National Infrastructure Commission to open Leeds office
The National Infrastructure Commission will open a new office in Leeds by the end of 2023.
The new office in Yorkshire will form the base for around 40 per cent of the Commission’s secretariat in the future, with others continuing to work from a base in London.
The move is part of the government’s commitment to move 22,000 civil service positions out of London and the South East by 2030, through the ‘Places for Growth’ programme.
Sir John Armitt, chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said: “It’s great to be establishing a second base in Leeds. It is not only a great city to live and work in, but the move underlines the Commission’s role in advising government on the role infrastructure can play in boosting local economies and improving quality of life right across the UK.
“We look forward to continuing to work with local leaders as the Commission starts work on our next major assessment of the country’s infrastructure needs for the future, to be published in 2023.”
As an independent executive agency of HM Treasury, the Commission liaises with government on property arrangements and certain other central services, while retaining complete discretion to determine its own work programme and policy recommendations.
Grosvenor enters Leeds office market with acquisition of landmark building
Grosvenor Britain & Ireland has completed the acquisition of Toronto Square, a landmark office building in Leeds, from a fund advised by J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives.
The building, which holds a BREEAM Excellent rating, provides 88,500 sq ft of Grade A offices and is 96% let to occupiers including CBRE, Bevan Brittan, Franklin Templeton and Quilter.
Keith Bailey, investment director, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, said: “Toronto Square is a highly respected sustainable prime office building, which has proven to be popular with Leeds occupiers.
“Following on from the recent refurbishment works undertaken by J.P. Morgan, we will continue to invest in the building’s amenities and environmental performance to maintain its reputation as one of the market’s landmark office locations as supply of new space tightens and levelling up opportunities increase.”
GBI’s Investment team actively manages a c£1 billion UK property portfolio, comprising assets and projects outside of its Mayfair and Belgravia holdings. Its focus is on income producing assets where it can enhance their environmental, social and commercial performance and build scale in new markets.
In June 2021, Grosvenor completed its first acquisitions under the new strategy: 134 Edmund Street, an 85,000 sq ft office building in Birmingham’s central business district, and The Hive, an 80,000 sq ft office building in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The portfolio also includes Grosvenor’s Strategic Land business and stake in Liverpool ONE.
JLL acted for Grosvenor and Savills and CBRE for J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives. The terms of the transaction are not disclosed.
New Leeds-based commercial broker Attis Insurance reports rapid growth and eyes £50m premium in 2022
Newly launched commercial risk and insurance broker Attis Insurance has reported strong growth in its first nine months trading. The business expects premium to top the £50m barrier in 2022, and since its launch in Leeds in February this year, has opened a total of six offices across the north, with a headcount of 75.
The firm is backed by chairman and industry veteran Joe Henderson, who sold his Leeds-based, 30-year-established Henderson Insurance Broking Group to global professional services firm Aon for £90m in December 2017.
Since the launch of its Leeds head office, which is led by directors and former Henderson employees Keith Browne, Neil Beck and Justin Chadwick, Attis Insurance has opened five further offices to cover the Manchester, Halifax, Teesside, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire regions, with plans to open a London base next year.
Attis director Keith Browne said: “Our rapid growth is a reflection of our strategic drive to scale the business so that we can provide a really strong regional presence for commercial customers across the UK and across a range of industries.
“We are differentiating ourselves quite clearly from other brokers in the market, as a modern and dynamic business helping directors protect their balance sheets from risk with bespoke insurance cover planned properly by people who actually understand clients’ businesses and the sectors they work in.”
He added: “Because everything is actioned in-house we are able to guarantee swift decision making and innovative support for our clients at all times. Throughout the challenges presented by Covid we have been determined to put our clients first, providing a level of personal service and professionalism that has been massively appreciated.”
Further growth is planned for Attis Insurance into 2022 with more hires scheduled and potential organic acquisitions in the pipeline for the coming months.
Neil Beck added: “As we continue to recruit, creating quality jobs, in Leeds and across the north and Midlands, we are very much aware that we are aiming to be an employer of choice, creating the best brokerage by attracting and retaining the best people. We’re really proud of what our team have achieved in our first six months and by investing in people and their careers we hope to make the next six months and beyond even more successful.”
