Doncaster developer to invest £50m in Halifax housing development
Doncaster-based Keepmoat is to invest more than £50m across three new developments in Calderdale to deliver more than 200 homes.
The developments are being delivered in partnership with Calderdale Council and will contribute to the North Halifax Transformation Programme created by the local authority to regenerate the area and create much-needed housing stock.
Furness Avenue, Turner Avenue, and Brow Bottom Lane in North Halifax are being regenerated with a local housing association, to breathe new life into disused land and create quality new homes – repurposing 15 acres of space.
Furness Avenue and Turner Avenue South in Illingworth and Brow Bottom Lane in Mixenden will be transformed by more than 200 energy-efficient homes.
Brow Bottom Lane will see around 50 multi-tenure homes delivered, meanwhile across Furness Avenue and Turner Avenue, nearly 200 new homes will be built for both open market sale and in partnership with a local housing association to meet the needs of the local community.
Chris Clingo, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat, Yorkshire West, said: “We’re thrilled to be delivering hundreds of new homes in the North Halifax area under our strategic partnership model to build quality, sustainable homes as part of the North Halifax Transformation Programme.
“We’re excited to begin building at Furness Avenue, Turner Avenue, and Brow Bottom Lane to create new thriving communities in the heart of Halifax whilst rejuvenating brownfield land.’’
Yorkshire law firm makes trio of hires
Yorkshire law firm Lupton Fawcett has made a further three new hires. New appointments have been made in the private client, family and debt recovery teams.
Edward Allen, Sally Hirst and Thomas Rudd all started new roles this week.
The three new colleagues follow the appointment of two new team members – Jonathan Exall and Harjit Singh – by the firm earlier this month.
Edward Allen, partner in the private client team, will be based at the firm’s York office. He will advise on all aspects of private client work including inheritance tax planning, wills, trusts, succession planning, lasting powers of attorney and Court of Protection applications.
As a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, Edward’s role will focus on estate planning advice and estate administration for a wide range of clients. His particular areas of expertise are advising high net worth individuals, owners of family businesses and farming families, as well as trust administration.
At his previous firm Edward was ranked as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ for Yorkshire and Humberside in the Legal 500 UK 2025 rankings.
He said: “I pride myself on being able to deliver practical solutions to clients’ estate planning needs, providing bespoke advice in a straightforward and understandable manner.”
Sally Hirst, who joins the family team as a solicitor, is experienced in child abuse compensation cases; family law, including arrangements for children and financial proceedings relating to divorce and separation; and wills and probate.
Sally said: “Family law is a rewarding area to work in and I feel passionate about helping clients that are going through some of the most stressful times of their lives. I am delighted to be joining the Lupton Fawcett team.”
Thomas Rudd, debt recovery executive, already has three years of debt recovery and litigation experience and is working towards his CILEX qualification. His expertise ranges from parking charges and utility bills to commercial debts and contract breaches.
Thomas said: “I am excited to see what new challenges Lupton Fawcett will bring and to get involved in the progression of debt recovery matters.”
James Richardson, managing partner, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Edward, Sally and Thomas to Lupton Fawcett and are now prepared for a strong performance in the coming year and beyond.
“We are in an excellent position to deliver the best results for our clients across all our areas of practice and we are looking forward to a very successful 2025.”
Improving sentiment and available buildings position South Yorkshire and NE Derbyshire well for 2025 occupier demand
Improving sentiment coupled with a supply of immediately available buildings has positioned South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire well to respond to occupier demand in 2025.
Knight Frank recently released its LOGIC report concluding take-up across the South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire region totaled 986,000 sq ft for 2024 (all quality units 50,000 sq ft plus), which is behind the long term average as a result of a challenging year across the market.
2024 take-up was characterised by units sub 200,000 sq ft across 9 transactions of which manufacturing accounted for 24 per cent of take-up, distribution accounted for 27 per cent and retail 18 per cent.
Transactions included BAE Systems acquiring 96,000 sq ft at Sheffield’s Bessemer Park, marking the third letting at Phase 2 of the development, following earlier lettings to ITM and Dormole.
Only one 294,000 sq ft unit remains available at the park which has been delivered to the UK Green Building Council’s Carbon Net Zero standard. In addition, Octopus Energy acquired 91,923 sq ft at Catalyst in Sheffield, where a new headline rent in Sheffield was achieved at £9.00 per sq ft.
Prime rents in Sheffield, where supply is now tightest, rose by 9.8 per cent annually on 50,000 sq ft plus units to £9 psf, with prime rents in Doncaster and Rotherham standing at £7.75 psf. Further growth is expected.
Rebecca Schofield, partner at Knight Frank in Sheffield and head of Yorkshire Industrial and Logistics, said: “The South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire region saw an increase in supply during 2024, following a number of new developments reaching completion and a number of second-hand buildings returning to the market. The vacancy rate rose to 12.7 per cent as at the end of Q4.”
Rebecca added: “Despite these figures indicating a healthy level of supply, some parts of the region face challenges. Sheffield is experiencing a shortage of new stock, with just two new-build units available.
