as resilient as possible to any future mutations.
“The performance of other marketed SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow tests may well be adversely affected by the Omicron variant. This mutant is already the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant in many countries and may soon be the dominant variant globally. We therefore believe it is essential that similar Omicron sensitivity studies be performed on all SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests and the results communicated to ensure the public can have confidence in the results these tests generate.”
Hull’s maritime charity looking to appoint Trustees
Hull Maritime Foundation is looking to appoint five Trustees to join its board.
The independent charity was set up 2018 to support the assets, sites and programmes of Hull Maritime Museum.
The Foundation is searching for Trustees to strengthen the expertise in fundraising and marketing; charity law and management; events management and investments.
Lord Haskins of Skidby, Chair of the Hull Maritime Foundation, said: “The Foundation’s focus for the future is helping to realise the ambitious vision for Hull’s maritime heritage as part of the Hull Maritime project and making good on the growth and promise that took root during UK City of Culture 2017.
“Hull Maritime Foundation recognises that its Trustees are essential in delivering our vision and that’s why we are seeking to appoint a number of Trustees in order to achieve our endeavours.”
The closing date for applications is 5pm, Monday 31 January 2022. For more information and recruitment pack, visit here.
Leeds firm engineers support for multi-million development
Leeds engineers RWO has won undisclosed work to support ambitious plans for a new multi-million pound industrial and warehouse regeneration project in North Yorkshire.
Planned for development by the Rotherham-based land and property regeneration company, Harworth Group, the proposed 2 million sq. ft. commercial development on the 185-acre Gascoigne Wood site in Sherburn-in-Elmet will see RWO provide consultancy advice along with civil and structural engineering services.
The project is on brownfield land that once formed part of the Selby Coalfield complex and has since been earmarked for redevelopment under the Harworth Group’s plans for the site.
If it gets the green light, the whole project will see new rail-linked industrial and logistics space constructed at Gascoigne Woods in a capital investment that could herald upwards of 2,000 new jobs as occupants move in over the next three years.
RWO’s proposals form part of revised plans designed by award winning Wakefield architects The Harris Partnership, that will be considered by Selby District Council’s planning committee.
The development comes as the engineering firm has more than doubled capacity in the last 12 months following investment in resources and infrastructure to meet strong demand for its services.
Currently employing 30 people and targeting revenues in excess of £2.5m in the next six months, clients include Yorkshire-based industrial construction companies Potter Space and ESH, alongside regional house builders Harron Homes and Gleeson Homes.
Andrew Fairburn, head of RWO’s Leeds office, said: “We continue to strengthen our partnership with the Group and support its investment plans for ambitious redevelopment projects with technical advice, skills and engineering expertise.
“This latest move comes at a time when we are seeing continued growth in 2021 as we look to secure new contracts across the region and the UK.”
Robert Cole, project manager at Harworth Group, said: “We are delighted to continue to work with RWO and look forward to them playing a key role in the delivery of a such a significant project for Yorkshire.”
Huddersfield software company celebrates fifth year of growth
Huddersfield based Software as a Service (SaaS) provider Adventoris is celebrating after a successful 2021 that saw its revenue increase for a fifth year at a cumulative annual growth rate of 83%.
The effects of the pandemic and the demand for digitising sales and ordering processes across many industries, such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail, has accelerated the growth of Adventoris over the last 12 months.
Adventoris is the creator of SwiftCloud, a ground-breaking mobile business to business software that revolutionises the way companies make sales and engage with customers. SwiftCloud is a customisable B2B mobile app platform designed specifically for distributors and wholesalers that enables their customers to see products, communicate with the company and make orders 24/7.
In 2021, its total revenue was up by 37%, and its recurring SaaS revenue has been increasing 62% year on year. Over half a million orders were also made through SwiftCloud powered apps during the year, with a combined total of £0.3bn and over 50,000 active users.
Fifty new clients were onboarded and the business also broke into new markets including baby care, golf, timber and seafood, as more industries adopted digital sales and ordering processes.
