Multimillion-pound Newcastle business hub launches to help regional firms thrive

Commercial Property

Electroplating firm invests £2.3m into Black Country plant

Electroplating and coatings firm Anochrome has increased capacity by investing £2.3 million into its Walsall site. The company has spent £1.3 million on a new state-of-the-art plant and more than £600,000 to modernise a large bay. UK divisional director Steve Norman said the new plant would boost production capacity by at least five per cent while the new-look bay would reduce energy costs and provide working conditions for employees. Meanwhile, the front façade of the building has also been completely revamped, along with the reception area. 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. Anochrome is one of the largest electroplating and coatings specialists in the UK, processing tens of millions of components every week and dealing predominantly with automotive suppliers. Mr Norman said: "This investment will bring significant benefits to both our customers and our people. "It's an important moment for the business which demonstrates our commitment to continued growth while being environmentally responsible. "The revamped bay was where we kept all our scrap and redundant equipment. That area has been completely overhauled and is now an energy-friendly, modern unit fit for the future. "It will help us service all our manufacturers' technical specifications, while minimising our environmental footprint. It's an exciting time to be part of Anochrome as we push forward and target strategic growth."

Commercial Property

Wheelchair manufacturer opens new HQ in Cornwall

A Cornwall-based wheelchair and walker manufacturer has opened a new head office in Hayle. Rehasense UK has moved into a 2,500 sq metre space after outgrowing its previous, smaller premises. The business, which employs 15 staff, had originally planned to move offices in 2026, but said it changed its plans after experiencing "rapid growth". According to the firm, the relocation will allow it to increase its stock levels and fulfil orders more quickly. Rehasense was founded in Hong Kong in 2010 and the UK business was established in 2018. The company sells through a network of UK dealers. “One of the issues we faced in 2024 was the longer than expected shipping times which meant it has not always been easy to get the right balance," said Lee French, regional director of Europe for Rehasense. "Some days the warehouse could be 100% full and then the next day it could be empty, which would have an adverse effect on our delivery timescales to our dealers, which we have always prided ourselves on since our first day in business back in 2018. That is why we have made this significant investment earlier than planned." The new HQ includes warehouse space and a training and development centre for staff, dealers and healthcare professionals working with the company's products. To support the opening of the site, the company has hired seven new members of staff in a range of roles covering the office, warehouse and sales departments. The appointments include three new members of the customer services team: Zoe Phillips, Claire Baker and Stacey Eaton.

Commercial Property

Cardiff scheme for more than 300 apartments

Plans to develop a new block of flats in Cardiff Bay are about to take another step forward. Cardiff Council’s planning committee granted outline planning permission in 2022 for the redevelopment and extension of the Channel View estate in Grangetown for up to 319 apartments and houses. The council has decided the demolition of three properties on Channel View Road can go ahead in order to pave the way for construction of phase one of the development. A council document published recently states the demolition of 227-231 Channel View Road is expected to commence in April. In June 2024, Cardiff council approved plans to amend the design of an apartment block in phase one so that it could meet fire regulations. The first phase of the scheme will be made up of two blocks providing independent living flats for people aged over 50. It will also include a community cafe and communal gardens incorporating allotments and picnic areas. Approval of the amended plans means block B will be six storeys high instead of eight and its make up will change so it will no longer include what it called ‘green walls’. These consist of plants and aimed to improve energy efficiency, promote biodiversity and improve air quality, among other things. A council planning report on the application which was approved last year states: “The application is seeking to make these amendments due to new emerging guidance on building regulations being released, specifically referring to tall buildings post the Grenfell Tower disaster. “The approved designs will not meet these new regulations, so a redesign exercise has been carried out. The green walls have been omitted as they cannot achieve fire regulation compliance.” Although the changes mean block B will be shorter and reoriented, the number of units being provided will remain at 24. The council document published this month on proposals to demolish buildings on Channel View Road states an amendment to the design of block A of phase one was also approved last year. This will involve increasing the number of apartments from 57 to 102. Cardiff Council’s wider plans to redevelop Channel View will eventually see 180 existing properties on the estate replaced.

