July 21, 2020

Development in Nottingham Revealed

The first phase of the £650 million Island Quarter development, called Canal Turn, in Nottingham has been unveiled. Artists’ impressions of the long-derelict site include a three-storey pavilion on the water which features two restaurants, events space and a large rooftop terrace. Conygar also revealed a bandstand and significant amounts

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No Limits for the Midlands Central Hub

The Midlands must have no limits on its ambitions to develop “the goldmine” of the UK Central Hub, a project set to bring more than 70,000 jobs and £6 billion a year to the regional economy. The UK Central Hub is a 20-year project to connect and develop the area

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8 Business Ideas to Start from Your Van

Hard up Britons looking for a new line of work are being urged to invest in a van and overhaul their careers and job prospects. The vehicle experts at LeaseVan.co.uk have compiled a list of the businesses you can start from your van in a bid to encourage people to make the

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Latest Issue
Issue 324 : Jan 2025

July 21, 2020

Development in Nottingham Revealed

The first phase of the £650 million Island Quarter development, called Canal Turn, in Nottingham has been unveiled. Artists’ impressions of the long-derelict site include a three-storey pavilion on the water which features two restaurants, events space and a large rooftop terrace. Conygar also revealed a bandstand and significant amounts of public space. The webisode also included a new showcase video with Cllr David Mellen, leader of Nottingham City Council, and chief executive of Conygar, Robert Ware. “Conygar has been working closely with the architects and design teams to develop these plans, not only for the first phase but also for the bigger site as well. The site will create a worldwide destination for Nottingham which will provide year-round interest and community facilities which can be used from dawn until dusk,” said Richard Watson, director of Conygar Nottingham who is overseeing development plans. Outline planning permission for the whole development was granted by Nottingham City Council in April 2019. The overall plans for the 40-acre site will bring new homes, grade A office space, creative spaces, lifestyle hotel with PRS and co-working space, a ‘linear’ park and community and event space as well as student accommodation to the city. “The layers of cultural and historic legacy of this site go on for decades if not centuries. What we’re producing is a pavilion that evokes the memory of the industrial and railway age – something which looks as if it’s a legacy element that’s been left on the quayside of a working canal and will blend with that history while providing incredibly up to date and current facilities for the future,” added James Dilley, director of architect Jestico+Whiles which has worked on Canal Turn. Paul Seddon, director of planning and regeneration at Nottingham City Council, also commented: “The Island Quarter has been vacant for far too long. It is part of our wider city centre – it’s very visible and has perhaps been a symbol of our city in previous years. This project is a significant part of the once-in-a-generation regeneration of Nottingham and as we move into challenging times, seeing this site progress over the next decade will be critical for the city.”

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No Limits for the Midlands Central Hub

The Midlands must have no limits on its ambitions to develop “the goldmine” of the UK Central Hub, a project set to bring more than 70,000 jobs and £6 billion a year to the regional economy. The UK Central Hub is a 20-year project to connect and develop the area around Birmingham Airport, Jaguar Land Rover, the NEC, Birmingham International station and the coming HS2 Interchange station. Key components in The Hub’s development are the £350m redevelopment of Birmingham International, proposals for a £140m Metro link to North Solihull and Birmingham, and the Sprint express bus service which will eventually run to the centres of Birmingham and Solihull. UGC managing director Jonathan Bretheron said, fully realised, the site could create 70,000 jobs and add £6.2 billion a year to the Midlands’ economy. “The ambition is that The Hub will be more than just a transport node which people pass through: it will become a destination in its own right, a place which attracts world class investment and development. But if it’s to be all that we hope for we have to be optimistic, be excited and proud about the project – and push, push, push for the best outcome,” he added. Interest in The Hub has soared in recent days on the back of two announcements. One of them is Arden Cross, the 346-acre greenfield development site at the heart of the project, which announced a £3 billion masterplan that sets out ambitions to build six million sq ft of office space, creating and securing 27,000 jobs. Regional transport body Midlands Connect also revealed its £180 million Airport Connectivity rail improvement scheme. It would create hourly direct connections to Birmingham International and Coventry railway stations from Derby, Yorkshire and the North East, bringing in up to two million passengers a year.