To date, Adventoris has created 180 ordering apps for companies throughout the UK and beyond, for clients such as Fellowes, STAEDTLER, Sysco Speciality Group and Pipers Crisps.
Due to the demand for SwiftCloud’s software, further investment has been made to enhance its servers, as well as upgrading the platform to the latest version of Oracle and Oracle APEX, for release in 2022, to ensure the app software is the best it can be.
SwiftCloud is consistently growing and evolving, with new modules and updates being added regularly. It now offers six ordering solutions, including SwiftCloud Web Portal and SwiftCloud Sales Manager app.
SwiftCloud is proven to save up to 80% of customer service costs, by removing the expensive cost of manual data entry, as well as costs associated with human error when inputting data. It can also save end customers up to 50% of the time in preparing and submitting an order. Adventoris’ clients have experienced the number of customer orders increasing by 26% when utilising SwiftCloud.
James Clarkson, Adventoris’ CEO, said: “The last few years have seen our business go from strength to strength and we’re continuing along that trajectory as we head into 2022.
“The team has worked tirelessly over the last year to keep up with the demand in businesses shifting to digital processes, but also responding to constantly evolving technology, software, compliance and legislation to ensure the customer experience is at the highest level.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team and look forward to growing even further in 2022, as we look to bring in even more new talent and break into new markets.”
SmartSearch announces appointment of new CEO
SmartSearch, the leading anti-money laundering specialist, today announces the appointment of Guy Harrison as CEO. Guy will drive SmartSearch’s strategic plan to build additional growth and will report to the company’s board of directors.
Guy is a seasoned business leader with a proven track record of scaling fast-growth data, analytics and technology businesses. He joins from Dow Jones where he was general manager of Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, a market leading global provider of regulatory compliance and risk management solutions. Whilst there, he headed the global business, delivering three years of highly successful growth. Prior to that he was managing director for Risk, Regulatory and Compliance Solutions at IHS Markit. Before joining IHS Markit, Guy spent eight years at Goldman Sachs and started his career as a management consultant with Deloitte.
He takes over with immediate effect from SmartSearch’s CEO and founder John Dobson, who launched the business in 2011. John will remain an active part of the company as a non-executive director.
SmartSearch achieved record results in 2021, with a 22% increase in business. This was driven by demand for its industry-leading online ID verification and due diligence platform. The company has received many industry awards, including a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its innovative work, and currently operates in the UK, the US and Europe. It was recently chosen to provide customer verification by Alto, a part of Zoopla, which provides cloud-based software for estate agents.
Guy Harrison, CEO of SmartSearch, said: “SmartSearch has already delivered impressive growth, and I’m very much looking forward to working with the team to lead the business towards even greater success. Fraud and money laundering attempts have risen considerably since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic increasing the need for regulated businesses to have effective AML technology. SmartSearch’s state-of-the-art technology is perfectly positioned to meet this need by accurately identifying and verifying customers in just two seconds.”
John Dobson was one of the founders of credit management giant Callcredit, following which he set up SmartSearch. He said: “There is a clear and growing need for robust electronic verification to help counter money laundering and fraud. The strong growth we have achieved at SmartSearch over the past decade clearly indicates this need as paper documents can no longer be relied upon. It also gives an indication of our huge potential for further expansion.
“I feel a lot of pride in having led a worthy and successful business which will continue to grow and prosper with a very competent, energetic and innovative team remaining. I felt the time had come for my second retirement and I am very happy to handover the leadership to Guy, who I know has the experience and strategic vision to steer the business through the next expansion phase as it continues to become recognized as the default solution for AML verification, both in the UK and globally.”
Richard Law, chairman designate of SmartSearch, commented: “On behalf of the board and the team as SmartSearch I’d like to thank and congratulate John on his skill and dedication to building SmartSearch so effectively and on achieving the financial success the business has seen to date. I’m very pleased that the business has been able to attract Guy to join the business. His track record, experience and skills are a great fit for the ambitious next stage of SmartSearch’s development and growth.”