Over 33 years, Joe Henderson grew his previous venture from a sole-trader outfit in Scunthorpe to a 400-strong brokerage with 16 UK offices before its sale to the US-based insurance group Aon. In 2019, he was awarded an MBE for services to business and the community in Lincolnshire, where he lives.
Four associates join Leeds law firm
Clarion’s team continues to grow with the appointment of another four associates.
Anna-Elise Harvey joins the employment team as a specialist in employment and business immigration, with four years’ experience of advising on day-to-day HR issues, corporate mergers and acquisitions, and contentious matters in the Employment Tribunal. Anna specialises in business immigration and has particular expertise in conducting right to work checks, and also advises on all aspects of sponsoring migrant workers. Anna provides further strength and depth to Clarion’s business immigration offering.
Zaigham Jaffri has become the latest member to join the real estate team. With experience of property finance transactions, representing banks and other institutional lenders, he is able to advise lenders about security relating to purchases, refinances and development, secured over a wide range of commercial and residential property.
Jack Farrer further strengthens the commercial team. Specialising in data protection and privacy law, he has experience of advising both private and public sector clients. His expertise includes the auditing of business functions to ensure compliance with data protection and privacy law; and the preparation and negotiation of data processing and data sharing agreements, privacy and cookies policies and other internal data protection policies. In addition to Jack’s general commercial experience, he will support Clarion’s corporate team by assisting in due diligence exercises on both the buy and sell sides of corporate transactions.
Finally, the costs and litigation funding team has also welcomed a new associate. Having spent over ten years as a costs lawyer, Andrew Crisp advises on a wide range of costs matters including those that have proceeded all the way to the Supreme Court. He often attends hearings, and also advises on a variety of funding and retainer issues. Having worked both in-house and for specialist costs firms, Andrew really understands what is required by law firms and what can be achieved on their behalf. He prides himself on his technical ability and regularly advises legal teams on process improvements and on costs issues.
Roger Hutton, joint managing partner, comments: “After another very busy year, we are committed to further investing in expanding and developing our team as demand for our services continues to grow alongside our clients.
“We are pleased to welcome all four talented young lawyers to Clarion – we know they will make a vital contribution to helping us to provide high levels of client care, and we look forward to supporting their career progression.”
Clarion has a 285-strong team, including 30 partners. Having previously been recognised in the Sunday Times ‘Best Companies to Work for’ list, attracting and developing talent remains one of its core values.
South Yorkshire wins £12m bid to establish an Institute of Technology
A collaboration of educators and employers from South Yorkshire have successfully secured over £12m to establish a new South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (IoT).
The Department for Education (DfE) made the announcement as part of the second wave of IoT bids to have funding confirmed by the government.
New employer-led IoTs offer higher level technical education to help close skills gaps in key STEM areas. They are part of the government’s plans to reform technical training to help employers get the skilled workforce they need and offer local people rewarding jobs.
The South Yorkshire IoT joins Further Education institutions, Higher Education institutions and local employers together to provide pathways from STEM based T-Levels to Higher Technical Qualifications, apprenticeships, and degrees. The IoT will also offer flexible courses for adults looking to reskill or upskill.
The collaboration includes DN Colleges Group, Sheffield Hallam University, Barnsley College, and the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre as core education partners. RNN Group, the Sheffield College and the National Centre for Advanced Transport & Infrastructure (NCATI) are also associate partners.
In addition, the core employer partners include AESSEAL PLC, Engie UK, HLM Architects and WANdisco. They will have a place on the Board of the IoT and one of them will be chair.
The South Yorkshire IoT will work closely with employers to provide specialist provision for over 1,500 learners, aiming to meet the demand for construction, digital, engineering/manufacturing, and healthcare science higher level technical skills within the region. The IoT will target key sectors and occupations, making a substantial contribution to increasing the region’s productivity and ability to attract and retain employers with higher-level technical skilled roles.
