Experts create ‘UK Regeneration Hotspot’ ranking Study unveils Westminster as the UK’s top regeneration hotspot With the last two years presenting many challenges for businesses in hospitality and changes to how their customers behave, many have had to look at ways to upgrade and invest in their commercial spaces. Following
HBD and the Barnfield Group have submitted outline planning permission for a 25ha employment scheme at Roman Way in Preston which, if approved, has the potential to create circa 1,500 jobs. The proposed development would deliver circa 800,000 sq. ft. of new industrial and warehouse space, helping to ease the
Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, today acquired zero trust cybersecurity provider – Tempered Networks, based in Seattle, Washington. Tempered Networks has created ‘Airwall’ technology, an advanced self-defence system for buildings that enables secure network access across diverse groups of endpoint devices, edge
• National Grid’s Tunnel Boring Machine completes almost 7km journey across South London • 140-tonne machine travelled at depths of up to 50m from Hurst to Eltham • Key moment for £1 billion project to rewire London and prepare it for future electricity demands National Grid team members were celebrating
Construction at Millwrights Place and Coopers Court, Finzels Reach, Bristol, has reached a major milestone with ‘topping out’ being achieved. The projects form the second Cubex/Grainger Build to Rent scheme in the city, providing high-quality rental homes and much needed affordable new homes for Abri. Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member
Network Space Developments (NSD) has exchanged contracts to sell the second phase of its popular Tunstall Arrow scheme in Stoke-on-Trent, to 4th Industrial for an undisclosed sum ahead of its completion. Construction work is progressing well on the 2nd phase of this successful scheme which will provide an additional 111,000
Leading civil engineering and construction contractor Spencer Group has been appointed by Associated British Ports (ABP) to be part of a major national investment programme. Spencer Group has been appointed to the Industrial Buildings Framework Contract to build large-scale industrial buildings for ABP in four out of five regions across
Network Space has secured planning permission for the redevelopment of the former Cartwright headquarters on Atlantic Street in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. Broadheath Networkcentre will include a mixture of high-quality refurbished space alongside new builds, creating a modern, multi-let industrial site designed to attract a variety of businesses. The development will
Multi-disciplinary construction company, Harris CM, has started work on a £10 million contract building a major new mixed-use development at Wakefield’s City Fields development. The 110,000 sq ft development, by DeVeer Estates, which is the commercial arm of Berkeley DeVeer, is located on Neil Fox Way and will be known
Leading Yorkshire commercial property developer Wykeland Group has secured an £80m-plus investment by global medical technology business Smith+Nephew. Subject to planning approval, Smith+Nephew has announced it will build a new research and development and manufacturing facility for its Advanced Wound Management franchise at Wykeland’s Melton West business park in East
Experts create ‘UK Regeneration Hotspot’ ranking Study unveils Westminster as the UK’s top regeneration hotspot With the last two years presenting many challenges for businesses in hospitality and changes to how their customers behave, many have had to look at ways to upgrade and invest in their commercial spaces. Following a 100% increase in searches for the term “UK regeneration projects” over the last 12 months¹, leading structural glass manufacturer, Specialist Glass Products issued Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to 423 local councils to discover the number of empty commercial properties across the UK in February 2019 and 2022 in order to identify the areas with the biggest opportunity for regeneration. Analysing the data², the top ten hottest spots for regeneration are: City of Westminster – 8,456 London Borough of Tower Hamlets – 3,784 Leeds City Council – 3,567 Trafford Council – 2,967 City of Glasgow – 2,758 Salford City Council – 2,178 Birmingham City Council – 2,153 Cheshire East – 1,625 London Borough of Hackney – 1,461 North West Leicestershire – 1,160 Altogether, there were 89,371 empty commercial buildings across the UK in February 2022, a 21% increase compared to pre-pandemic (February 2019). Central London has the most prominent opportunity for regeneration as local councils, the City of Westminster and London Borough of Tower Hamlets, take the top two spots. A total of 8,456 commercial properties were empty and available in the City of Westminster and 3,784 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. According to the UK Regeneration Hotspot list, the northern city of Leeds is the third biggest area of opportunity for regeneration. If you were hoping to relocate your business to God’s Own Country, 3,567 buildings are currently unoccupied in Leeds. Other northern areas to make the top ten include Trafford Council (2967) and the City of Glasgow (2758). The results suggest both councils in the North and South have an equal opportunity for regeneration, with four councils each in the top ten. Two local councils from the Midlands also made the top ten, Birmingham (2153) and North West Leicestershire (1160).