A new partnership has been forged between real estate specialists Boultbee Brooks and leaders in low-carbon infrastructure development, Infraland, to produce and supply renewable energy. With five years of experience working together on renewable projects, Infraland and Boultbee Brooks have decided to officially bring their collective experience, pioneering spirit, and shared vision for the future of renewables, together under the new name of Infrabee. The Cambridge-based business will provide green energy solutions through a series of solar and battery sites across both the UK and Europe as it looks to play a key role in the global switch to a more sustainable and planet-friendly fuel resource. There are currently 25 sites planned across the UK which are either under development or ready to build, with five expected to connect over the next 12 months and the rest due to be energised over the next three years. Infrabee will also be looking to expand its network of European joint-venture partners following early successes through local partner Perdix in the Netherlands. Solar Photovoltaic Power (PV) generation is a clean energy which harnesses the power of the sun – the planet’s most plentiful renewable energy source. Typically installed in fields which are largely isolated from human impact, these farms help promote biodiversity as the remainder of the land is handed back to plant and wildlife regeneration by planting new hedgerows, field margins and native wildflower meadows. The Battery Energy Storage side of the process sees utility-scale lithium-ion batteries store and manage fluctuations in renewable energies in real-time, creating a consistent flow to the national grid. Infrabee Director Nick Barber, comments: “Infrabee is a global partnership between organisations which believes in delivering renewable energy solutions, while also leading in the development of low carbon infrastructure." “Renewable energy is not something we can leave until tomorrow. We must invest in and develop the infrastructure we need today ­– so that together we can secure the future of our planet – before it really is too late.” With the financial benefits of land diversification and improved biodiversity of the rural area, fellow Director, Henry Brown says Infrabee will continue to seek out suitable sites to grow the business. “Infrabee is the new platform for what has been a longstanding Boultbee Brooks/Infraland joint venture,” he said. “Consolidating our joint effort and investment under one stronger brand identity will enable us to continue and further our work in developing and delivering green energy." “In some cases, the technology infrastructure can exist alongside the landowners existing agricultural use. In each case, they are opening up a stream of revenue that is both long-term, predictable and index-linked so it is not at the mercy of fluctuations such as unseasonal weather, or changes in market values for produce." “There is also a boost in biodiversity as the natural world finds equilibrium in the wake of intensive farming and commercial developments. By taking land out of such aggressive agricultural production it can regenerate, improving it’s biological, nutrient and carbon content.” As part of the land-leasing agreement, Infrabee covers all associated costs, such as preparing planning and permitting applications, while ongoing operations and maintenance are also covered for the average 40-year lifetime of the facility. The construction phase from empty field to fully developed energy source is typically completed within a 12 to 15-month process, where the site would then be connected to the national grid.

Accountant Matt Cooper has overcome his fear of heights by undertaking a skydive to raise £2,300 for charity. Matt, Associate Director at Hampshire business and tax advisers HWB Chartered Accountants, supported Mountbatten Hampshire. He took the plunge from 15,000 feet over Old Sarum in Wiltshire with 60 seconds of freefall before tandem parachuting safely to the ground. The cause was particularly significant for audit and accounts specialist Matt as both his parents have been undergoing treatment for cancer for several years. He was joined on the skydive, which had been cancelled three times due to bad weather, by his brother James. His wife Daicy also did the skydive on a separate occasion. It was James who bought the skydive as an ironic 30th birthday present for heights-hating Matt, who decided it was a great opportunity to support the charity. Mountbatten Hampshire, HWB Chartered Accountants’ current charity of the year, is dedicated to providing care and support for people with life-limiting illnesses. The county’s oldest and largest hospice, it has served the community for more than 45 years and is currently supporting around 1,000 families every day. He said: “Being launched out of a plane at 15,000 feet and hurtling towards the fields below at 125mph is not necessarily my idea of fun, but I simply had to do it for Mountbatten Hampshire." “I’ve been scared of heights for as long as I can remember. I don’t like looking down. I remember going up the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth as a kid and not liking to walk across the Sky Walk glass 100 metres above the harbour." “I also remember visiting the park with my daughter last summer and being six feet up on a climbing frame – I looked down and started getting a funny stomach, so you can imagine how I felt at 15,000 feet.” Matt added: “On the skydive itself I didn’t really enjoy the freefall, but it was a thrilling experience once the ripcord had been pulled and the parachute opened. You’re above the clouds, can see the horizon and then float down gently at about 20mph." “I even had controls of the cords at one point before my instructor took over again and we landed very smoothly. I hardly felt it. The jump was certainly worth it to raise so much money for the charity." “Mountbatten Hampshire provides vital support and every penny counts