Mick Lochran, CEO of DN Colleges Group, which has led on the formation of the IoT, said: “I am so proud that South Yorkshire has been awarded an IoT as it has the potential to change the whole dynamic of our region. The working partnerships, between employers and education providers, has been amazing and provides a sound foundation to deliver a successful IoT.”
Provision will be designed to be accessible to people across the region and target underrepresented groups. Investment will see IoT sites established across the region, including:
- DN Colleges Group will be delivering provision from within the existing Doncaster College site;
- Barnsley College will reconfigure and refurbish its existing Church Street building to create a dedicated IoT centre in the centre of Barnsley;
- Sheffield Hallam University will create a dedicated IoT space within the existing campus in Sheffield City Centre;
- The University of Sheffield’s AMRC Training Centre is planning to refurbish and upgrade a dedicated space at its Rotherham site with industry standard digital engineering laboratories.
2022 Business Predictions: Konrad Czajka, Managing Director of Czajka Care Group
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Konrad Czajka, Managing Director of Czajka Care Group.
Brexit has done the care sector no favours whatsoever. Next year we will continue to have huge challenges around recruitment, retention, compliance and operational issues, including the complications surrounding compulsory vaccinations for staff. In 2022, there will be massive inflationary pressures, especially on pay rates, utilities and insurance.
There are 1.4 million older people with unmet needs. 43% of people over 85 years of age require some form of support, but only 20% of those people are receiving it. The government now realises that if they want a functioning, effective NHS, they will need a strong and sustainable social care sector. A well-funded and good quality social care sector is fundamental to a healthy nation and well performing NHS.
The social care sector will continue to care for the most vulnerable members of our society, and it is worth remembering that our complex levels of support, will protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. We will continue to care for people at the end of their life, dispense medication prescribed by clinicians, support individuals with mental health issues and those with complex dementia or physical disabilities.
The social care sector will care for more people than the NHS and employ more staff than the NHS and social services put together – 1.75 million to be precise! Our investment returns over £4.3 billion into the economy and in many local areas social care is the biggest employer and drives economic activity.
The fear and anxiety caused by the pandemic has been immeasurable and the scars of the past two years have been the most painful in our professional careers. In 2022 we will engage with the Commissioners and the Care Quality Commission to ensure that the older, infirm and disabled people living amongst us receive the quality care they deserve.
Despite the enormous challenges we have faced over the last few years, I am still optimistic about what the future holds for the social care sector. Next year the Care Associations will continue to work together through the Care Association Alliance to ensure a strong and influential representation at national level. Together we will, and we are, making a difference!
Logistics REIT to forward fund Sheffield development
Urban Logistics, the specialist UK logistics REIT which recently completed a £250 million equity raise and moved to the Main Market in December, has acquired four assets, using proceeds raised, for a total consideration of £28.6 million.
The value accretive assets include three immediately income-producing properties and the forward funding of a development project in Sheffield.
The company has entered into an agreement to forward fund a new logistics unit at Newhall Road. The agreement is subject to planning, and the development is expected to complete in November 2022, and will comprise a warehouse of 131,500 sq ft.
The building is designed to have excellent environmental credentials, with a BREAM Excellent rating, an EPC of A, and electric vehicle charging points. The project is targeting a 6.0% NIY on cost.
The other assets acquired include a 22,783 sq ft warehouse at Caswell Road, Northampton, let to Tuffnells Parcel Express, a 27,115 sq ft distribution depot at Elland Road, Leicester, let to the Royal Mail Group, and a warehouse facility of 117,031 sq ft near the airport in Dundee, occupied by Hermes Parcelnet. Richard Moffitt, Chief Executive, said: “We’re pleased to confirm our continued deployment of capital following the close of our recent oversubscribed equity raise. This is testament to our team’s ability to act swiftly and reliably on deal execution. “As previously stated, we have an excellent pipeline of “last mile / last touch” logistics assets to acquire and the team will be working hard over the coming months, investing in those quality assets that will be accretive to shareholder value, with further acquisitions expected before the end of the year. “Our strategy of acquiring mid-box last mile logistics assets, in key locations, with excellent transport links has not altered since inception in 2016. We acquire properties which are key to our tenants’ operations, and we continue to create additional performance through active asset management and improved environmental performance.”New year boost for Skegness economy
Construction will be starting in January 2022 on new commercial premises to rent in Skegness.
