MCS Group wins brief to build new HQ
Construction contractor MCS Group has won the brief to build a new headquarters for a signage firm in south Birmingham. The Warwick-based company is building a £20 million, 80,000 sq ft base on behalf of Allsee Technologies which will house teams working on the company's manufacture of digital advertising displays and signs. The design and build project, which is expected to reach practical completion in late 2025, includes three storeys of office space, car parking and external works. Allsee Technologies received consent in May for its new head office and digital centre on Longbridge Business Park which it said would create more than 150 jobs. Email newsletters BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the West Midlands including Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Staffordshire. Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates. We will also send out 'Breaking News' emails for any stories which must be seen right away. LinkedIn For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our BusinessLive West Midlands LinkedIn page here. The company, which is currently based in Bartley Green, develops software for displays and also manufactures hardware to build the products. Keir Edmonds, managing director at MCS Group, said: "Starting a new development is always exciting and our latest project is no exception. "We are thrilled to be working alongside Allsee Technologies to create a fantastic new headquarters here in the Midlands, bringing investment and new jobs to this exceptional regeneration zone." Baoli Zhao, managing director at Allsee Technologies, added: "Longbridge has a proud history of manufacturing and innovation and we are honoured to become part of this legacy with our new headquarters and digital technology centre. "This development represents an exciting step forward for Allsee Technologies, and the region as a whole, as we invest in creating high-quality job opportunities and advancing digital display and communication technologies.
Stena Line unveil major plans for Anglesey site which could create up to 2,000 jobs
A major data centre campus is part of £1bn plans to redevelop a former aluminium works on Anglesey. Smelting came to an end at the Anglesey Aluminium site in 2009 - with Orthios later taking it on and developing a materials recycling facility. But the business collapsed in 2022 with up to 100 staff losing their jobs. Later that year ferry operator Stena Line - which has owned and operated Holyhead port for nearly 30 years - bought the 213 acre site. They said the new site - named Prosperity Parc - has the potential to provide additional land and services to existing customers and attract new long-term uses and investment to Holyhead. Now a major scheme has been revealed in a development that could eventually create between 1,000 and 2,000 jobs - as well as around 900 roles in the construction phase. This would include a potential huge data centre campus in a development space of up to 238,000sqm. The proposals also include up to 10,000 sqm of office space, and up to 5,000 sqm research and development space. There would also be Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) with a target capacity of up to 349MW. The application is from Stena subsidiary Anglesey Land Holdings. A pre-application consultation has been launched. Ian Hampton, executive director at Stena Line, said: “We are really excited to share these proposals with the community. Our plans will see jobs, training and the next generation of technology come to Anglesey. By investing further in the Cae Glas land and the former 2Sisters site, we have shown how much we believe in Anglesey and how committed we are to delivering the vision of the Freeport. We believe our plans will protect and enhance the heritage of Anglesey, the Welsh language and the culture that we have been proud to be a part of for over 30 years. “As we open our consultation on our plans, I would encourage everyone to take part, give us your feedback and help us shape the future of Prosperity Parc.” Agent Oxalis Planning said: "The site benefits from access to very large amounts of grid power, as well as good access to strategic telecommunications links to Ireland, the wider UK, and beyond. Coupled with Anglesey's potential to support a range of new energy generation sources, this makes the site particularly well suited to data centres." On operational jobs, they said it was "estimated to be at least 1,151, but potentially up to 2,073 depending on end-user and occupier final requirements." They added: "The data centre proposals will include a range of jobs across a variety of technical and skill levels involved in operating and supporting the day to day operations of the data centre campus." The application is made in outline with details included about how the existing two access points from London Road (A5) will be utilised. Details in relation to the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping will be provided through reserved matters applications submitted to the Local Planning Authority in due course. It would see existing structures removed from the site - where the famous chimney was demolished earlier this year. In conclusion, the agent said: "The proposals to redevelop Prosperity Parc for a data centre, research and development and office space, will help deliver significant levels of jobs and investment in the site which will drive growth and bring wider socio-economic benefits to Anglesey and North Wales. "This would include a £1 billion construction cost, 1,151 to 2,073 operational jobs at a range of skill levels, and approximately between £109 million to £274 million of additional GVA per annum for Anglesey, as well as training and up-skilling opportunities and benefits for the local area.
Bristol's Cheese Lane Shot Tower once among city's 'most polluting' now targeting net zero
A Grade II-listed Bristol office block that was once one of the most polluting buildings in the city is on course to achieve a net-zero target after securing funding to help cut its emissions. The Cheese Lane Shot Tower, home to charity the Workforce Development Trust, has been a distinctive feature of Bristol’s skyline for decades. The building, near Temple Way, was built as the headquarters of the Sheldon Bush and Patent Shot Company - manufacturers and suppliers of lead shot. It opened during the late 1960s as a replacement for the original 18th century lead shot tower in Redcliffe. Lead shot was manufactured in Bristol until the 1990s before it was banned due to environmental concerns. Following Sheldon Bush’s eventual closure, the 142ft tower was empty until it was converted into offices around the turn of the millennium. John Rogers, the chief executive of The Workforce Development Trust, which supports the NHS and other frontline public services develop and maintain a sustainable workforce, describes the tower’s recent carbon cutting overhaul as “quite the turnaround”. He said: “It is an irony that a building which at one point was producing a cocktail of toxic chemicals causing untold environmental damage can now be held up as a symbol for a much cleaner, greener future and economy for the city.” With the support of a Green Business Grant from the West of England Combined Authority, the building has been fully upgraded and retrofitted with a range of carbon reduction measures, including low-energy LED lighting and solar panels. A total of £2m has been made available for businesses across the region to help cut emissions, with applications open to firms until March next year. Dan Norris, mayor of the West of England said: “It’s great to see our Green Business Grants make a real impact on an iconic piece of Bristol’s skyline. Cheese Lane is a towering example of how my Mayoral Combined Authority is helping local businesses harness solar power.” The Workforce Development Trust is targeting net zero by 2035. Mr Rogers added: “By sharing our slightly quirky journey, we’re hoping that it will help to inspire other small charities and businesses in the region to seek out the support they need to reduce their carbon emissions."