towards the essential support they provide – with demand for its services predicted to rise by 40 per cent over the next 18 months." “Mountbatten gives patients and their families choices and provides the highest quality nursing, medical, and therapeutic care both within the hospice and in people's homes across Southampton city and large parts of Hampshire.” HWB Chartered Accountants Managing Director Tracy Jenkins said: “Matt is terrified of heights, but he was determined to overcome his fear to support this worthwhile cause. We are incredibly proud of his courage and dedication.” Matt, who joined HWB in 2014 and was made Associate Director last year, works with a range of clients from smaller, owner-managed businesses to larger groups and corporates with turnovers in excess of £50 million. He undertook the skydive with long-established GoSkydive, based at Old Sarum Airfield, near Salisbury, whose team has completed more than 50,000 jumps.

Leeds-based performance-led marketing communications agency, Source has been appointed by digital transformation specialists Stridon, to drive forward its digital marketing strategy and support its long term growth aims. The London-based business, which enables professional services firms to accelerate business performance through people and technology, has turned to Source to build its brand awareness, increase online visibility and communicate its technical and strategic expertise. Source will deliver a full range of services ranging from PR to paid social media, to enable Stridon to reach its target audience of IT professionals operating across sectors such as law and property through to financial services and accountancy. Stridon is at the forefront of helping professional services firms to harness the true potential of technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, and so its marketing strategy will focus on promoting its capability to develop and support digital transformation and organisational change. Anna Macleod, chief operating officer at Stridon said: “We’re at the start of a very exciting growth phase for Stridon and so it’s perfect timing to bring the team at Source on board and capitalise on their experience, expertise and proven track-record in delivering results for clients. We’re a business that is focused on team collaboration and forging strong client relationships to deliver real technology change and we firmly believe that Source shares those same values and will become a powerful extension of our business.” Martha Phillips, director at Source, added: “We’ve significantly increased our portfolio of technology clients over the last few years, with this latest appointment underlining our digital marketing credentials in this space." "Stridon is involved in some game-changing digital transformation projects, works with a fantastic portfolio of clients and has ambitious plans to grow and innovate further in the future. We look forward to being part of that journey, to help the business achieve its long-term vision.” Source works across PR, SEO, paid digital and social media and provides strategic guidance to both B2B and B2C clients across the UK.

Henry Brothers  has welcomed Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby to its current project at Pilot House, as works progress on the redevelopment of the historic site in Leicester city centre. The £13.3 million project will transform the former factory buildings into a vibrant space that will contribute to the cultural and economic vitality of the city. During his visit, the City Mayor toured the site, where he met members of the Henry Brothers team and saw how work on site is progressing. Ian Taylor, Managing Director at Henry Brothers Construction, said: “We were honoured to have Sir Peter visit us on site at Pilot House. This is a significant project for the city of Leicester and one that Henry Brothers is proud to be involved with." “At Henry Brothers, our mission is to deliver the best construction solution we possibly can for every client, every time, without fail. With this in mind, our works at Pilot House respect the heritage of the building while providing contemporary facilities that meet the needs of the community." “Henry Brothers is pleased to contribute to Leicester’s ongoing development and to support the city’s growth and innovation.” The redevelopment of Pilot House includes the creation of modern workspaces and a central business community hub, comprising café, exhibition and event space, as well as a reception area and space for outdoor working. The scheme has been designed to create a permanent base for the city’s creative and design businesses of varying sizes. It is supported by £8.6m from the previous Government’s Levelling Up Fund, with the city council contributing £4.7m towards the £13.3m scheme. City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “The redevelopment of Pilot House will transform a group of architecturally-significant heritage buildings into an important new creative hub for Leicester." “Not only will it contribute to the wider regeneration of the Belvoir Street, Market Street and New Walk areas, and complement developments like the Gresham Building, it will also create hundreds of high quality new jobs." “Our contractors, Henry Brothers, are preserving the buildings’ heritage features, while creating a functional and inviting contemporary space, and it is fantastic to see this transformation taking shape." “I look forward to the completion of the project and seeing the positive impact this development will have on our city.” The five separate but interconnected buildings will be transformed into 60,000sqft of high-quality accommodation for start-up and growing businesses that will support more than 250 new jobs. When tenants move in – from summer 2025 – they’ll find meeting and conference facilities, a café and kitchen, a courtyard to the rear and a range of workspaces, including a co-working lounge for creative tech and digital businesses.

