UKREiiF in talks to move major property event from Leeds to Liverpool

April Lara
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UKREiiF in talks to move major property event from Leeds to Liverpool

UKREiiF, the UK’s leading real estate investment and infrastructure forum, is in discussions to relocate from Leeds to Liverpool. Organisers have entered exclusive negotiations with Liverpool city officials, raising concerns about Leeds’ ability to retain the high-profile event beyond 2025.

Since its launch, the event, which brought 13,000 visitors and generated nearly £21 million for the local economy in 2024, has been held in Leeds. However, venue capacity, hotel availability, and rising accommodation costs have led organisers to reassess its long-term location. Some hotels in Leeds have been charging up to £1,000 per night during UKREiiF, making it less attractive for delegates and other event planners.

Liverpool is a strong contender with approximately 10,000 hotel rooms and an established events infrastructure. Other shortlisted cities included Manchester and Birmingham. Leeds had been given a one-year extension as the host city but now faces uncertainty. UKREiiF confirms it has signed a non-disclosure agreement with an undisclosed city for further discussions.

An ARUP report found that UKREiiF has driven repeat business to Leeds, with a third of attendees visiting more frequently outside the event. Despite this, concerns over logistics and infrastructure remain. If the move goes ahead, it would be a blow to Leeds’ position as a business hub while boosting Liverpool’s profile in the property investment sector.

The 2025 event is scheduled to take place in Leeds from 20-22 May, but the location for 2026 and beyond remains undecided.

Quickline expands full fibre broadband to 6,000 more premises in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

April Lara
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Quickline expands full fibre broadband to 6,000 more premises in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Quickline is expanding its Project Gigabit rollout, bringing full-fibre broadband to an additional 6,000 homes and businesses across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The expansion, backed by £11 million in public funding, will ensure improved connectivity in underserved areas.

The move increased the total government investment in Quickline’s fibre network to over £300 million, covering more than 170,000 premises. The rollout targets rural communities across West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire, aiming to provide fast, reliable internet to businesses and residents in hard-to-reach locations.

Project Gigabit, funded by the UK Government, focuses on delivering gigabit-capable broadband to areas lacking access to next-generation speeds. The latest expansion is based on updated data to prioritise locations with the highest need.

Forecourt group sells site near Hull

Tess Egginton
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Forecourt group sells site near Hull
Wyton Bar Service Station, a BP-supplied petrol filling station and forecourt shop in Bilton, near Hull, has been sold to a growing independent forecourt group owner. Located on Main Road, the site also includes a tenanted workshop and car wash. The site was sold by Sewell On The Go. Managing Director, Patrick Sewell, said: “It was a difficult decision for us to put Wyton Bar up for sale, as we had a great team running the store and a loyal local customer base, but we are confident that the new owner will continue to operate high standards and enhance the site into the future. “We are now looking to the future of our wider business and the sale will allow us to reinvest elsewhere to ensure we remain a great place to work and leading convenience retailer for our customers.” The site has been acquired by a growing independent forecourt group owner, who plans to continue running the site as it is, whilst looking to develop and increase the site’s offering in the future. Andrew Birnie, Director at Christie & Co who managed the sale, said: “We were delighted to work for Patrick on this, the only forecourt they have sold. Sewell On The Go is an extremely strong and well known forecourt brand, in particular in the East Riding of Yorkshire region. “This was a specific task where only one of the group was being sold, and the remainder will be strengthened going forward. “Forecourts in this price range are in very high demand, from new entrants to the sector, first time buyers moving up from stand-alone convenience stores, and small groups already owning two or three sites. We had strong interest which produced a range of offers from as far North as Scotland and South as London.” The site was sold at an undisclosed price.

