Plans for a new urban extension for Lincoln will be deliberated by City of Lincoln Council next month. The plans for Western Growth Corridor which extends to 240 hectares, and is located to the north of Skellingthorpe Road, have been jointly submitted by landowners Lindum Western Growth Community Ltd and the city council. Proposals, which will be decided upon by Full Council sitting as Planning Committee on 12 January, include: up to 3200 dwellings, with a local centre comprising of retail and commercial units and a new primary school, a commercial employment area of up to 20Ha, a regional sport and leisure complex, including a new stadium, health and leisure facilities, and a hotel and ancillary food and drink elements. This site has long been promoted for the creation of an urban extension. Plans for the site were previously submitted in 2006 by Taylor Wimpey for development of 4,500 dwellings plus employment, leisure and retail uses, open space and a park and ride site. A revised application for 5,100 dwellings was submitted in March 2008, and subsequently withdrawn in February 2016. The current application was submitted in March 2019 and is a joint planning application made by City of Lincoln Council and Lindum Western Growth Community Ltd. Western Growth Corridor is allocated as one of Lincoln’s four Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUE’s) to allow the Central Lincolnshire area to provide for both housing and employment growth through the Plan period ending in 2036. Councillors will be making a decision on outline blueprints for the entire scheme and more detailed proposals for road works, which will help facilitate the first phase of construction if approved. Kate Ellis, Director for Major Developments at City of Lincoln Council said: “The Central Lincolnshire Local Plan was adopted on 24 April 2017 and provides planning policies and allocations for the growth and regeneration of Central Lincolnshire for the period to 2036. “For the Central Lincolnshire authorities of City of Lincoln, North Kesteven and West Lindsey, a total of 36,960 new homes need to be delivered, alongside new employment, commercial and leisure developments, as well as supporting infrastructure such as schools, sports pitches and public open space. “As the biggest settlement within Central Lincolnshire, the city of Lincoln and its immediate surrounding area is required to deliver approximately two thirds of this development. “To ensure this development is brought forward in a planned and sustainable manner, the majority of Lincoln’s development is to be delivered through a combination of urban regeneration and the creation of four sustainable urban extensions (SUEs). “The Western Growth Corridor is one of these four SUEs, and its development is key to meeting the objectives of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan and ensuring the continued growth and success of the City of Lincoln.” Lindum Planning Director Mark Foster said: “Prior to and throughout the planning process, we have continued to work closely with the Local Planning Authority and other key stakeholders, while also attempting to address the concerns of local residents where we can. “The recommendation for approval of the Western Growth Corridor scheme is the culmination of this process and represents a really important milestone for the project. “While we are extremely pleased to have reached this point, we recognise that the application now requires consideration by Councillors and we look forward to hearing their decision in January.”

Rollits has announced the achievements of three members of its team in qualifying as solicitors. Enisha Ali, Lily Dobson and Harry Spice all come from the Hull area and joined Rollits as trainees in 2019 after graduating from the University of Hull and the University of Law in Leeds. Lily and Harry have both qualified into the corporate team dealing with a range of matters including acquisitions, disposals and reorganisations. Lily attended Beverley High School and Wyke Sixth Form College and Harry studied at Archbishop Sentamu Academy in Hull. They both gained their LLB (Hons) at Hull in 2018 and followed that by securing a Distinction in their Legal Practice Course at Leeds. Enisha attended Beverley High School and Beverley Joint Sixth Form before progressing to complete her Law LLB (Hons) at Hull. She then completed her Legal Practice Course as part of her Masters in Professional Legal Practice, which she passed with Distinction at the University of Law in Leeds. Enisha has qualified into the firm’s commercial property team and undertakes work on matters including sales, purchases and leases. Partner Caroline Neadley who is the Training Principal at Rollits said: “This is a significant milestone for Enisha, Lily and Harry – and for Rollits. The firm is in its 180th year and whilst we operate regionally and nationally we remain committed to finding and nurturing talent local to join us in Hull and York. “We are delighted that we have been able to offer positions to our three newly qualified solicitors and we are pleased that these talented young people see Rollits as a good and supportive route into a legal career.”