Property finance lender MSP Capital has promoted two senior team members to its board of directors. Colleagues Nicky Hollamby and Lee Merrifield, who both joined the Poole-based firm in 2017, step up from associate director roles having taken on extra strategic responsibilities in the past year. It is the first time MSP Capital has announced top level board appointments since April 2018. Chartered accountant Nicky is the new Finance Director while chartered banker Lee has become Director of Credit. Nicky was previously an auditor at Grant Thornton where she worked with clients ranging from small owner-managed businesses to PLCs. At MSP Capital she has grown the ability of the finance department to provide real time data and analysis to inform decision making. Her role has deepened substantially over the years and she has been involved in a series of key transactions. As Finance Director, Nicky is tasked with driving the direction of the firm’s strategic funding programme, building on its relationships with institutional investors. She will also oversee operational finance activities with borrowers, including financial crime compliance. Director of Credit Lee spent 28 years at NatWest. He worked extensively with real estate clients of the bank, gaining in-depth experience of both the residential and commercial property sectors. His main focus was on funding, risk assessment and credit control for clients in Bournemouth and Southampton. At MSP Capital Lee applies his decades of lending experience to decisions on funding solutions and the firm’s credit appetite. He also provides guidance on how best to reach potential borrowers through self-generation and marketing. Both Nicky and Lee took on associate director roles at the end of 2022 with remits designed to enhance MSP Capital’s flexibility, responsiveness and entrepreneurship in the market. Congratulating the pair on their promotions to director level, MSP Capital’s Managing Director Martin Higgins said: “These much-deserved moves are a natural progression in our growth journey." “They recognise the responsibilities that Nicky and Lee have both taken on in the past year as experienced, talented and dedicated professionals keen to further the business and achieve the best outcomes for our clients." “By recognising the skillsets and career ambitions of our fellow directors, we are ensuring that MSP Capital continues to go from strength to strength in the best possible hands." “These promotions strengthen our holistic skillset at director level and will, in turn, bolster our position as the lender of choice for development and bridging finance.” Founded in 1981, MSP Capital is a principal development and bridging lender, offering solutions for sums up to £20 million.

Alternative finance lender, Reward Finance Group, has further supported its expansion aims across Yorkshire by appointing an experienced relationship manager to join the team at its Leeds head office. Anthony Cope has been appointed to meet the needs of Reward’s growing client portfolio in the region, having worked within the financial sector for over 25 years. He spent the majority of his career in a similar client-facing role at Yorkshire Bank (now Virgin Money) before recently moving into the growth funding space at The FSE Group. With Reward providing property investors and SMEs with tailored business finance loans and asset based solutions of up to £5m, Anthony will primarily be tasked with supporting new clients on a face-to-face basis with their ongoing borrowing requirements. Commenting on his new role, Anthony said: “Reward is one of the largest and most established alternative finance lenders across the UK and on a terrific growth path, so I jumped at the opportunity to be part of its success. Having spent so much time in the banking sector, I’ve seen first-hand the pressures and obstacles SMEs face when trying to access finance and the critical role alternative lenders like Reward play in providing fast and flexible funding solutions to meet that need." “I’m looking forward to working closely with our clients across the region and supporting them along their borrowing journey, to help them unlock further business opportunities and growth.” Chris Ibbetson, Reward’s regional operations manager, added: “Our entire business is built on forging strong relationships, especially across our SME and property investor client portfolio, and so Anthony is a key appointment. He brings a wealth of financial and client services knowledge and experience to the role which will further bolster our expansion plans and hugely talented team in our Leeds head office.”