Local company Manorcrest Construction have purchased land at Skegness Business Park from Lincolnshire County Council following the development of the site.
They will now develop 557 square metres of commercial floorspace which will subsequently be available to rent.
The £2.4 million revamp and expansion work has seen a key link road completed between Hassall Road and Holly Road, and infrastructure put in place for new and existing businesses to locate at the site.
Cllr Colin Davie, executive councillor for economy and place at the county council, said:
“Skegness business park is a major employment site on the Lincolnshire coast, and the expansion will help secure year-round jobs for the area. It offers attractive growth opportunities for successful local businesses and inward investors alike.
“I’m delighted that as a local company, Manorcrest have been able to take this forward and develop high quality units on the site to support our aspirations for economic growth.”
Leigh Hall & Dean Wann, Directors at Manorcrest, added:
“As long-established and respected developers in Skegness and throughout Lincolnshire, we remain passionate about our local area. We pride ourselves on working on developments that really make life better for residents and businesses by listening and building exactly what they need.
“Providing opportunities for local people and business drives Manorcrest and we hope, encourages growth for Skegness. We’re really keen that the units on this site will help existing businesses, attract new business to re-locate here and provide local jobs for local people, which in turn will support the local economy. Great news for Skegness and rewarding for Manorcrest.”
The expansion has been funded jointly by the county council and a Single Local Growth Fund Grant from the Greater Lincolnshire LEP.
Pat Doody, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “This scheme provides much needed employment space in the Skegness area, creating new opportunities and supporting key sectors.
“We are delighted to have been able to contribute £1.27m of grant funding to enable development of the site.”
Skegness Business Park is already home to a variety of well-known national trade counter and industrial businesses, all of whom benefit from quick access to the A52 and Skegness town centre.
New project funding will support more local people into employment
Hull City Council and EN:Able Futures Community Interest Company (CIC) have been awarded almost £200k to deliver a project to invest in skills and support local people into employment.
The Pathways into Construction project will engage people more distant from the employment market and take them through a high-quality programme so they can pursue entry-level job opportunities in the construction and built environment sector.
The project will be based at the unique purpose-built Humber Construction Hub on Wawne Road in Hull. The hub was made possible by support from Hull City Council regarding the land.
EN:Able Futures CIC will host, lead and manage the action-packed 10-day Pathways Into Construction programme at the Humber Construction Hub’s site-based learning environment. The new programme will include a dedicated Development Coach providing key worker support to learners. The comprehensive package of training includes site visits, manual handling, health and safety, First Aid and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards. Learners will also receive additional advice and guidance to support them into work, to help them gain and sustain employment and long-term careers in the industry.
The funding comes from the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF), first launched in March this year. It’s a UK Government programme which aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches. It invests in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment. The fund is a key initiative in the government’s levelling up agenda, which aims to support people and communities most in need throughout the UK.
The Pathways into Construction project is aimed at those living in Hull and the surrounding area, in particular those aged 18 and over and unemployed for 18 months or longer or economically inactive; those not in education, employment or training aged 18 – 24 years and those unemployed aged 30 – 49.
Councillor Aneesa Akbar, who chaired the review panel, said: “The council is committed to reducing unemployment and opening up more opportunities to those who are unemployed.
“I’m delighted that the Pathways into Construction project has been awarded this funding. It means more local people can learn the skills they need for a career in the construction sector, an area which offers job security and is so critically important to our economy.”
Director of Operations at EN:Able Futures CIC Julie Deeley said: “The EN:Able Futures team is delighted to receive this funding. It will help us build on what we’ve already achieved delivering training for local people at the Humber Construction Hub to enable them to become employment and site ready and build a better future for themselves.”
Potential learners will be invited to sign up in January.
To find out more about the UKCRF, visit the website here.