Sheffield and Wakefield-based innovative independent logistics operator Europa Worldwide Group is on track to achieve record turnover and profits in 2021, with 2022 forecast to be even more successful. Europa’s local sites are at Unit 7, 1 Broadfield Close in Sheffield, and Unit 2, Navigation Court, Calder Park in Wakefield, Leeds, are home to almost 30 staff. All are part of Europa Road which provides road freight distribution to and from Europe and both sites opened over the past few years. Two members of Europa’s Board are Chief Operating Officer Dionne Redpath, and Branch Network and Sales Director Adrian Redmile, both work in Sheffield and live locally. Europa’s growth predications follow a hugely productive year, despite the ongoing and unprecedented challenges arising from the global pandemic and Brexit. Its Board is expecting to achieve a record turnover of £260 million this year, against £210m in 2020, increasing to £300 million next year. Profits are expected to be £10m in 2021, an increase of £6.4m over 2020 levels which were depressed by the global pandemic and related lockdowns. Rob Jones, Finance Director at Europa Worldwide Group, said: “Whilst our results for 2020 were below our expectations set at the start of the year, we are extremely proud of the way our teams tackled the severe double scenarios of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit. Our staff were kept safe, we kept our customers freight moving and given the market conditions we can be proud of our financial results” “As a result of the work we put in during 2020, notably our preparations for Brexit and the return to more normal “post-Covid” conditions, we are delighted with the performance in 2021 and the record levels of both turnover and profit that will be achieved.” “This all demonstrates that Europa is a commercially resilient and forward-thinking logistics firm that can adapt quickly to unforeseen situations and changing market needs.” Europa Worldwide Group has six divisions – Europa Road, Europa Air & Sea, Europa Showfreight, Europa Warehouse, Europa Contact Centre and Continental Cargo Carriers and has featured in The Sunday Times Top Track 250 for three years running and in The Sunday Times Profit Track 100 Covid-19 edition.  It employs more than 1,100 staff in the UK, as well as in Hong Kong, France, and Belgium.   Brexit has been a major consideration for Europa and it has remained dedicated to finding solutions for its customers. This was why the company successfully planned the unique customs product, Europa Flow, to address short-term road freight disruption arising after the transition period. Europa Flow launched at the start of 2021, following a £5m investment into the product. It is now delivering a frictionless delivery duty paid (DDP) service with 2,000 consignments per week, easing the flow of goods between the UK and Europe and ensuring UK firms remain competitive overseas. It is one of the best import and export solutions within the market because it empowers customers and removes the hassle of customs clearance and duty payments. Andrew Baxter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Europa Worldwide Group, said: “Despite various worldwide restrictions being imposed on the movement of goods Europa continues to trade profitably in the face of economic uncertainty and is on track. “Our approach has always been to focus on offering the best solutions to meet our customers’ needs, fortitude and dedication in adversity, maintaining the highest levels of service. I am incredibly proud of our staff and look forward to collaborating with them as we get our growth plans on track and strive to hit our ambitious £400m turnover target.” “The past 18 months has certainly been challenging for the company, particularly due to the pandemic, with all exhibitions and events cancelled and fewer planes in the air for much of 2020, but our teams have already bounced back strongly” In addition, Europa pressed ahead with the construction of its new £60m state-of-the-art third-party logistics (3pl) warehouse in Northamptonshire to double its logistics capacity. Not only was the build of this fully automated, super-sized facility completed during lockdown, it was also operationalised in June 2020 at the height of the e-commerce boom. www.europa-worldwide.com @europaworldwide

Siemens Digital Industries is teaming up with waste incinerator maker Xetrov Group to boost the production of its ground-breaking Clean6 Vortex, which is turning heads in the recycling and waste processing world because of its ability to process previously unrecyclable materials and its efficiency in using the exhaust heat generated by the Vortex to produce electricity, district heating and food production. Importantly the incinerator can recycle material that were deemed unrecyclable. The outstanding feature of the incinerator that sets it apart from competitors is that the gasification or pyrolysis technologies used in the Clean6 Vortex volatilises material at temperatures significantly higher (1,400 – 1,700°C vs. 850-1,100°C) than those found in standard incineration plants. This results in an increased efficiency, lower emissions and very low residue outputs. Siemens will supply the end-to-end solutions for producing the incinerators, including the G120 Inverter, the S7-1500 controller, the ET200 I/O for control cabinets, process instrumentation (flow and level sensors), control products, power supplies, HMI, IOT box, Scalence managed switches and some more products that are still under discussion.  