Community projects across Charnwood are continuing to be supported through Charnwood Community Grants. Over £80,000 has been allocated to 18 projects which are making a difference across the whole borough, including supporting residents with the cost-of-living. Charnwood Borough Council awards tens of thousands of pounds each year to support groups and projects. The projects which have received funding in the latest round of Charnwood Community Grants include a food bank, a sensory garden project and a youth theatre. Councilllor Liz Blackshaw, the Council’s lead member for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “The Council is committed to supporting community led projects and I am so pleased to announce the latest round of funding. These projects are at the heart of our community and they do so much to support residents." “I would like to encourage all community groups who are running projects to look into the support they can get through a Charnwood Community Grant.” Two projects which are supporting residents with the cost-of-living are St Mary’s Grub Club and Charnwood Money Advice Centre. Both projects have received a Charnwood Community Grant to allow them to continue the work they are doing in the borough. Sense have been awarded £2,500 to use towards a sensory garden. The project will help support those in Charnwood who have disabilities and their families. The Charnwood Men and Women in Sheds project has been supported with £3,500 of funding. The group offers the chance for people to socialise and share skills in producing pottery, woodcraft, ironmongery and gardening. Community group, Charnwood Arts has been allocated £3,200 towards running costs of their Breathe Create project for people struggling with social isolation. Local theatre, Starlight Youth Theatre has been awarded £2,000 to go towards staging costs of their next show. Loughborough Rugby Football Club has been awarded a £15,000 facility grant towards Project 100 which is to modernise their changing rooms. £7,473 has been allocated to Loughborough-based Modern Painters & Decorators for renovation of their venue, including to the kitchen and accessible toilet. Charnwood Eco Hub has received £10,000 towards a meeting space where workshops and projects can take place. The 15 Charnwood Community Grants which have been awarded are: £3,160 to Falcon Support Services – Recovery Month and Health Day toward event running costs. £4,000 to The Bridge (East Midlands) towards the talk2sort mediation project. £5,000 to New Life Community Church towards the Loughborough Food Bank Operations Manager post. £5,000 to Charnwood Money Advice Centre towards the Money Advisor post. £2,500 to Sense towards their Sensory garden project for people with complex disabilities. £4,000 to St Mary’s Grub Club towards their Food and Fun summer holiday club for families that are in difficult financial circumstances (Awarded from the Loughborough Grant). £3,500 to Loughborough Mela Group towards running costs for the 2024 Loughborough Mela in August (Awarded from the Loughborough Grant). £3,500 to Age UK toward the running costs of Charnwood Men and Women in sheds project. £4,000 to Joy of Music (Sileby) toward running costs of pilot for music therapy weekly activities. £3,500 to Loughborough Town of Sanctuary for leisure passes for asylum seekers resident in Loughborough. £3,200 to Charnwood Arts towards running cost of their Breathe Create project for people struggling with social isolation. £3,500 to Regu8 Mental Health & Wellbeing towards running costs De-stress Club for young people aged 8-12 years old. £5,000 to Studio 17 towards running costs of its new beginning project to increase access to their art studio and support members. £2,000 to Starlight Youth Theatre towards costs of staging their next show. £2,000 to Golf in Society towards weekly golf sessions for residents with disabilities and other health conditions. The three Charnwood Community Facilities Grants which have been awarded are: £15,000 to Loughborough Rugby Football Club towards their Project 100 to modernise the club's changing rooms. £7,473 awarded to Modern Painters & Decorators arts and community venue fit out, kitchen and accessible toilet. £10,000 awarded to Charnwood Eco Hub to fit out a space for Eco Hub project to provide space for a meeting place/workshop, to include tool library and scrapstore.