` The new study from Specialist Glass Products also revealed which local councils were most impacted by COVID-19 by comparing the number of empty commercial properties in 2022 against 2019. Of the councils which held the information, the following councils saw dramatic increases in empty properties and made the top three: St Albans City & District Council by 855% Inverclyde Council by 700% Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) by 518% Andrew Taylor, managing director at Specialist Glass Products, commented on the study: “It has been a testing couple of years for many businesses with multiple lockdowns and restrictions, Brexit and inflation in energy and cost of living. “Hospitality businesses, in particular, have had to find ways to adapt to the new ways of living by sourcing new commercial space with large external areas that are more sustainable. When searching for an area to invest in, business owners should always be on the lookout for areas pushing regeneration; this is often an indication of future growth and demand. “If you would prefer to stay where you are and simply adapt current space, business owners should seek alternate materials such as glass which has many functional and decorative qualities. Structural glass can be used to create outdoor dining spaces such as roofing and balustrading, glass dining pods and takeaway windows with greater security from severe weather and durability in elevated temperatures. “With July temperatures averaging a daily high of 21 degrees Celsius in the UK, indoor temperatures can get stuffy and uncomfortable, especially if in direct sunlight. By implementing energy-efficient coated glass into commercial design, you can help keep interiors cool in the hotter months and warm in the colder months.” You can find the full results of the study here: https://www.specialistglass.co.uk/the-uks-top-regeneration-hotspots/
HBD and the Barnfield Group have submitted outline planning permission for a 25ha employment scheme at Roman Way in Preston which, if approved, has the potential to create circa 1,500 jobs. The proposed development would deliver circa 800,000 sq. ft. of new industrial and warehouse space, helping to ease the significant shortage of suitable buildings within the region. The site, an allocated employment site within Preston City Council’s Local Plan, sits to the east of the existing Roman Way Industrial Estate; a large and well-established industrial development. Chris Newsome, Senior Development Surveyor at HBD, said: “The site is very well-connected, close to the motorway network and within just 1.2 miles of the M6, making it an ideal location for an industrial scheme of this caliber. It also sits adjacent to the very successful Roman Way Industrial Estate and would help to address the shortage of high-quality industrial space within the region, while providing thousands of new jobs.” If the planning application is successful, infrastructure work would start on site later this year. Tracy Clavell-Bate, Head of Development for Barnfield Group, said: “It is great to get the site to the planning stage; it hasn’t been without its challenges, but we are sure with it being a natural extension to the existing Roman Way site, which is fully occupied, that the development will be extremely successful if planning is granted.” HBD and Barnfield have worked closely with the council since 2020 when initial pre-application discussions began. Since then, a range of technical experts and specialist consultants have been involved in completing comprehensive site assessments, alongside architects Fletcher Rae and Iceni Planning Consultants. Ridge was tasked with assessing flood risk and drainage, Bowland handled ecology and arboriculture, Mode managed highways, Sandy Brown handled acoustics and Applied Geology has considered any geo-environmental factors. Dean Young of Young &Co acted for the landowner. The proposed scheme is the latest of several industrial projects delivered in joint venture by HBD and the Barnfield Group. EAST, an 18-acre strategic development site, is also located in Preston and has proved very successful; its 70,000 sq. ft. first phase was fully let prior to practical completion and the rest of the site under offer. The partnership has also developed an 11.5-acre site in Huyton, Beacon 62, creating around 357 new jobs and transforming an important gateway site.
Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, today acquired zero trust cybersecurity provider – Tempered Networks, based in Seattle, Washington. Tempered Networks has created ‘Airwall’ technology, an advanced self-defence system for buildings that enables secure network access across diverse groups of endpoint devices, edge gateways, cloud platforms and service technicians. It represents a step-change in operational technology built on secure transmission pipelines to ensure buildings data exchanges and service actions can only take place between people and devices that are continuously authenticated. The acquisition gives Johnson Controls the capability to provide zero trust security within the fabric of its OpenBlue secure communications stack, advancing its vision of enabling fully autonomous buildings that are inherently resilient to cyberattack. How Airwall Works Tempered Networks Airwall technology uses the Host Identity Protocol and a cloud-based policy orchestration platform to create new overlay networks built on encrypted and authenticated communication. The policy manager (a.k.a. the conductor) enforces configured digital policies that control connections within the cloaked overlay system. The default position for the policy manager is ‘zero trust’, i.e., only allowing connections between continuously authenticated and authorised entities. Once a communicating device authenticates itself correctly, an encrypted tunnel is created through which data flows. The advantages of this cybersecurity technique are as follows: ▪ The creation of an always-on and software-defined security perimeter protecting device-to-device, device-to-cloud and device-to-user interactions. ▪ Airwall achieves this by using Host Identity Protocol to create a cloaked and micro-segmented network which overlays a building’s existing network infrastructure, making the solution also highly cost-effective. ▪ A new level of authentication for connected building systems is created, allowing for greater system automation of functions such as heating and cooling, lighting, security and airflows. “When it comes to buildings, we must create easily implementable cybersecurity defences as we’re often dealing with critical infrastructure, including assets such as data centres and hospitals,” said Vijay Sankaran, vice president and chief technology officer, Johnson Controls. “Tempered Networks Airwall approach is purpose-built for our sector as it’s designed around principles of zero trust, securing device communications as data moves between devices and the cloud – so enabling remote building optimisation in the most trusted way possible.” Technology Integration Tempered Networks Airwall technology is being integrated into Johnson Controls OpenBlue platform which is increasingly recognised as a leading smart building software platform with advanced AI-enabled building management capabilities[1]. OpenBlue provides a flexible computing approach for converging building technologies and making those technologies more insightful, powerful, and optimised through edge AI and through full machine learning in the cloud. The ultimate goal is to make all buildings smarter, healthier and more sustainable. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. To learn more about Johnson Controls’ approach to cybersecurity, please visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/cybersolutions. See an explanation video for Tempered Networks Airwall technology below…
• National Grid’s Tunnel Boring Machine completes almost 7km journey across South London • 140-tonne machine travelled at depths of up to 50m from Hurst to Eltham • Key moment for £1 billion project to rewire London and prepare it for future electricity demands National Grid team members were celebrating a landmark moment for the London Power Tunnels (LPT) project this week (21st June), as the first of five drives by four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) was completed at Eltham. The 140-tonne TBM, named ‘Christine’ after Christine Townley, the former Executive Director of the Construction Youth Trust, known for her championing of diversity and STEM careers, began its journey at the LPT site in Hurst in July of last year. In total, it has travelled 6.7km underneath London, reaching depths of up to 50m underground in the process. The completion of the drive represents a key moment for the £1 billion project to rewire London and prepare it for future electricity demands as the city continues to grow. LPT will also help provide crucial infrastructure for helping the UK energy sector to reach net-zero targets. Members of the LPT project team gathered at the Eltham site to witness this major milestone and celebrate their achievement. National Grid’s three other TBMs, “Edith”, “Grace”, and “Caroline” continue their tunnelling work deep underground across sites in South London. Speaking at the breakthrough, Gareth Burden, Project Director, London Power Tunnels, National Grid, said: “The completion of Christine’s journey from Hurst to Eltham represents a significant milestone for all of us working on London Power Tunnels today. After close to a year of tunnelling, it is exciting to see the first connection between sites. The team has worked so hard to