This integrated approach provides diagnostic benefits, such as secure remote access and opens the door for IOT connection. Siemens’ products will be used in all four components of the Clean6 Vortex machine, including the incinerator, crusher, boiler and potentially steam turbine. Xetrov, headquartered in Yorkshire, has built and operates a waste-to-energy plant in Pollington in the county. Xetrov has created a bespoke modular solution suitable for the UK to the roll-out of decentralised waste-to-energy plants. Each module consists of three core Clean6 Vortex advanced thermal treatment units and has a maximum waste processing capacity of 3 tonnes per hour (24,000 tonnes per annum). “Siemens is delighted to have been selected by Xetrov for supplying end-to-end solutions for the ground-breaking incinerator, Clean6 Vortex,” said Brian Holliday, Managing Director, Siemens Digital Industries GB&I. “The benefits of this conversion technology to the community and its potential contribution to the UK’s net zero emissions targets are going to be huge. This technology is in sync with Siemens’ own goals of achieving a net zero carbon footprint by 2030 across all our production facilities and buildings globally.  We are fully geared and equipped to meet the specific requirements of Xetrov as it continues its mission of revolutionising waste processing and recycling.” “We have been scouting for a partner that understands and shares our goals,” said Ashleigh Ruxton, Founder and CEO of Xetrov. “Siemens brought to the table a slew of products that will go a long way in making our solution stronger and smarter. Our advanced thermal conversion technology (Clean6 Vortex or Vortex) is not only 98% efficient on waste destruction but also requires less than half the waste, compared to competing technologies, to produce power. In all this the role of the technology supplier is very critical. The digital technologies used are the future of machine development and deployment and are important for remote secure connectivity, future proofing our innovative product. We have a strong environmental and social remit and want to contribute to the UK’s zero-landfill target and a reduction of CO2,” Ruxton added. Xetrov Group’s mission embraces the circular economy, carbon reduction, low-to-no emissions, decentralised power generation, and zero landfill. The Clean6 Vortex will have a very high 98% conversion rate with only 2% residue, against the 80-90% efficiency rate of incinerators used in the industry. The Clean6 Vortex has exhaust emissions, which are significantly lower than required by the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED). In addition, the technology does not produce any fly ash, as other incinerators normally do. Inert residues are typically 2% and are certainly below many of the alternative technologies. The product is in sync with the UK Government’s target of having no more than 10% of waste going to landfill by 2035 against the current rate of 24%.

Lincoln-based potato growing Branston was searching for a quicker-cooking potato variety to make crispy, golden roasties that taste deliciously buttery, and this is what they found. Nemo is a phureja hybrid variety, which means that it combines the vigorous fast-growing nature of original Peruvian potatoes with the agronomical hardiness of modern European varieties from the Solanum tuberosum Solanaceae family. It has the golden yellow flesh typical of an Andean phureja, with a more uniform cell structure which enables it to cook much more quickly. Its distinctive pink skin has creamy yellow patches around its large eyes, giving it a parti-coloured appearance. This new variety has been developed through careful crossing between Inca Bella (itself a very fast-cooking golden phureja hybrid) and the popular, red-skinned Salad variety Franceline. David Nelson, Branston agronomy director said: “It has been a real labour of love workimg on this project for the past six years as we were looking for a variety that would not only taste superb but would also save on roasting time.  “Nemo is a natural hybrid that has been developed through carefully crossing an exceptionally wonderful tasting fast-cooking Peruvian variety called Inca Bella and a popular red-skinned Salad variety called Franceline, which grows well in the UK climate. As this is a new variety we only have a limited amount this year, but enough to cover the all-important Christmas period, when roasting potatoes are at their most popular.” Branston has been growing and trialling Nemo since 2015. It has performed consistently well in cook tests and taste panels. It cooks much more quickly than a typical European variety. To make roast potatoes it can be peeled and par-boiled for just five minutes before roasting or it can be roasted from raw without the need to peel. Just cut into chunks and put them straight in to the roasting tray, making perfect roasties in just 35-40 minutes. Nemo is also ideal for wedges or mash, making it a brilliant all-rounder.