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Top story
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Councils secure MoD site for £1
Allerdale Borough Council and Cumbria County Council have bought the Derwent Forest site in west Cumbria from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for only £1. The 1,050-acre former armaments depot - one of the largest brownfield sites in the UK - is to be transformed into a leisure and commercial development. Other partners in Derwent Forest are the Northwest Regional Development Agency, economic development agency Cumbria Vision and urban regeneration company West Lakes Renaissance (WLR). Bob Pointing, chief executive of West Lakes Renaissance (WLR), said: "The importance of the land purchase cannot be overemphasised as the first essential step in getting suitable development for this site. We are looking forward to engaging developers for what is simply the biggest and the best development opportunity in the whole of Cumbria, if not the north of England."
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N Brown to appeal planning decision
Manchester-based home shopping group N Brown is appealing against the decision not to grant planning permission to expand its site at Lilac Mill in Shaw, Oldham. The plans, which include a multi-storey car park and high-bay warehouse, were rejected by Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council's planning department on the basis that the development would "have a significant adverse impact in the landscape to the detriment of visual amenity". This was the second hearing of the application made by N Brown's subsidiary JD Williams and the decision could force the company to look for premises outside the borough. Keith Risk, the company's logistics director, said: "We are very disappointed with the councillors' decision, especially as it went against the recommendation of the councils own professional officers. Our proposal would have secured more than 1,000 local jobs and reduced truck activity in and out of our warehouse."
Manchester-based home shopping group N Brown is appealing against the decision not to grant planning permission to expand its site at Lilac Mill in Shaw, Oldham. The plans, which include a multi-storey car park and high-bay warehouse, were rejected by Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council's planning department on the basis that the development would "have a significant adverse impact in the landscape to the detriment of visual amenity". This was the second hearing of the application made by N Brown's subsidiary JD Williams and the decision could force the company to look for premises outside the borough. Keith Risk, the company's logistics director, said: "We are very disappointed with the councillors' decision, especially as it went against the recommendation of the councils own professional officers. Our proposal would have secured more than 1,000 local jobs and reduced truck activity in and out of our warehouse."
Food for thought
Carlisle-based sandwich filling manufacturer Calder Foods is set to build a £2.5m extension to its Burgh Road factory following the acquisition of a competitor's business for £3.6m. Calder has taken over the sandwich filling business of Daniels Group, the company famous for its Covent Garden Soup Company brand that took over top Lancashire pudding maker Farmhouse Fare in 2006. Calder was started in the early 1990s by joint managing directors Paul Barker and Nigel Harrison.
Carlisle-based sandwich filling manufacturer Calder Foods is set to build a £2.5m extension to its Burgh Road factory following the acquisition of a competitor's business for £3.6m. Calder has taken over the sandwich filling business of Daniels Group, the company famous for its Covent Garden Soup Company brand that took over top Lancashire pudding maker Farmhouse Fare in 2006. Calder was started in the early 1990s by joint managing directors Paul Barker and Nigel Harrison.
Funding boost for metalworker
Associated Perforators and Weavers, a metalwork company based in Newton-le-Willows, has received an £800,000 funding boost to support its expansion plans. The funding has been secured from The Royal Bank of Scotland and its asset finance arm Lombard and will allow the company's management team to explore acquisition options as well as invest in new machinery. The business employs 47 staff and has seen sales rise by 25 per cent to £5.8m over the past three years.
Associated Perforators and Weavers, a metalwork company based in Newton-le-Willows, has received an £800,000 funding boost to support its expansion plans. The funding has been secured from The Royal Bank of Scotland and its asset finance arm Lombard and will allow the company's management team to explore acquisition options as well as invest in new machinery. The business employs 47 staff and has seen sales rise by 25 per cent to £5.8m over the past three years.
HealthSure clinches two top contracts
Manchester healthcare plan company HealthSure have been contracted by two leading businesses. Traidcraft, based in Gateshead, has introduced a company-paid HealthSure health cash plan for all of its 153 UK-based employees. Meanwhile, Manchester City Football Club has named the company as its official health partner as part of a deal to create cash plans for the club's supporters and corporate clients.
Manchester healthcare plan company HealthSure have been contracted by two leading businesses. Traidcraft, based in Gateshead, has introduced a company-paid HealthSure health cash plan for all of its 153 UK-based employees. Meanwhile, Manchester City Football Club has named the company as its official health partner as part of a deal to create cash plans for the club's supporters and corporate clients.
Cleaners on the move
Rossendale's Chapel Cleaning Machines has moved to a larger location in Waterford, having outgrown its previous base. The cleaning equipment company's new home is a 5,000 sq ft unit at Hugh Business Park, owned by local property developers B&E Boys. The new facilities will provide more storage space, workshops and offices. The family business employs 12 people and supplies specialist floor cleaning equipment to factories, sports stadiums, hotels and offices throughout the UK.