“The South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire region is well-positioned to capitalise on occupier requirements for immediate space, and we are seeing good demand in the market from both the B8 and B2 sectors.
“Looking at the year ahead we have seen an uptick in enquiry levels and viewing activities across the market.
“Sentiment and occupier confidence has improved and we are seeing requirements move forward to transactions. We have already seen a number of transactions complete in Q1 and there are a number of buildings under offer which we expect to move forward to swift completion. Q1 2025 occupier take-up for the region is expected to be much stronger.”
Views sought to shape future of Hull city centre
Hull City Council is seeking views on a new plan for its city centre.
The Hull City Centre Vision will help the council realise its ambition to deliver a more family-friendly, sustainable and prosperous city centre of the future – one that benefits residents, businesses and visitors alike.
Led by urban design specialists, Planit, the strategic vision will focus on a number of key areas, including:
- Identifying key development plots in the city centre.
- Moving towards a more climate-conscious city centre, both through futureproof development and the enhancement of sustainable transport infrastructure.
- Defining key neighbourhood/district uses and identities.
- Addressing flood risks through sustainable practices and attractive landscaping.
- Enhancing the outdoor public spaces and family offer, as well as improving accessibility across the city centre.
- Raising the profile of Hull to help drive more inward investment and development.
- Growing the local economy, creating more jobs and supporting new and existing businesses.
- Increasing the number of homes in and around the city centre, helping to create a more vibrant, active and safer destination.
East Yorkshire law firm hands ownership to employees
East Yorkshire’s Williamsons Solicitors has become employee-owned.
The business has switched from a limited company to an employee ownership trust, with 100 percent of shares being transferred from the two previous owners, solicitors Sarah Clubley and Jane Cousins.
The move has been made as part of succession planning and to secure a bright future for the 120-strong firm which was founded in 1890.
Both Sarah and Jane will continue their roles on the board of six directors responsible for strategy and day-to-day management, with four trustees in place to oversee the business, acting as guardians on behalf of all staff.
The business model, which has been adopted by around 30 UK law firms to date and around 1,600 UK companies overall, has many reported positive aspects including enhanced staff loyalty and potential tax-free bonuses.
Sarah Clubley, who joined Williamsons around 25 years ago, said that employee ownership would have far reaching benefits including improved performance while protecting the integrity of the firm.
“It will build on our unique and collaborative culture, beloved by both staff and clients, while shielding us from acquisition or a management buyout which would place power in the hands of a few.
“All staff will have the opportunity to become more involved in decisions, but it will feel like business as usual,” she added.
Jane Cousins said: “Becoming a 100 percent employee-owned law firm marks an exciting milestone for Williamsons and, personally, it is a very proud moment.
“The new structure allows us to give every employee a stake in our financial success. It will empower people, attract top talent and ensure we maintain our culture and ethos while providing continuity for staff and clients.”
Work on the transaction was carried out with the help of Nigel Beckwith of Gosschalks Solicitors and Mike Beckett of Forrester Boyd.
Security group aquires Leeds locksmith
Croma Security Solutions Group has acquired Meridian, a well-established, family-run locksmith business based in Horsforth, Leeds for a total cash consideration of £150,000.
In a separate transaction, the company acquired a freehold retail property for a total cash consideration of £275,000 from the vendor’s pension fund.
Founded and owned by John and Kim Taylor in 2004, Meridian has been providing locksmith services and electronic security systems to the local resident and business community for over 20 years.
Operating from a single store, as well as providing a successful online service, Meridian has six employees of whom three are part of the Taylor family, and all of whom will remain with the business.
For the 12 months to 31 December 2023, Meridian generated revenues of £836,000 and profit before tax of £46,000.
Located in Horsforth, Leeds the store extends the Croma network northwards and is in easy reach of the group’s security centre in Bury. Meridian enjoys a high level of electronic security sales which is part of Bury’s core expertise and so the two sites should combine well and have already begun to collaborate.
The acquisition of Meridian is part of the group’s broader strategic plan to build a national network of modern security centres. Meridian will be incorporated into the business, benefiting from a broader product range and centralised services. The store will continue to service the local existing customer base, as well as the wider Croma network of commercial clients.
John Taylor, Managing Director of Meridian, said: “We have been looking to balance our desire to realise the value in our business whilst also continuing to work.
“Croma is therefore an ideal partner for us, they have a strong track record of incorporating similar businesses to ours into the Group and they have the skills and expertise to grow Meridian, especially in the commercial market where historically we have struggled to meet demand.
“As the founder of the business and having grown it from scratch, I’m excited to continue my career as part of the Croma team.”
Roberto Fiorentino, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to welcome Meridian into the Group. The business meets all our criteria and is therefore a strong fit.
“We anticipate being able to increase the profitability of the business ensuring it quickly becomes earnings accretive and extends our geographic reach. As importantly, we have a good pipeline of further transactions which we are looking forward to bringing to completion.”
University develops footballs for UEFA leagues
Sports engineering experts from Sheffield Hallam University have teamed up with Decathlon UK to design and develop official match balls for the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
The collaboration between the university’s Sports Engineering Research Group and Decathlon UK involved testing all aspects of the ball’s performance at the University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre.