make this happen, in the face of tough ground conditions.Thanks to HMJV, our engineers, fitters, miners and all else involved. A special thanks also goes to the JGL gangs who put in some hard yards down in the tunnel. It’s great to take a moment to celebrate with them all today and see so many flags and kits proudly on display. LPT is a crucial infrastructure project that will ensure people living in Eltham and Londoners more widely can continue to access safe and reliable electricity supplies. LPT is currently under-budget and on time. The project is part of National Grid’s continued investment across the network – connecting, expanding and maintaining through projects such as Hinkley Connection Project, a £900 million investment to connect low carbon energy to six million homes in the South West. It also has a planned series of investments along the East Coast of England to deliver on the government’s target of 50GW of offshore wind generation by 2030. For more information about the LPT project, please visit National Grid’s project website www.londonpowertunnels.co.uk
Construction at Millwrights Place and Coopers Court, Finzels Reach, Bristol, has reached a major milestone with ‘topping out’ being achieved. The projects form the second Cubex/Grainger Build to Rent scheme in the city, providing high-quality rental homes and much needed affordable new homes for Abri. Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing, Delivery and Homes at Bristol City Council, laid the final piece of concrete at Millwrights Place alongside representatives from the respective owners of the two schemes, namely housing provider Abri and Build to Rent Landlord Grainger plc. Millwrights Place, developed by Cubex for Grainger plc, who will own and operate the scheme when complete, will provide 231 ‘Build to Rent’ homes created specifically for renters. All new homes will be professionally managed by Grainger’s dedicated onsite Resident Services team and in addition to offering high quality homes there will be a strong emphasis on shared resident amenity spaces, including roof top terraces, residents’ lounge, gym, co-working space and shared entertainment spaces. At ground level there will be co-working spaces custom-made for those working independently or running their own business. Grainger, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord and a FTSE-250 listed business has over 100 years’ experience as a residential landlord and is a leader in the UK private rental market, leading the way in the emerging Build to Rent sector and raising the bar in the rental market by providing high quality, mid-market rental homes for young professionals, key workers and families on regular incomes. Coopers Court, developed by Cubex for the social housing provider Abri, will deliver 66 affordable homes consisting of 48 homes for the social rented market and 18 for shared ownership. The energy-efficient building includes a bio-diversity roof amenity space, 94 cycling spaces and only four car parking spaces in line with the city’s drive to help tackle the environmental crisis. Together, Coopers Court and Millwrights Place will help to address the housing crisis in Bristol by providing social housing, an opportunity for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder and high-quality rental accommodation all of which is much needed in the city. Both buildings have been designed to have strong identities and a sense of place, whilst ensuring they integrate well with the surrounding area. Significant investment in improvements to the area around the buildings, including new landscaping, traffic management, pedestrian and cycle routes, will help create a more attractive area and foster a sense of community. As part of a £2.4m investment in improvements around the site, there will be new ‘pocket parks’ with seating and soft landscaping to create relaxing spaces the whole community can enjoy. As well as Coopers Court and Millwrights Place, the second phase of Cubex’s mixed-use Finzels Reach development on the former fire station site, incorporates a landmark, sustainable 116,000 sq. ft office building named Halo, with notable tenants confirmed including international legal firm Osborne Clarke and accountancy firm Deloitte. Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes, said: “Demand for housing in Bristol far outstrips the number of homes available and it’s vitally important that we deliver a mixture of different types of housing to meet our city’s need. These new developments at Finzels Reach, offering affordable homes for social rent and shared ownership, and managed homes for rent, demonstrate that by working together we can deliver good quality homes for all. “We’ve got Bristol building since 2016, with over 9,000 new homes delivered for Bristolians. These new homes in central Bristol will add another 297 to that total – including 66 new affordable homes.” Peter Walford, managing director at Cubex, said: “We are thrilled to have reached this important milestone on Coopers Court and Millwrights Place, an integral part of Finzels Reach phase two. Thanks to a successful partnership approach with both housing provider Abri and professional landlords Grainger, plus our construction partner Wilmott Dixon, this