York Handmade chairman goes back to school to land major contract

Tess Egginton
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York Handmade chairman goes back to school to land major contract
The chairman of the York Handmade Brick Company, David Armitage, has returned to his old school to secure one of the most prestigious contracts in the company’s 37-year history. The independent brick manufacturer, based at Alne, near Easingwold, is providing 350,000 bricks for two new boarding houses for girls at Winchester College in Hampshire. David shared: “When I was a teenage schoolboy at Winchester College in 1955, I had little idea that I would ever become a brickmaker, despite the fact that my family had all been in the trade for four generations. In time, I became the fifth. “I am sure no-one had any idea then that the all-boys Winchester College would one day admit girls. However, the scene moves on 70 years and two new boarding houses for sixth-form girls are opening in September next year. And, to my pride and delight, we are providing the bricks for this historic development. “It is obviously a great honour for me personally to be supplying bricks to the college and even more so because I made the original contact with architects Stanton Williams to secure the contract. The college wanted a very special brick for a very special building and we were very pleased to be able to fit that bill and help to create this splendid structure.” David added: “This has been a magnificent way to reconnect with my old school. It has brought back many happy memories of a formative part of my life.” The value of this contract is £540,000. The main contractors are Gilbert Ash. The project began several years ago when Winchester College decided to welcome girls into the Sixth Form as boarders. The college hopes that the two new boarding houses, and the introduction of girls will increase its involvement with, and contribution to, the city of Winchester.

Chuckling Cheese Company to close Middlesbrough and Doncaster stores

April Lara
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Chuckling Cheese Company to close Middlesbrough and Doncaster stores

The Chuckling Cheese Company will permanently close its Middlesbrough and Doncaster stores on 12 April 2025, citing declining footfall and rising operational costs.

The Middlesbrough store, located in the Cleveland Centre, and the Doncaster branch are part of a wider restructuring effort by the artisan cheese retailer. The company will continue to operate through its online store, other retail locations, and events.

The closures reflect broader challenges for high street businesses, as shifting consumer habits and increasing costs impact physical retail.

Northumbrian Water invests £6.5m in sustainable aviation fuel project

April Lara
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Northumbrian Water invests £6.5m in sustainable aviation fuel project

Northumbrian Water has launched a £6.5 million project to develop sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using algae cultivated in wastewater. The initiative, known as the “Green Machine,” will extract nitrogen and phosphorus from domestic sewage at the Bran Sands Treatment Works in Teesside, converting it into biofuel.

The project is being developed in partnership with US-based BrightWave, which supplies photobioreactors for algae cultivation, and Ligoflux, a specialist in algae harvesting technology. If successful, it could reduce operational costs by up to £1 million per year and support Northumbrian Water’s net zero goals.

This initiative aligns with the UK Government’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate, which requires 10% of all jet fuel used in UK flights to come from sustainable sources by 2030.

Development Frameworks guiding the vision for the Bradford District to be unveiled

Tess Egginton
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Development Frameworks guiding the vision for the Bradford District to be unveiled
Development Frameworks to guide the vision for Bradford, Keighley, Shipley and Bingley over the next 10 to 15 years will be unveiled to councillors this week. The Development Frameworks were commissioned in 2022 to guide the future development of Bradford, Keighley, Shipley and Bingley. They will act as a vision of the type of developments Bradford Council wants to see in these key areas, as well as encourage and attract new investment into the district. Through the setting of visions for each place, and the identification of development opportunities, they are designed to shape the thinking of developers and investors to enable them to independently deliver investment. The plans include the potential for:
  • Thousands of new jobs to be created.
  • New public realm developments.
  • Retail and restaurant development space to be unlocked.
  • Office and manufacturing space to be developed creating new jobs.
  • New active travel routes for walking and cycling.
  • Over 17,000 new homes.
Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning & Transport, said: “We are committed to developing Bradford district’s potential through a coordinated development strategy. “We will always be ambitious for our city and district and know the potential for growth that exists. This framework is a long-term vision to create the right conditions for growth. “Being the UK City of Culture for 2025 and the work that is already progressing in our city and town centres means it is a great time for us to show people our capacity and potential for growth. “They should inspire investment confidence and maximise the district’s development potential beyond the Bradford City of Culture year of 2025 to create opportunities that will improve local people’s lives and protect the environment for future generations. “Not all of the ideas in these frameworks will be directly delivered by the Council, but they will serve to provide a vision for the future and allow the council to work with the private sector, local communities and other organisations to bring about their delivery.” The frameworks will go to Bradford Council’s Executive on Wednesday 2 April to be endorsed.