A team of researchers led by Dr Katie Mills analysed the ball’s material composition and aerodynamic performance, ensuring it met the highest FIFA standards.
The results were instrumental in developing the new match balls which made their debut at the start of the current season. Will Taylor, UK Commercial Director – Teamsports at Decathlon said: “We are incredibly proud of the impact this partnership has had on professional football.
“By combining our passion for sport with Sheffield Hallam University’s cutting-edge research, we’ve created match balls that not only meet the demands of elite players but also elevate the playing experience for footballers of all levels.”
Microsoft pledges £150k to support Bradford student’s app idea
A Bradford College student has been pledged £150,000 by Microsoft towards digital infrastructure for his start-up.
Abdul Rahman Majid’s idea for ‘Kallabot’, developed when he moved to Bradford and experienced difficulties trying to communicate with utility companies regarding bill payments.
The app is described as an ‘AI-powered call-centre solution’ offering automated customer support, sales calls, and appointment scheduling using intelligent virtual agents. The AI agents are specially designed to suit various business industries, are programmed to handle hundreds of calls simultaneously, and can speak over 30 languages.
Abdul said: “I noticed that many businesses are outsourcing this sort of work by hiring entire call centres, so wanted to build a more affordable solution that could provide the same service.
“When I was calling companies, I would often wait on hold for considerable amounts of time and knew there could be a better alternative. Sales calls can be a tedious process and often very resource intensive for businesses, meaning less time to focus on other areas. This is what sparked the idea.”
With Kallabot formed and ready to launch to market, Abdul decided to apply for funding from Microsoft aimed at start-ups in the sector. Having been successful with the bid, the new company has been backed with funding of £150,000 to use on digital infrastructure such as servers and website domains.
“The call centre industry is a huge pie and I want to take a small piece of this to build something big. After Bradford College I want to go to university and make new friends and connections, while also hopefully seeing Kallabot flourish,”Abdul finished.
Brainstorm Club selected for Leeds Go-to-Market Launchpad programme
Revenue operations consultancy Brainstorm Club has been selected as one of 10 startups for the Leeds Go-to-Market Launchpad programme.
Founded by Yorkshire native Devon Page, the initiative has been developed by L Marks in partnership with the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, and Leeds City Council, with the objective of supporting promising local startups in refining their go-to-market strategies.
Launched in January 2025, Brainstorm Club helps businesses optimise their revenue potential by bridging critical gaps between sales and marketing operations. The consultancy brings proven expertise in transforming how B2B companies manage their revenue generation, having already helped clients scale from local to international operations through intelligent process design and automation.
Said Devon: “As someone born in Yorkshire and deeply involved in our business community, I’m delighted to join a programme celebrating the diversity and ambition of startups in our region. Throughout my years teaching digital marketing at local universities and delivering workshops with local authorities, I’ve seen firsthand the potential in our businesses. Being selected for this programme marks an exciting step in our mission to help Yorkshire companies unlock their revenue potential.”
During the programme, which includes an intensive bootcamp and eight-week accelerator, Brainstorm Club will develop innovative diagnostic tools to help established businesses and scale-ups optimise their revenue operations. This development aligns with the company’s vision of becoming a leading revenue operations consultancy.
The Leeds Go-to-Market Launchpad, supported by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, positions Leeds as a growing hub for tech innovation. The city ranks second nationally for tech and fourth for digital economy growth, with more than 1,500 startups launched in the past five years.
Plans for UK’s largest tissue paper mill lodged with East Riding Council
Wykeland Group and Finnish manufacturer Metsä Tissue have submitted plans to create the UK’s largest tissue paper mill in Goole, which could create almost half of the tissue used in the UK, amounting to 240,000 tonnes a year.
The partner companies have jointly lodged a planning application for the landmark 3m sq ft facility to East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Wykeland holds the long-term development rights on the site and has worked closely with Metsä Tissue for more than two years to pave the way for the investment of several hundred million pounds.
Subject to planning approval, the development will be built in several phases over the coming decade and could create over 400 jobs on site during that time, with thousands more generated across the supply chain and local economy.
The facility could increase the UK’s self-sufficiency in the manufacture of essential tissue products by more than 30 per cent,
The planning application seeks approval to build the mill on a 211-acre site between Rawcliffe Road and the M62 motorway in Goole.
Wykeland MD Dominic Gibbons said: “We identified the huge potential of this site several years ago and over the past two years have worked closely with Metsä Tissue to bring to fruition their ambition to create a world-class facility in the UK.
“With over 50 years’ experience in the Yorkshire region, we are delighted to bring our planning and development expertise to this project.
“Submission of this application is a key stage in the development process and we look forward to continuing to support Metsä Tissue to secure planning consent and move through to the delivery phase.”
Alan Jeffery, Metsä Tissue’s Technical Director for the UK and Ireland, said: “We have worked collaboratively with Wykeland from the outset of our relationship through to the submission of this planning application.
“Our partnership has contributed to the project progressing smoothly to this point and we look forward to working together to take the development through the planning process.”