Commercial Property

'Serious about business': Leader says construction company's move to Oldham is 'massive boost' that will create jobs

Mansell Building Solutions is set to deliver a 'massive boost and jobs and opportunities' to Oldham with its relocation to Broadway Business Park in Chadderton. The construction giant has signed a 10-year lease for a warehouse within the business complex, which was developed with Oldham Council. Mansell's move comes after it outgrew its previous base in Horwich, Bolton. Oldham Council leader Arooj Shah views the arrival of the firm as a chance to show the borough is 'serious about business', expressing optimism that it will create employment for locals. Councillor Shah said: "This news is a massive boost for the local economy and we're thrilled Mansell Building Solutions is coming to the borough. Mansell Building Solutions is a real success story and a growing firm. This is amazing for Oldham because a thriving company means jobs and opportunities for Oldham people. "Firms like Mansell Building Solutions are increasingly seeing the borough as a place to invest and as somewhere that is serious and proactive about business. We looking forward to working closely with them in the coming years." The council leader also commended the company for its 'women-led' status, drawing a parallel between its pioneering nature and that of Annie Kenney, the celebrated suffragette hailing from Oldham , reports the Manchester Evening News. Angela Mansell, a managing director, said: "We feel a certain synergy with Oldham as it's a forward-thinking borough under female leadership. We're only too pleased to make it our new home." The firm is currently working on projects across various Greater Manchester locations, including Trafford, Wigan, Salford, Stockport, and Manchester. The new facility will boast dedicated spaces for employee training and development, including apprenticeships.

Commercial Property

Historic Birmingham building on the market

An historic Birmingham building at the centre of plans to create a new hotel and leisure complex has been placed on the market. Methodist Central Hall, in Corporation Street, is being marketed by property agencies Savills and Sanderson Weatherall but a guide price has not been disclosed. Built in 1904 by local architects Ewan Harper and James A Harper, the grade II*-listed, terracotta building totals 90,400 sq ft of space. It is a well-known landmark in the city centre, once home to the famous Que Club until 2017 which hosted a wide range of bands such as Daft Punk, David Bowie and Blur. 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. But it has been mostly empty for many years, has fallen into a state of disrepair and has previously been named on Heritage England's At Risk Register. In 2022, Irish outfit Press Up Hospitality and sister company Oakmount won planning consent from the city council to regenerate the building to create a new 155-bedroom hotel called 'The Dean'. Other plans include a rooftop restaurant, food and beverage units and restoration of the central hall for events while a three-storey extension would be added to the building's roof. The developers estimated that the project could create 400 jobs. However, no work on creating the mixed-use complex has taken place and last year receivers were appointed by the project's funder. Michael Maguire, director in the Savills Birmingham development team, said: "The sale of Central Hall presents a rare freehold development opportunity to acquire arguably one of Birmingham's most iconic Victorian buildings in Birmingham city centre.

Commercial Property

Stena Line submit plans for tech park on Anglesey that could create 1,200 jobs

Plans for a £1bn tech park at a former aluminium works on Anglesey have been submitted. The Anglesey Aluminium site ceased smelting operations in 2009 and was later taken over by Orthios, which developed a materials recycling facility. However, the business collapsed in 2022, resulting in job losses for up to 100 staff. Later that year, Stena Line, the ferry operator that has owned and operated Holyhead port for nearly three decades, purchased the 213-acre site. They subsequently unveiled a 200,000 square metre industrial and office development as part of a low carbon campus. The plans include space for technology and data centre buildings, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) scheme, and over 15,000 sq ft of office space, which could create up to 1,200 new jobs on the Island and support UK investment in data and renewable energy. An outline planning application has now been submitted for 'Prosperity Parc'. This site forms a crucial part of the vision for Anglesey Freeport, located within the Anglesey Prosperity Zone, a tax site designated following approval from UK and Welsh governments. Economic forecasts from Stena Line suggest that when fully operational, Prosperity Parc could generate up to £578m GVA, potentially increasing the future size of the Anglesey economy by a third, reports North Wales Live. Ian Davies, head of UK Port Authorities at Stena Line, said: "We are pleased to announce the submission of our planning application for Prosperity Parc and would like to thank all those who took part in our public consultation. It is clear there is great anticipation locally around bringing new investment and jobs to the Island and it is exciting to have taken this step forward to deliver for the people of Ynys Môn."