SmartSearch is based in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, and this year increased its team from 117 to 168 to cope with demand.
The SmartSearch system carries out identity checks using a combination of credit reference data and trusted public sources, which makes it virtually impossible for someone to get away with using a fake identity.
For more information please visit: www.smartsearch.com
Experienced audit manager joins Hentons
An experienced audit manager has been appointed at Yorkshire-based chartered accountancy and business advisory firm, Hentons.
Lee Milligan has over 25 years’ industry experience and will be managing a team of auditing professionals who are based across the firm’s Leeds, London, Sheffield, Thirsk and York offices.
After completing a BA Hons degree in Accountancy and Business Studies, Lee started his career in Stoke-on-Trent before moving to a firm in Manchester. He has recently been working as the audit and accounts manager at Paylings Ltd in Wakefield. Lee is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Lee said: “A well-run audit gives management and third parties assurance in the published financial figures and highlights any weaknesses in client systems, errors and potential fraud. It also makes meaningful unbiased recommendations to improve performance in the future. I pride myself on adding value to clients by providing excellent service and ideas that play a vital role in driving businesses forward.
“I wanted to join Hentons, as the firm has an excellent reputation for its audit and accountancy services, as well as offering corporate finance and legal services, and there are plenty of opportunities to build on its impressive client base.”
Plans for 310 apartments in Leeds revealed
Proposals have been revealed for approximately 310 studio, 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments as well as communal, co-working and creative space in Leeds.
Mabgate Yard, on Mabgate in Leeds, will bring a landmark development to a brownfield site within an existing creative environment. The proposals are centred around a communal heart, acting as a focal point for residents to meet, relax and collaborate and the development will also benefit from landscaped outdoor areas and extensive planting.
Located on a key gateway site, close to St James’s University Hospital and the city centre, each of the apartments will be available solely for rent.
The development will be sustainable, and opportunities for on-site energy generation will be explored.
The proposals are being brought forward by HBD, a Yorkshire founded developer.
It is anticipated that a hybrid planning application, seeking permission for the principle of development, will be submitted by February 2022; further ‘reserved matters’ planning applications will be submitted in the second half of 2022 to agree the details of appearance, access, landscaping, layout and scale.
Richard Hinds, development surveyor at HBD, said: “We have developed plans for this site that we are proud of and feel the scheme complements the existing urban community. We’re excited to share the plans with the community and invite their feedback.
“As a hybrid planning application, with elements of the design still to decide, public consultation is vital and we are keen to know the thoughts of local residents and businesses. We will then be able to incorporate these ideas and opinions in our final planning applications.
“Leeds is one of the most exciting places in the UK to live and work and we are committed to bringing forward a scheme for this neighbourhood that we can all be proud of. We respect the unique character and history of Mabgate and believe these designs will sit well alongside existing buildings, but also help the area develop and grow.”
East Yorkshire manufacturer of furniture for kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms snapped up
Kartell UK Limited, the suppliers of heating and bathroom products to the independent merchant and showroom sector, has completed the acquisition of Summerbridge Holdings Limited and its subsidiary Humber Doors Limited, which trade as Summerbridge.
Headquartered in Anlaby, East Yorkshire, Summerbridge is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of kitchen and bathroom cabinets and doors to manufacturers, contractors, developers and distributors across the leisure, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom (KBB) and commercial and residential development sectors. With predecessor businesses’ history dating back 30 years, Summerbridge today employs more than 120 people, delivering more than £7m in annual sales.
Kartell’s acquisition of Summerbridge represents the next chapter in the history of the prominent Hull business, with the Kartell group securing a supply of high-quality British-made bathroom cabinets for its customers and Summerbridge set to benefit from investment by the group.
As part of the deal, Summerbridge will continue to operate as a standalone business within the Kartell group under the guidance of the existing management team and will benefit from opportunities to work closely with the group’s other businesses, including Just Trays, a shower tray manufacturer, in Leeds and Vogue, a specialist manufacturer of designer towel warmers, in Willenhall and their customers.