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8 Business Ideas to Start from Your Van

Hard up Britons looking for a new line of work are being urged to invest in a van and overhaul their careers and job prospects. The vehicle experts at LeaseVan.co.uk have compiled a list of the businesses you can start from your van in a bid to encourage people to make the most of their vehicles and create new streams of income.  Vans are commonly associated with builders, plumbers and other tradespeople but there are hundreds of different businesses you can start from your vehicle depending on your skills. Suggestions include furniture restoration, setting up your own cleaning business, becoming a mobile hairdresser or enjoying the outdoors and starting your own gardening firm. Also, depending on the type of business you’re running, it would be best to purchase a vehicle. It will be closely related to how frequently you put your hands to work. Decision to start business is an amazing choice. Especially considering the fact that you can buy college assignments and be immersed into the work of your choice. Once you’ve been dedicating enough time to your business, it might be the right time to move forward. Find here more vans for sale so you don’t miss the best deal for you. A spokesperson for LeaseVan.co.uk said: “Most people buy a van for labouring work but don’t think they’re just for tradespeople.  A van is ideal for any business which requires driving to different places and lots of equipment. “There are hundreds of businesses you can start; it all depends on your interests and skills. Having a larger vehicle simply means more flexibility and options if you’re looking at working for yourself.” Here are LeaseVan.co.uk’s suggestions on businesses you can start from your van: Cleaning company If you love the look and feel of a super clean and tidy home, general domestic cleaning services would be a great focus. This could include more niche services like carpet cleaning, window cleaning or even pool cleaning, depending on your clientele. Targeting big business parks is another option, as many companies will outsource their office cleaning to small agencies. Your van will provide ample room for all your cleaning supplies and with some nice branding on the sides, could really help your business succeed. Painter/decorator For budding interiors experts, setting up your own painting and decorating company could be an enjoyable, fuss-free way of making money. Start by offering your new services to family and friends to build up some experience before taking to your van and extending your services further afield. It’ll be relatively low cost, too, and you can build up your inventory over time. Gardening Not everyone has the time to tend to their outside space so gardening could be the perfect job for green-fingered Brits. A van is ideal for transporting all the tools and equipment you need.  Simply start working for a neighbour and work your way up to an empire. Dog walking Animal lovers might love nothing more than the idea of getting to take four-legged friends on mini-adventures day in, day out, so make this idea a reality by offering dog walking services in and around your local area. This business idea has one of the lowest start-up costs as all you’ll need is your van to pick up your canine chums, and lots of stamina! Remember to make sure you have all the correct insurances in place and your van is safely kitted out inside. Pet grooming Similarly, starting a pet grooming business might be another ideal for animal lovers, but this one requires more training, qualifications and a larger start-up cost. Certain dogs need regular haircuts with styles varying, and grooming depending on the breed, so you’ll need to receive some proper training in advance. Caterer Once you have all the equipment, certificates and licenses, you’ll be able to use your van to ship tasty feasts to the required location. Start small by offering buffet-style spreads before finding and developing your niche. Mobile hairdresser If you already have the relevant training, experience and work or have worked as a hairdresser in the past, going it alone as a mobile hairdresser could be the business venture for you, especially right now when everyone’s desperate for a trim. You’ll be able to stock your van with everything you need and take to the road to make every day a good hair day for your clients.  Furniture restorer If furniture renovations are your thing, start making money out of it by commissioning restoration pieces to clients. You can find fantastic, cheap pieces of furniture in charity shops and second-hand stores which will fit into your van with ease, then you can jazz them up accordingly before delivering them to buyers.

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