Three more leading businesses partner with Ron Dearing UTC to open up exciting opportunities for students
Three more leading businesses have teamed up with Hull’s employer-led school to open up further exciting opportunities for students and help shape their potential future employees.
Graphics and signage experts Designs Signage Solutions and specialist pipework fabricators and steelwork erectors CDS Energy Services have become Major Partners of Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC), while overhead line, underground cable and substation system leaders LSTC Group has become a Partner.
Working alongside the school’s Founding Partners, the Ofsted “Outstanding”-rated school’s Major Partners and Partners develop and deliver employer-led projects, provide work experience placements and lead the careers information, advice and guidance programme.
Major Partners also play a key role in the development of the UTC’s unique, employer-engaged curriculum, while both Partners and Major Partners contribute financially to the school and recruit many students as apprentices within their businesses.
Established almost 30 years ago, Hull-based Designs Signage Solutions has grown to a 41-strong team operating from 48,000sq ft premises, offering bespoke briefs, designs and installation signage solutions to retail, corporate, sports stadia, vehicle livery and building sectors across the UK.
Drawing Manager Chris Murphy said becoming a Ron Dearing UTC Major Partner will help to establish a new pipeline of talent in the industry. The company has already employed one former Ron Dearing UTC student, Ben Moodie, as a trainee in the Graphics Production department.
Chris said: “We want to engage with young talent and this partnership gives us a platform to work with the students, identify rising stars before they leave school and show them our industry and what we’re about.
“Ron Dearing UTC acclimatises its students to a full working week, rather than a normal school day, to help them get ready for work. By working together and playing a part in the curriculum, we’ll be able to help to shape what we want to see in our future employees.”
CDS, which has its head office at Burma Drive in east Hull, works in the oil, gas, petrochemical and nuclear industries. The business has 30 staff and dozens of additional subcontractors, with clients including Tricoya, Vivergo Fuels, px Group, Mitsubishi and more.
Managing Director Danny Laybourne said the business plans to take on Ron Dearing UTC students as apprentices in the future, potentially including in Planning and Quality Assurance (QA) roles.
He said: “There’s a lack of young people coming through in this industry and we can see that shortage of quality continuing, which is why we wanted to get involved in Ron Dearing UTC.
“With Ron Dearing students, we won’t have to start from scratch because they will have completed courses which stand them in good stead to progress within the industry.”
New Partner LSTC Group provides engineering solutions to the electricity sector, specialising in the design and survey of overhead lines, underground cables and substation systems in the UK and internationally. Alongside it’s Driffield head office, the company also has offices in Belfast, Derby, London and South Wales.
Finance Director Richard Shipley said the company is keen to increase its 85‐strong workforce to 100 within the next two years, including more women in engineering, and plans to offer opportunities for work experience, apprenticeships and paid employment to Ron Dearing UTC students.
He said: “I believe that in order to fulfil all of the ambitious plans to achieve carbon net zero and clean energy, it will require a lot of work on infrastructure across the country and globally. There are not enough engineers in the world to do that work and the only solution is to bring more people into engineering.
“We want to be part of encouraging people to come into this industry and Ron Dearing UTC is doing a great job of facilitating that.”
Every one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Year 13 students have gone on to exciting apprenticeships, university, employment, further education or the Armed Forces for three consecutive years.
Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal and Head of Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Designs Signage Solutions and CDS Energy Services as Major Partners and LSTC Group as a Partner.
“Their decades of combined experience will be invaluable to our students and open up further career opportunities in these growing industries.”
Opened in 2017, Ron Dearing UTC caters for students aged between 14 and 19, offering a unique model of employer-led education with a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering.
The school’s Founding Partners are the University of Hull and leading local employers KCOM, Reckitt, Siemens Gamesa, Smith+Nephew and Spencer Group.
It is also supported by Hull City Council and many other industry partners, including Arco, C4DI, Fujitsu, Green Port Hull, Ideal Boilers, INEOS Acetyls, Kohler Mira, Luxinar, NEC Software Solutions, Ørsted, Sauce, Sewell Group and Sonoco Trident.