Rossendale's Chapel Cleaning Machines has moved to a larger location in Waterford, having outgrown its previous base. The cleaning equipment company's new home is a 5,000 sq ft unit at Hugh Business Park, owned by local property developers B&E Boys. The new facilities will provide more storage space, workshops and offices. The family business employs 12 people and supplies specialist floor cleaning equipment to factories, sports stadiums, hotels and offices throughout the UK.
Easy as one, two, three
Stockport-based ABC Home Repairs has taken 2,867 sq ft of space at Kayley Industrial Estate in Ashton under Lyne. The company has agreed a two-year lease on the unit at a rental of £5 per sq ft. Lambert Smith Hampton and WHR are joint agents on the scheme, acting on behalf of CBRE Investors.
Stockport-based ABC Home Repairs has taken 2,867 sq ft of space at Kayley Industrial Estate in Ashton under Lyne. The company has agreed a two-year lease on the unit at a rental of £5 per sq ft. Lambert Smith Hampton and WHR are joint agents on the scheme, acting on behalf of CBRE Investors.
Intercytex appoints new chief financial officer
Intercytex Group has announced Max Herrmann will join the company on 19 September as chief financial officer. He joins from university intellectual property commercialisation company Fusion IP, where he held an independent consulting role for the past 12 months. Intercytex, which has a clinical production facility and research and development laboratories in Manchester, uses cell technology to develop regenerative products that can restore skin and hair.
Intercytex Group has announced Max Herrmann will join the company on 19 September as chief financial officer. He joins from university intellectual property commercialisation company Fusion IP, where he held an independent consulting role for the past 12 months. Intercytex, which has a clinical production facility and research and development laboratories in Manchester, uses cell technology to develop regenerative products that can restore skin and hair.
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Something for the weekend
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Deal of the week
The deal that everyone's talking about this week - despite the fact we all knew it was coming - is the management buyout of Lancashire-based Crown Paints from its Dutch parent, Akzo Nobel, backed by private equity firm Endless. The size of the deal has not been disclosed - although there's talk of £70m - and chief executive Howard Luft is already talking about a planned investment in the company's Darwen site, a great vote of confidence in the area.
The deal that everyone's talking about this week - despite the fact we all knew it was coming - is the management buyout of Lancashire-based Crown Paints from its Dutch parent, Akzo Nobel, backed by private equity firm Endless. The size of the deal has not been disclosed - although there's talk of £70m - and chief executive Howard Luft is already talking about a planned investment in the company's Darwen site, a great vote of confidence in the area.
Opportunistic press release of the week
What's this? Why, it's fit-out, housing and maintenance specialist Morris & Spottiswood, urging DIY enthusiasts to stay safe over the bank holiday weekend by wearing proper protective clothing and following basic health and safety rules. Dave Thompson, the group's regional health and safety manager, says: "Far too many men think they are too macho to wear gloves, goggles and sturdy shoes. We would never work on a construction site without wearing protective clothing and the same should apply when people are carrying out DIY." Righto.
What's this? Why, it's fit-out, housing and maintenance specialist Morris & Spottiswood, urging DIY enthusiasts to stay safe over the bank holiday weekend by wearing proper protective clothing and following basic health and safety rules. Dave Thompson, the group's regional health and safety manager, says: "Far too many men think they are too macho to wear gloves, goggles and sturdy shoes. We would never work on a construction site without wearing protective clothing and the same should apply when people are carrying out DIY." Righto.
Hirsute heroes
The stick that private equity chaps take is awfully cruel sometimes. Venture capitalists (VCs) are people too. Well done to any North West VCs joining the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign's call for the private equity community to grow moustaches to raise money for research into prostate and testicular cancer for the TacheBack campaign. Funders, bankers, advisers and lawyers are all invited under the slogan "Grow a âtache - raise cash."
The stick that private equity chaps take is awfully cruel sometimes. Venture capitalists (VCs) are people too. Well done to any North West VCs joining the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign's call for the private equity community to grow moustaches to raise money for research into prostate and testicular cancer for the TacheBack campaign. Funders, bankers, advisers and lawyers are all invited under the slogan "Grow a âtache - raise cash."
Veggie craze do you know my name?
The credit crunch has its upside, apart from some God-awful apartment schemes being ditched. How else would we get campaigns like Heart Research UK's Credit Crunchy Veg, with its handy hints on keeping food spending down? At least it was of more relevance than the offer we had this week to run a competition offering one lucky reader the chance to win 2,500 litres of gas oil.
The credit crunch has its upside, apart from some God-awful apartment schemes being ditched. How else would we get campaigns like Heart Research UK's Credit Crunchy Veg, with its handy hints on keeping food spending down? At least it was of more relevance than the offer we had this week to run a competition offering one lucky reader the chance to win 2,500 litres of gas oil.
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