Loughborough Lightning have swooped to sign England Under-18s forward Haineala Lutui. The New Zealand-born number eight, who turns 18,, started her rugby journey at Worcester Rugby Club Under-13s and represented North Midlands at Under-15s level. Haineala progressed to play for the Worcester Warriors Under-18s Centre of Excellence and in her second year represented England U18s. Alongside her rugby career, she has applied for a Sports Psychology course at Loughborough University and is awaiting her A-level results from RGS Worcester, which are due next week. “⁠⁠I chose Lightning because the opportunity to study at a top university whilst also playing at a high level rugby is amazing,” she said." “The facilities at Loughborough and coaching are top standard, which made it even easier to chose them.” “Everyone has been very welcoming and lovely. I’ve been injured since I joined so haven’t been involved in many training sessions as I’ve been doing rehab. However, the support I’ve had from the physio and coaches has been so helpful.” Lutui is familiar surname in Midlands rugby after Haineala’s father, Aleki, played 181 times for Worcester Warriors and featured in three Rugby World Cups for Tonga. Lightning head coach Nathan Smith said: “It is a massive coup for us to sign Haineala and we are delighted to have someone with her personality and potential in our environment.” “She was one of the most sought-after young players in English rugby and we’re delighted to get her on board to continue her rugby journey with us.” Lutui’s signature adds to the previously announced new recruits ahead of the 2024/25 season, which include Olympic Rugby Sevens medallists Alev Kelter and Krissy Scurfield, as well as Alicia Maude, Elis Martin, Anne Young and Cieron Bell.

Contractor Clegg Construction has completed a £10.3m contract to deliver a care home in Peterborough for Avery Healthcare. The 80-bedroom, three-storey building on Waterhouse Lane is the third care home built by Clegg Construction for Avery Healthcare and is a key part of the Hampton Gardens development, which includes a convenience store, residential accommodation, and a children’s nursery. Waterhouse Manor Care Home will provide a high quality, dementia-friendly environment for older people, including suites for couples, a lounge, hair salon, café and therapy facility. Managing Director at Clegg Construction, Michael Sims, said: “I am very pleased that Clegg Construction has handed over this superb modern facility which will provide first-class care accommodation." “Clegg Construction has wide experience of working in this sector and this is the third care home scheme that we have delivered in partnership with Avery Healthcare. Everyone involved in this excellent development can be proud of what has been achieved.” Previously, Clegg Construction delivered Middleton Lodge Care Home in Littleover, Derbyshire, and Mousehold View Care Home in Norwich for Avery Healthcare. Other key members of the project team that built Waterhouse Manor Care Home, which will provide residential, respite, and dementia care for residents, included Harris Irwin Architects, project manager and quantity surveyor Holden and Lee, and mechanical and electrical engineer Harniss. Director of developments at Avery Healthcare, Adrian Doyle, said: “Our long-term relationship with Clegg Construction is based on consistently high quality results, the strength of our partnership, and the expertise of the team that continues to deliver successful care accommodation. It’s been great to work again with Clegg on this scheme and I am delighted that our partnership has created valuable care facilities for the local community of Peterborough." “Waterhouse Manor Care Home is part of an extensive development programme being undertaken by Avery Healthcare and we are proud that this is the latest in a number of new care homes that will be opening over the next year, with others in Sheringham, Burley in Wharfedale, Downham Market, Eastbourne and Gravesend all under construction.” Natalie Maxwell, home manager at Waterhouse Manor Care Home, added: "I'm absolutely thrilled with how Waterhouse Manor Care Home turned out. Working with Clegg Construction and project manager Stacey was such a joy—they communicated wonderfully and were both professional and supportive throughout the whole process. I can't wait for our first residents to move in soon and experience the amazing, homely atmosphere we've created together." During the course of the build, Clegg Construction held site and office-based collections for Peterborough Foodbank which resulted in more than 250kg of food and toiletries donated by staff and supply chain partners. As part of Clegg’s commitment to the local area, a group of Prince’s Trust students and job centre clients visited Waterhouse Manor Care for a tour ahead of completion. Project manager Stacey Humphries and site manager Kevin Gamble led the tour and gave a presentation. This scheme is the latest in a string of care homes built by Clegg Construction over the past five years, including the £9m, 65-bedroom Highfield Care Home in Tadcaster handed over to Barchester Healthcare in May. Clegg Construction is a Midlands, East Anglia, and Yorkshire-based construction firm specialising in the delivery of public and private sector projects. The company works with organisations of all sizes and specialties across a range of different sectors. For more information on Clegg Construction visit here.

