Peel Holdings has sold a 65 per cent share of its airports division to Canadian-owned Vancouver Airport Services. The deal includes Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA), Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield (DSA) and Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA). Peel will retain a 35 per cent investment in the business and a presence on the board. The value of the deal was not disclosed. Peel Airports also confirmed this morning that Mark Whitworth has been replaced as chief executive by Craig Richmond. Click here for Insider comment.

Royal London’s takeover of mutual insurer Royal Liver has moved a step closer after the business signed a “non-binding head of terms agreement” which will allow for further due diligence. Both companies will now carry out due diligence to decide whether a deal would be in the best interests of their respective members. No final proposals for the transfer have been tabled for the 200-strong Royal Liver board to consider. If a deal is struck it would have to be approved by 75 per cent of Royal Liver’s delegates.

The Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards 2010, in which more than £100,000 in cash prizes and services are up for grabs, were officially launched in Liverpool this morning. The awards are open to businesses, entrepreneurs, charities and social enterprises from North Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire, Shropshire and the Wolverhampton area. Founder Steve Morgan said: “In this age of austerity there isn’t going to be much spare cash so these awards will mean more than ever this year. Entrepreneurialism made this country great in the first place and it will get us out of the debt predicament we are in.” Applications are open from tomorrow and Insider will be announcing more details later this week.

VPhase, the developer of energy-saving products based in Chester, has completed a social housing trial with Great Places Housing Group. Data collected from the trials shows that VPhase’s units achieved average energy savings of 8.7 per cent. The company’s technology electronically manages the level of voltage supplied into homes and ensures that household appliances receive the right amount of voltage to operate in the most efficient way. Chief executive Lee Juby said the results were an “important milestone” as the company looks to break into the social housing market.

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