once-derelict city centre site is fast being transformed into much-needed, high quality affordable accommodation to add to the 440 homes we have already delivered at Finzels Reach. Neal Stephens, managing director from Wilmott Dixon Wales and West, said: “Together, Millwrights Place and Coopers Court are the fourth project that we have worked on alongside Cubex and as part of this long standing and collaborative partnership we are delighted to have the opportunity to deliver this regenerative development. Millwrights Place and Coopers Court will provide much needed high-quality housing in Bristol, and we at Wilmott Dixon are proud to be part of the team that has delivered this landmark scheme.” Helen Gordon, Chief Executive at Grainger plc, said: “We are delighted to have reached this milestone for our Millwrights Place development – a great addition to our Bristol portfolio and delivering much needed new homes in one of our key target cities. We look forward to seeing the development progress over the coming months in the lead up to our launch – providing high quality homes, a commitment to excellent customer service and establishing a thriving new community for renters in Bristol.” Michelle Hyde, head of land and planning at Abri, commented: “It’s great to be a step closer to providing affordable homes in such a central location in Bristol and to be helping to transform a former derelict site into a place of real value for the community. “On our part, Abri is committed to delivering 12,500 new homes by 2030 and Coopers Court is a great example of how working with our partners we’re collectively helping to tackle the unmet housing need.” Cubex bought the former fire station site in summer 2018 on behalf of Fiera Real Estate Opportunity Fund IV (UK), a programmatic joint venture by FRE UK that is exclusive to clients of CBRE Global Investment Partners (CBRE GIP). Award-winning Finzels Reach is one of the largest mixed-use developments in the South West. The first phase, which is complete, includes 440 new apartments, 240,000 sq.ft of office space including two Grade A office buildings, a 168-bedroom Premier Inn, plus a host of
Network Space Developments (NSD) has exchanged contracts to sell the second phase of its popular Tunstall Arrow scheme in Stoke-on-Trent, to 4th Industrial for an undisclosed sum ahead of its completion. Construction work is progressing well on the 2nd phase of this successful scheme which will provide an additional 111,000 sq. ft of industrial and logistics workspace on a 7.3 acre site. Caddick Construction started on site in November 2021, and are just over halfway through the build, with completion anticipated in Autumn 2022. Phase Two will deliver five high-specification highly sustainable business premises for industrial or logistics uses, ranging from 13,400 sq ft to 31,000 sq ft. Phase One of Tunstall Arrow, which opened in 2018, was sold by Network Space to 4th Industrial in February 2021. The scheme proved extremely popular being fully let prior to completion to a host of international tenants including – DHL Express, Boels Rental, Q-railing, Pramac Generac and SG Fleet. Other major occupiers in the area include Churchill China and JCB. Acquired by NSD in 2013, the Tunstall Arrow scheme covers 28 acres of a former colliery site adjoining the A527 (James Brindley Way) in Sandyford, Stoke-on-Trent. The scheme is close to the A500 with access to Junction 16 of the M6 only minutes away. Simon Peters, Development Director at NSD, said: “The Tunstall Arrow development has been a huge success story in terms of delivering sustainable employment and inward investment benefits for Stoke on Trent. “We are delighted to have exchanged contracts for the sale of Phase Two to 4th Industrial. This is the third scheme they have acquired from us and follows Tunstall Arrow Phase One and Ashroyd in Barnsley. Demand for well-located urban logistics and industrial space is extremely high and interest in Tunstall is strong. ” B8RE Investment Director Simon Wood added: “Following on from the sale of Phase 1 it has been fantastic to have been involved in the forward sale of Phase 2. Not only has it been really encouraging to see continued strong investor appetite for high quality schemes such as this but also Tunstall emerging as a really strong and recognised industrial location for investors and occupiers alike. Congratulations to both Network Space Developments and 4th Industrial on another successful deal.” 4th Industrial Managing Director, Derek Heathwood, said: “We are delighted to have agreed another deal with NSD providing real scale at this prime location. The acquisition of Tunstall phase 2 continues our investment theme of purchasing high quality, multi let industrial estates with strong ESG credentials in key target UK sub-markets. There is already significant interest in the units and we look forward to completing this purchase when the development is at practical completion.” Tunstall Arrow is a priority development for Stoke on Trent City Council, being one of the six sites in the Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone. The CVEZ has potential to create up to 6,700 jobs and deliver 3.3 million sq ft of commercial space across six sites along the A500 corridor.