Commercial Property

Cornwall hotel put up for sale for first time in 43 years

A hotel near Penzance is being put up for sale for £1.5m after more than 43 years. The Marazion, a Grade II listed property based in the coastal town of the same name, has been owned and operated by the same family since 1982. The hotel has 11 en-suite bedrooms, a two-bedroom self-catering apartment, a restaurant and bar - The Cutty Sark - which seats up to 55 people, and a guest lounge. It also has a beer garden and car park. The business has undergone a number of renovations over the last few years, including to the bedrooms, bathrooms and public areas, according to property firm Christie & Co, which is marketing the building for sale. It also has an AA 4 Star Gold Inn rating and an AA Dinner Award, and was selected as a finalist for the Taste of the West Hotel of the Year Award in 2024. Stephen Champion, director in Christie & Co’s hotel brokerage team who is managing the sale, said: “With its well-maintained property and highly profitable business, the Marazion Hotel is perfectly positioned to be handed over to a new operator. "The business could appeal to experienced operators and newer entrants alike, so we expect strong interest.” The Marazion was originally a coaching inn and was built around 1700. According to its website, the hotel has a number of items from HMS Warspite - one of five Queen Elizabeth-class battleships built for the Royal Navy during the early 1910s and which ran aground at Mount’s Bay in 1947. These include panelling from the captain’s cabin and the tip of the mast.

Commercial Property

Green light for new hotel at Edgbaston stadium

Edgbaston cricket stadium has been handed the green light for the next phase of its redevelopment. Birmingham City Council's planning committee today approved the £42 million scheme which will include a new hotel and be completed in time for the men's Ashes test against Australia in 2027. The 146-bedroom Radisson Red hotel will include a rooftop terrace, pitch-view rooms with balconies and other rooms that can be converted into hospitality boxes with external terraces to watch the match action. It is estimated that around 60,000 people will stay at the site each year. 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. A stand will also be redeveloped to give it a higher capacity than the existing Raglan and Priory stands and it will have a new concourse with enhanced food and drink options and improved facilities for disabled spectators. Strategy director Craig Flindall said: "We're grateful to Birmingham City Council for approving the plans and for sharing our vision to bring increased economic and social benefits to the region through international sport. "Cricket will always stay at the heart of our thinking but it's important we develop a stadium that operates all year round, supporting new jobs in this part of the city and creating wider community opportunities. "We are creating a mixed-use destination that will combine elite sport, conferencing and events and residential and hotel accommodation with community facilities that will improve education, employment and social cohesion in the area." It is estimated that Edgbaston stadium currently contributes approximately £35 million to the local economy every year and projections for the new hotel development suggest that could increase to more than £40 million. It's expected the project will create more than 376 jobs during the construction period and another 100 post-completion, adding to the 1,000 jobs the stadium already supports locally. West Midlands Combined Authority has supported the project with a loan of up to £18 million. Mayor Richard Parker said: "Edgbaston is a world-class venue and this redevelopment, backed by our investment, will ensure it continues to attract top-tier international cricket, thousands of visitors every year, and even more jobs for local people. "Our region is home to a number of globally celebrated sports teams and venues. "By supporting them to grow, we shore up our place on the international stage, bringing visitors, investment and jobs now and into the future. It's what I want to see for the West Midlands - growth that ensures everyone can benefit." Adela Cristea, UK vice-president of business development with Radisson Hotel Group, added: "Radisson Red is the perfect fit for this world-renowned stadium and we're so excited to bring this project to life. "We look forward to working closely with the Edgbaston team on the design and details of the hotel." Previous phases of the work at the stadium include a new stand, media suite, a new apartment complex and the launch of a hospitality centre of excellence offering apprenticeships, career development and skills training.