Jonathan Guest, the founder of Cheshire-based Safety Shield Global, has spoken of his ‘unforgettable honour’ in meeting His Majesty, King Charles III at a special reception for winners of this year’s prestigious King’s Awards. The event at Windsor Castle in London was hosted by the King and attended by business leaders from around the country who had been recognised for their innovation and excellence. Considered to be the highest commercial accolade possible for any UK business, the King’s Award was presented to Safety Shield Global for its ground-breaking work in developing an Artificial Intelligence safety system for plant machinery. Jonathan Guest came up with the idea of improving construction site safety after one of his close friends was tragically killed in a collision with an excavator. He spent more than a decade honing and developing technology which had initially been utilised for collision avoidance in the automotive industry. Speaking of his meeting with King Charles III, Jonathan comments: “Meeting King Charles at Windsor Castle was an unforgettable honour. His remarkable ability to connect with people was testament to his commitment to fostering enterprise and innovation." “Windsor Castle provided a majestic backdrop for the reception and shaking hands with King Charles and discussing how Safety Shield is leading the way in construction site safety and innovation and the reasons for winning the Kings Award was a surreal experience that I will cherish forever." “I am deeply honoured and humbled that Safety Shield Global have been awarded with The King’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation. This award represents recognition of the resolution, vigour, and dedication of our team.” The most advanced AI ‘human form recognition device’ available on the market, Safety Shield’s award-winning system was designed to cut the risk of serious injury on busy construction sites and places of work where heavy plant are operational. Providing a world-class level of protection for contractors in the most demanding of safety-focussed environments, Safety Shield gives operators a full 360-degree ‘window’ to ensure workforce safety. Using AI to identify people who are in the danger zone, the system is trained to filter out all other objects and only detects the human form, acting as a third eye for the operator and sounding an alert if a collision is imminent. The system can be fitted to any type of plant, for industries such as construction, rail, mining, demolition and waste, amongst others. Manufactured in the UK, the device which can also be retrofitted to any plant or machinery and has achieved AI accuracy at 99.6% via independent test bodies in the UK and Germany, achieving the gold standard of accuracy levels. The King’s Award for Enterprise was renamed last year to reflect His Majesty, The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II, by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 58th year, allows successful businesses to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.

Strategic property and construction advisors, Fox Lloyd Jones (FLJ) has been appointed as joint letting agents with CBRE for the prestigious One City Square office tower in Leeds. The appointment is on behalf of Catella APAM, the asset manager for Britannia Invest A/S, and compliments FLJ’s work on its other major city centre asset, 2 Whitehall Quay, where it recently recorded one of Leeds most significant lettings in 2024 to UK Infrastructure Bank. One City Square’s current availability includes a fully refurbished sixth floor suite spanning 5,856 sq. ft. in a prime location, capable of being a full bespoke turnkey solution for tenants, and the full fourth floor covering 10,000 sq. ft. of space to be refurbished later this year. Both available spaces are designed to meet a range of contemporary business needs. The building was built in 1998 and underwent a major upgrade in 2022 introducing an extensive array of market facing amenities to include a café, business lounge, meeting rooms and gym facilities. The landmark building presides over the newly pedestrianised City Square and offers direct access to Leeds’ central business district, retail centre and train station. FLJ’s appointment coincides with the firm celebrating its 20th anniversary year in business. Its specialist office team, comprising Paul Fox, Nick Salkeld, Harry Finney and Zac Parker, was also recently awarded the CoStar Group Awards ‘Top Agency for 2024’ for the most active single branch agency in acquisitions and disposals in Leeds. Nick Salkeld, director at Fox Lloyd Jones, said: “One City Square is regarded as the best address in Leeds and offers one of the most amenity-rich buildings in the city and is therefore hugely desirable to potential tenants and businesses operating across a wealth of sectors. To be appointed as joint agents on such a prestigious site pays testament to the team’s success in the Leeds office market.” Paul Fox, director and co-founder of Fox Lloyd Jones, added: “We are immensely proud of the incredible journey we’ve been on over the last 20 years, made possible by our loyal clients and dedicated staff. To be appointed as joint agents on One City Square is evidence of our ongoing hard work and determination to deliver results for our clients.” The One City Square appointment comes on the back of a number of notable new client instructions for FLJ in Yorkshire. They include One Whitehall Quay on behalf of Consolidated Property Group, Rose Wharf for Caddick Developments, Wellington Plaza for Asset Capital, and Tileyard North on behalf of City & Provincial Properties – one of the few new office schemes to complete in Yorkshire this year. Chalwe Silwizya, asset manager at Catella APAM, said: “We are thrilled to continue our successful partnership with Fox Lloyd Jones. The team’s expertise and dedication has been instrumental in securing significant lettings across our buildings and other schemes in the city. We’re confident that their innovative approach and understanding of the Leeds market will help us attract and accommodate top-tier tenants at One City Square.” For further information on One City Square or to express an interest in the fourth and sixth floor suites available, please contact Fox Lloyd Jones here.