Yorkshire business confidence continues to climb in March

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire business confidence continues to climb in March
Business confidence in Yorkshire rose 13 points during March to 52%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. While companies’ confidence in their own business prospects remained steady month-on-month at 53%, their optimism in the economy rose 24 points to 50%. Taken together, this gives a headline confidence reading of 52% (vs. 39% in February). Looking ahead to the next six months, Yorkshire businesses identified their top target areas for growth as investing in their team, for example through training (50%), evolving their offering, for example by introducing new products or services (40%), and entering new markets (37%). The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly and which has been running since 2002, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. This data was gathered between the 3rd – 17th March, ahead of the Spring Statement. National picture Overall, UK business confidence was 49% in March – the same as in February. While firms’ optimism in their own trading prospects held steady at 57%, their confidence in the wider economy dropped one point to 40%. The West Midlands and London were the joint most-confident of any UK nation or region in March (both 62%), followed by the North West (59%). Sector insights Retail confidence rose seven points to 58%, a post-pandemic high, reflecting positive trading prospects. In contrast, the manufacturing sector saw the largest decrease in business confidence this month, declining 12 points to 39%, due to increased concerns about supply chain disruptions. Construction firms also saw a decline to 48% and businesses in the service sector saw confidence decline to 47%. Martyn Kendrick, regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber at Lloyds, said: “Business confidence in Yorkshire has been growing consistently through the year so far, and is outpacing the UK average this month. “Local firms will be looking how they can build on their positive outlook and drive fresh growth. We’ll be on hand to support their plans, whether that involves training for their team, or launching new products in new markets.”

Leeds housing association in the running for two Northern Housing Awards

Michael Fisher
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Leeds housing association in the running for two Northern Housing Awards

Unity Homes and Enterprise is in contention for two prizes at the Northern Housing Awards 2025.

The BME housing association, which manages almost 1,400 properties for tenants in Leeds and Kirklees, has been shortlisted for Best Customer Experience with the judges adjudicating on “organisations that are placing excellent customer experience front and centre of their operations.”

Meanwhile, its not for profit subsidiary, Unity Enterprise (UE) – which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year – is a finalist for SME of the Year which is open to “small or medium enterprises operating within the housing sector that have performed exceptionally well over the past 12 months.”

Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise Chief Executive, said: “It is a wonderful achievement to be shortlisted for two Northern Housing Awards, particularly after winning Team of the Year in 2024. We are absolutely committed to high standards in all areas of activity, with customer services at the top of our priority list.

“For example, working alongside housing officers, our Employment Services and Enterprise team supports unemployed people in hard-to-reach communities find jobs, set up a business, become self-employed, access training and education opportunities or work as a community volunteer. 

“They also help people already working – particularly female entrepreneurs and those of BME origin – enhance their career prospects, boosting economic wellbeing in local communities and regenerating neighbourhoods. We are proud of what we do and delighted that these efforts have resulted in recognition from the Northern Housing Awards.”

Planning consent acquired for 271,000 sq ft site in Sheffield

Michael Fisher
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Planning consent acquired for 271,000 sq ft site in Sheffield
Proposals for a major, 271,750 sq ft industrial/logistics development on a prime site in Sheffield have been given the go-ahead with outline planning consent.  Europa Sheffield, off Junction 34 of the M1, is expected to support up to 500 job opportunities when delivered. The significant plot is located on Europa Way adjacent to the well-established Sheffield Business Park, and in the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID). Neighbouring occupiers include Pretty Little Thing, Grear Bear, IKEA, Motorpoint and Meadowhall. Rula Developments, which specialises in state-of-the-art logistics and warehousing delivery, intends to demolish existing factory premises to make way for one single unit of up to 271,750 but will consider splitting the site to meet occupier demand. Anthony Clitheroe, Development Director at Rula Developments said, “We are delighted to secure planning consent for the redevelopment and regeneration of this strategically important brownfield site. Our plans will replace the old manufacturing building with highly sustainable new industrial space of exceptional quality, in a well-established manufacturing and logistics location, just two miles from the M1 motorway. “We know that there is significant demand for purpose-built space in the area and are considering our delivery options based on current occupier discussions. We are open to let or sell either one larger unit, split the site, or potentially forward fund for speculative delivery.  The scheme could be delivered by Q1 2026.” CPP and Colliers are retained as marketing agents for the new development. Architects, The Harris Partnership has designed the scheme alongside Adept Consulting Engineers, and RPP whilst ID Planning is supported the planning application process. Rula Developments is a privately owned commercial development company focusing on identifying and developing sites across the UK for immediate or medium to longer-term strategic development, delivering high quality buildings and schemes.
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