Founded in 2008, Kartell supplies radiators, designer towel warmers and bathroom products to the independent and merchant showroom sector in the UK. The group turns over in excess of £125m using brands K-RAD, K-VIT, JT and Vogue, and employs more than 430 people across principal sites in Bedford, Wigan, Willenhall and Leeds.
The group management team will work closely with the Summerbridge team to develop the business in the UK and internationally, with the group expecting significant growth across their core markets.
Kartell was advised by FRP Corporate Finance’s East Midlands team, led by Harry Walker, with legal advice from a team led by Sophie Burke of Fladgate LLP and financial due diligence provided by Price Bailey LLP.
Alex Norford, CEO of Kartell, said: “In common with many in our industry over the last eighteen months we have experienced record levels of demand. We always strive to deliver exactly what our customers require and recognised earlier this year we needed to secure additional bathroom furniture supply to provide the consistent, high quality products our customers expect from us.
“It is with great pleasure we are supporting the future of another fantastic British manufacturer and having identified the benefits Hull’s status as a Freeport can bring to the group, we were keen to be invested in a city which is clearly making giant strides in the UK economy. I am really excited to have the opportunity to welcome everyone at Summerbridge into our group and offer our customers their top quality, British-made cabinetry moving forward.”
Simon Lunt, director of Summerbridge Holdings, said: “When we received the approach from Kartell’s advisors we immediately saw the potential for the two businesses to join forces. We acquired Summerbridge in 2018 and have worked alongside the wonderful team at the business to put it back on the path to growth and to realise its undoubted potential. It is with great pleasure that I and my fellow directors hand over the reins to Alex and the team at Kartell to take Summerbridge forwards.”
The shareholders of Summerbridge received legal advice from a team from Gosschalks LLP, led by Nigel Beckwith.
Shawbrook Bank provided Kartell with increased facilities to finance the acquisition of Summerbridge and were advised by a team from Shoosmiths LLP, led by John Bew.
Double promotions at Sheffield-based Race Cottam Associates
Healthcare architectural practice, Race Cottam Associates (RCA), has promoted two team members following a farewell to the firm’s longstanding health sector lead.
After an 18-year career at RCA spanning the delivery of more than 60 healthcare schemes, Tim Robinson retires. Paul Foster, associate director becomes RCA’s new health sector lead and will oversee the healthcare team, including the newly promoted architect, Jacob Peplow.
RCA’s Managing Director, David Speddings, said: “There has obviously been an extensive handover process in the healthcare team since Tim announced his retirement, part of which involved the restructuring of roles for Paul and Jacob.
“RCA enjoys a strong reputation in the healthcare sector, and we’re under no illusion that Tim’s expertise has been invaluable in creating this; he’s delivered outstanding facilities in East & South Yorkshire, the East Midlands and North West. It’s now time for the next generation to build on this success and we’re confident that with Paul and Jacob at the forefront, we will continue designing exceptional and essential healthcare provisions for many years to come.”
With almost two decades combined experience at RCA, Paul and Jacob are well-known to the practice’s client base, which includes ten NHS Trusts. Paul is a skilled designer, who is equally confident devising refurbishments, retrofits and re-configurations as well as new build projects. Jacob shares this passion for delivering futureproof and energy efficient buildings as BREEAM lead.
Paul said: “Healthcare services are always vital, but now more than ever. We’re keen to continue growing our work in this sector; transforming sites that are unfit for purpose, upgrading existing facilities with state-of-the-art treatment and patient services, and designing high quality, sustainable buildings that will serve new communities. I’m excited to take this next step in my career and build this team of talented architects.”
RCA’s current health sector schemes include the £10.5m health hub in Bakewell, Derbyshire; £8m health centre in Belper, Derbyshire; £2m medical centre at the new Olive Lane development in Rotherham; and £12m new main entrance and paediatrics reconfiguration at Hull Royal Infirmary.