Work is now underway on site for a new Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology (SSIoT) centre at Crawley College. This follows the signing of a Section 106 agreement with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council confirming previously granted planning consent. The £15million centre is the latest phase of the wider master plan that enables the development of the College Road site and supports the regeneration of the town centre. Property consultancy Vail Williams was appointed by long-standing client Chichester College Group to secure planning permission for the new centre. The new four-storey facility will provide high-quality learning environments housing specialist construction, engineering and digital ‘learning factories’, designed to be inclusive for all students attending the new institution. It will sit to the south of the campus, next to the STEM Centre, which opened in 2020 and follows approval in 2022 of a masterplan for the wider site through partnership working, which will regenerate the predominantly 1960s/70s campus. The building is set to open to students in autumn 2025. Vail Williams worked alongside Bond Bryan Architects, construction consultants Ward Williams Associates and Amiri Construction, in consultation with Crawley Borough Council, in developing the project which helps regenerate the existing campus. The designs include a number of features to reduce energy consumption, and integrate renewable energy technologies, including the installation of photovoltaic panels to generate electricity and air source heat pumps, as well as a water harnessing and recycling system to reduce water consumption and wastage, and ensure the project is Water Neutral. Vail Williams Gatwick regional managing partner Suzanne Holloway said: “We are delighted to have secured such an amazing educational opportunity in this unique, bespoke building which will provide future skills for students from Crawley and the wider region." “The project team collectively worked really hard to resolve water neutrality, one of the main challenges of the project, successfully delivering an efficient and sustainable development.” Andrew Green, Chief Executive of the Chichester College Group, said: “We are grateful to Suzanne Holloway and the team at Vail Williams for their support in getting this vital development across the line. The SSIoT is already underway, with satellite centres opening at sites at our partner organisations, and we are making strides in shaping the technical curriculum in response to the skills needs of our region. “This new building will give us more opportunities to educate and train people to address the skills shortages in the engineering, construction and IT industries." “It is also another step forward in our long-term commitment to developing Crawley College, investing in the modernisation of our facilities, with the aim to inspire, drive and support the career aspirations of young people in our local area.” Chichester College Group is the largest provider of further education in West Sussex and Brighton & Hove with seven colleges and 2,600 staff educating and training around 25,000 full and part time students every year. IoTs form a key part of the Government’s policy to increase higher technical education across the country, as it aims to encourage more people to continue studying as well as attracting people of all ages to upskill or retrain. In particular, they are designed to spearhead the delivery of higher technical education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects, bring colleges and universities together with employers to equip local economies with a skilled workforce. Andrew added: ““The college group is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and it was important to us that our new building helps us on our journey towards NetZero." “We are training our students in new sustainable technologies, and it’s only right that our new buildings are developed using these technologies as well – helping us to create a more sustainable campus for our students to enjoy for years to come.” Vail Williams’ full-service property advice includes commercial agency, investment and development advice, building consultancy, property valuation, planning, lease advisory, property asset management, business rates and occupier consultancy.