Leading civil engineering and construction contractor Spencer Group has been appointed by Associated British Ports (ABP) to be part of a major national investment programme. Spencer Group has been appointed to the Industrial Buildings Framework Contract to build large-scale industrial buildings for ABP in four out of five regions across the UK where the port owner operates – South East and North West England, Scotland and Wales. ABP is the UK’s leading ports group and its network of 21 ports supports 119,000 jobs and handles about a quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade, worth £150bn annually. The framework will run for five years, with scope to extend to a further two years. ABP plans to invest a significant value across the four regions with specific projects determined by port requirements in each location. The success for Spencer Group’s industrial division follows an extensive competitive tendering selection process involving both regional and national contractors across the UK. Spencer Group Off Site Construction Director Richard Green-Morgan, who leads the industrial division of the business, said: “We’re delighted to be appointed to this framework. This is a very significant contract for us and a positive continuation of our strong working relationship with ABP. “Being appointed by ABP in each of these regions is further evidence of our excellent reputation as a leading provider of multi-disciplinary engineering and construction projects across the UK. “It will also strengthen our presence and position these locations, undoubtedly creating opportunities to work with new partners and SMEs to jointly support ABP’s ambitious plans for the future. “We’re looking forward to getting started and working with ABP on these important projects.” Spencer Group has undertaken a number of schemes over the past year providing consultancy and construction services to develop and support a variety of capital projects in various ports. Spencer Group Managing Director Gary Thornton said: “Our appointment to the Industrial Buildings Frameworks Contract is very positive news for Spencer Group. “The framework is yet another example of our developing relationship with ABP, which started over 30 years ago. Our ability to provide technical support, design and delivery capabilities to provide new and enhanced existing assets and infrastructure mean we are able to support ABP’s investment decisions and meet their customer demands. “We’re proud of the faith shown in us by ABP and are looking forward to starting work under this new framework to deliver exceptional value to ABP and their customers.” Spencer Group delivers innovative engineering and construction solutions in the transport, infrastructure, materials handling, energy and industrial sectors. To find out more about the company’s work, visit www.thespencergroup.co.uk.
Network Space has secured planning permission for the redevelopment of the former Cartwright headquarters on Atlantic Street in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. Broadheath Networkcentre will include a mixture of high-quality refurbished space alongside new builds, creating a modern, multi-let industrial site designed to attract a variety of businesses. The development will deliver 205,000 sq ft of accommodation across 25 units, with workspace available from 2,100 sq ft to 39,500 sq ft. A highly sustainable development, Network Space will reuse and recycle existing steel and concrete structures on site, resulting in a significant reduction in embodied carbon in the development. The units are also designed to accommodate photovoltaic panels for renewable energy provision and electric vehicle charging on all units. Simon Eaton, Senior Development Manager at Network Space Developments, said: “With planning permission now secured, we can fully commence our development of this well-located and highly popular site which will appeal to local businesses, trade occupiers and last mile urban logistics firms. “We have already received very strong interest in the scheme from a range of businesses and with demolition already well underway, we hope to have units ready for occupation in early 2023. The scheme aligns perfectly with our strategy to deliver high quality, highly sustainable developments in key urban ‘last mile’ locations. We look forward to working closely with Trafford Council to deliver a scheme the borough can be truly proud of.” Network Space commenced the demolition in early May and are aiming for practical completion in early 2023.The scheme is set to revitalise the site, creating upwards of 400 new jobs and providing much needed speculative workspace in the region. Once complete, the scheme will have an estimated GDV of £45m. Jonathan Williams at Savills and Will Kenyon at B8 have been appointed as letting agents for Broadheath Networkcentre. The wider professional team includes Walker Sime, project management and quantity surveying, AEW architects and Spawforths is the planning advisor.