GSF launches new national hub set to create 400 jobs
Motor factor GSF Car Parts has opened its new National Distribution Centre which is set to create 400 jobs. The facility near Wolverhampton covers 500,000 sq ft and serves as the central logistics hub, modernising the company's supply chain infrastructure and streamlining delivery processes into its UK network of 194 branches. GSF, which is headquartered in Minworth, said the new base in the Four Ashes area was designed for future scalability as it is expandable to up to 750,000 sq ft of space with a mezzanine. The site includes office space, logistics capabilities with 58 docks, eight loading doors and nearly 700 parking spaces for cars and HGVs. This news comes off the back of a year of growth for the car part distributor, with sales year-on-year up by more than 22 per cent so far in 2024, it said. Email newsletters BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the West Midlands including Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Staffordshire. Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates. We will also send out 'Breaking News' emails for any stories which must be seen right away. LinkedIn For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our BusinessLive West Midlands LinkedIn page here. Chief executive Steve Horne said: "The opening of our National Distribution Centre is a landmark moment for GSF Car Parts. "For years, we recognised the need for a centralised facility to elevate our service and now that vision is a reality. "Located in an ideal, central position, this facility empowers us to deliver exceptional service and product availability to our customers. "The National Distribution Centre will ensure branches have more products on the shelf and will remove lots of time-consuming processes so our network can focus on serving the customer. "It is the flagship of a broader investment programme that's transforming GSF Car Parts at every level. "It doesn't just enable us to serve customers better, it also creates a host of jobs across the West Midlands and beyond, reflecting our commitment to invest in the growth and success of our branch teams." Last year, the business welcomed fresh investment from private equity firm Epiris which backed the business alongside the Ahluwalia family office. Chairman Sukhpal Ahluwalia added: "The centre will be an absolute gamechanger for GSF and the industry. "GSF has desperately needed a central distribution centre for years but similar projects under past owners have been met with false starts. "As soon as we acquired the business last year, we knew we needed to get it done - no ifs, no buts. We made the commitment and we delivered.
Manchester's Hotspur Press redevelopment stalled by listing bid that developer warns could 'potentially condemn' the site
The refurbishment of the landmark Hotspur Press Victorian printing mill in Manchester city centre has been put on hold due to a pending listed building application – with the developer criticising the length of time the process is taking. The mill, which ceased printing operations in 1996, has fallen into disrepair and has seen numerous stalled attempts at renovation, including a plan to transform it into a 171-home, 28-storey flat block. Despite receiving planning permission in 2020, construction never commenced, leaving the mill to further deteriorate. There was new hope earlier this year when a new developer, Manner, received council approval for its redevelopment plan. The proposal includes preserving the mill's facade and iconic 'Percy Brothers' signage while constructing a 36-storey student housing tower with 595 bedrooms and a new public square. Planning permission was granted in May, but work has yet to begin on Cambridge Street due to an anonymous listed building application that has halted the construction of the student towers. The application was submitted in late summer and is still under consideration by the government body responsible for listed buildings, which has confirmed receipt of Historic England's opinion on the matter. Typically, a listing request decision takes 12 working days, but in the case of the Hotspur Press, it has been months, leading developers to express their frustration with the government, reports the Manchester Evening News. Richard James, the boss at Manner, said: "We are calling for the urgent need to decide on the listing process for The Hotspur Press. "It has now been three months since Historic England issued its report to the Secretary of State and well over the 12-day average response time that DCMS state. "As a result, the listing process has created significant delays to the redevelopment plans. We have always wanted to do more than just save this iconic building: we want to create a place the local community can be proud of. "If The Hotspur Press is listed, it will not save it. All it will do is potentially condemn the future of this wonderful building and its history, and have the community lose out on the public realm benefits that they want." In response, a government spokesperson said that a decision will be made 'in due course'.
Revamp project for office block ahead of sale
An office block has undergone a refurbishment project ahead of being placed on the market for £19 million. Investment fund Clearbell Property Partners has led the revamp of Radcliffe House, in Solihull town centre. The 60,675 sq ft has been refurbished to a grade A specification, including new heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, raised access floors and a new-look reception. Radcliffe House, and its sister building Chadwick House, make up the 146,000 sq ft Blenheim Court office complex, in Warwick Road, which also has a shared car park, landscaped gardens and a separate grade II-listed nursery fronting Warwick Road. Email newsletters BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the West Midlands including Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Staffordshire. Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates. We will also send out 'Breaking News' emails for any stories which must be seen right away. LinkedIn For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our BusinessLive West Midlands LinkedIn page here. Its tenant mix includes finance firm Legal & General, law practice Shakespeare Martineau and sports better and gaming Flutter. Clearbell Property Partners is a fund managed by London-based private equity real estate and advisory business Clearbell Capital and it has appointed agency Savills to manage the freehold sale. Rhys Jones, asset manager at Clearbell Capital, said: "The refurbishment of Radcliffe House marks a significant milestone for this highly sought-after office scheme in the heart of Solihull.