Multi-disciplinary construction company, Harris CM, has started work on a £10 million contract building a major new mixed-use development at Wakefield’s City Fields development. The 110,000 sq ft development, by DeVeer Estates, which is the commercial arm of Berkeley DeVeer, is located on Neil Fox Way and will be known as the City Fields District Centre. It will consist of eight retail units including a 24,500 sq ft supermarket, a children’s nursery, a management suite and 14 apartments. City Fields is a substantial 375-hectare new development that is creating a new community of over 2,500 homes, a new primary school, parkland and other public realm, connected via the new Wakefield East Relief Road. Harris CM is also currently building 77 houses at City Fields on behalf of Rula Homes. Jason Adlam, CEO at Harris CM, said: “It’s great to be starting work on another major development that will contribute towards the continued regeneration of our hometown of Wakefield. We are also thoroughly enjoying working on City Fields District Centre alongside several other Wakefield based companies including architects, The Harris Partnership and HJ Consulting Engineers. “When work completes in May 2023, this development will provide a focal point for City Fields and benefit both the development’s new residents and Wakefield as a whole, thanks to the new road connections to the city.” Jason added: “This continues to be an exciting time for Harris CM and City Fields is an important contribution to our strong pipeline of work for the next 18 months, which puts us on track to hit £70 million turnover in 2022.” Harris CM is a privately owned construction company that provides new-build and refurbishment property solutions throughout the UK, with over 50 employees in 2022.
Leading Yorkshire commercial property developer Wykeland Group has secured an £80m-plus investment by global medical technology business Smith+Nephew. Subject to planning approval, Smith+Nephew has announced it will build a new research and development and manufacturing facility for its Advanced Wound Management franchise at Wykeland’s Melton West business park in East Yorkshire. The location is just eight miles from Smith+Nephew’s current site in Hull, where the business has been located for more than 100 years. The new facility is expected to open in 2024. The investment will create a world-class R&D, manufacturing and flexible office environment, which is expected to support more than £8bn of sales in its first 10 years of operation. Melton West business park has been selected for the investment because of its proximity to the existing Hull facility. It also offers a site with the size and established infrastructure to accommodate the new facility and is allocated under the East Riding of Yorkshire Local Plan for developments of this kind. Dominic Gibbons, Managing Director of Hull-based Wykeland, owner and developer of Melton West, said: “We are delighted the strategic, long-term investments we have made in the infrastructure at Melton West business park have enabled Smith+Nephew to stay within the region and make such a huge investment in a state-of-the-art new facility. “Smith+Nephew is one of the region’s leading employers, with a proud local history and heritage. This investment will open an exciting new chapter in that story.” Simon Fraser, President of Advanced Wound Management for Smith+Nephew, said: “This major investment demonstrates our commitment to the UK and to building our leadership in Advanced Wound Management. “Smith+Nephew was founded in Hull in 1856 and we are proud to make this major investment in the region for future generations.” The 200-acre Melton West business park is one of Yorkshire and the Humber’s premier locations for investment and job creation. It enjoys a prime location west of Hull, off the A63 and connecting to the national motorway network within minutes via the M62. The Smith+Nephew facility will be the latest major development at the growing site, which features more than one millionsq ft of completed warehouse, distribution, manufacturing and office space. In December last year Wykeland secured planning permission from East Riding of Yorkshire Council for a £170m retail logistics fulfilment centre at Melton West. This centre will have a footprint of 558,000 sq ft and create 1,300-1,500 permanent jobs, additional seasonal and indirect employment, and further jobs during the construction phase. Last year Amazon opened a 125,000 sq ft last mile delivery centre on an adjacent site at Melton West and a new command and control facility for Humberside Police has recently been handed over and is due to be operational later this year. Other leading businesses at Melton West include Heron Foods, which has its national Distribution Centre and Store Support Centre on site; generator manufacturer Allam Marine; shower maker Kohler Mira; and Needlers, the UK’s leading supplier of safety and hygiene products to the food manufacturing industry.