Commercial Property

Pattinson Estate Agency sees 'flying start' to 2025 after year of expansion

The founder of North East estate agency business Pattinson says the group has seen a ‘flying start’ to 2025 following a year in which it strengthened its position on the region’s high streets. Based at the Silverlink Business Park in North Tyneside, Pattinson operates an estate agency business and auction company and now has 30 offices across the region, having made key acquisitions over the last two years. New accounts covering 2023 have been filed by the firm, which show turnover increased 13.5% to £16.74m, though profit for the financial year dropped 11.8% to £1.78m. The company said the fall in profitability reflects its “continuing investment in our people and technology, as well as integrating other firms acquired during the year”, which was viewed as essential to safeguard the future growth and success of the business in the years to come. In the accounts, director Caroline Pattinson said 2023 was a year which continued to see challenges as well as opportunities. She said: “The property market continued to be disrupted by the continued increase of the Bank of England base rate throughout 2023. This certainly had an impact on the number of new properties coming to the market and saw more and more landlords leaving the rental market due to increased costs of finance. The increasing popularity of auction has been positive and we continue to innovate in this space.” After the figures were released, founder Keith Pattinson highlighted work which had been carried out in the months following the year end. He said: “2024 was a busy year for us on a lot of fronts. We increased the number of offices we have on the high street by taking over two well established estate agents who were choosing to retire in early 2024. “This has strengthened our position as the agent with the most offices in the region and we maintained our position as the estate agent who sold the most houses in the North East. Whilst banks are retreating from the high street we still see the need to be available to our customers and have a base for our teams to work from. He added: “We have expanded our head office into the neighbouring building as the business continues to grow and we continue to invest. The rentals market remains strong although there continues to be a shortage of rental properties and landlords are understandably concerned about some of the proposed changes to rental legislation. “2025 is off to a flying start and we are on track to increase the number of properties put on the market and sold in January and I am optimistic in the year ahead. I turned 75 last year and we celebrated 48 years of Keith Pattinson Ltd, I had plans to retire but I still enjoy being actively involved in the business, as it continues to grow.”

Commercial Property

Welsh tourism tax will not exempt children

Mark Drakeford has resisted calls to exclude under-18s from the Welsh Government’s plans for a tourism tax from 2027. The Finance Secretary told the Senedd’s finance committee that exempting children from the levy as in some other European countries would lead to a “significant fall” in the tax take. He said: “I see that you have heard from a range of voices who argue that particular groups ought to be excluded from the levy…. This is a broad-based tax with a low charge – if you narrow the base, the only way you can sustain the take from the tax is to put the charge up.” Prof Drakeford said taking under-16s out of the £1.25-a-night levy would see the estimated £33m revenue fall to £21m, “eroding the chances that the levy will be of any use.” He stressed: “If the committee wants to argue for excluding children from the levy, you are arguing for a higher charge on the people who are left – you can’t have both.” Prof Drakeford pointed out: “Children buying sweets pay VAT. Children are not excluded by the virtue of being children from the taxation system.” He defended the visitor levy bill after a report found the levy could lead to between 250 and 730 job losses and cost the Welsh economy £16m to £47m a year. Prof Drakeford was questioned about the economic impact assessment by Calvin Jones, a professor at Cardiff University, as he gave evidence on February 12. He said: “Professor Jones’ report deals with a set of complex considerations. It has, inevitably, to make a series of assumptions and deal with a series of uncertainties. It assumes, for example, that all 22 local authorities have adopted the levy from day one.” Rejecting suggestions the report undermines the case for a levy, Prof Drakeford told the committee some witnesses exclusively referred to figures for a worst-case scenario. He said: “I did think there were some witnesses who came before you who presented Prof Jones’ report as though it was a set of predictions rather than a range of possibilities.” Prof Drakeford added: “Even if the impact was at the top end, you are talking about a few hundred jobs in an industry that employs over a million people…. This is not an industry, I think, that will struggle to accommodate the impact of the levy.” Pressed about the timing with the sector still recovering from the pandemic, he said: “When some organisations have said to you ‘oh, not now’, what they really mean is ‘not ever’.” Prof Drakeford stressed “There’s a long lead in, this is not an idea that has suddenly been put in front of the sector and there’s a long path in front of us as well.” He said the earliest any council could introduce a local levy would be April 2027, adding that he expects only a modest number of local authorities to do so initially. Peredur Owen Griffiths, who chairs the committee, raised the “cumulative” effect of policies such as national insurance and the 182-day rule for holiday lets to qualify for business rates. Prof Drakeford replied: “We’re familiar with the argument about comparing apples and pears but that list, I think, is the full fruit salad because they’re all completely different issues.” He told the committee many microbusinesses in the tourism sector will be no worse off after the UK Government’s decision to increase employer national insurance contributions. Asked about introducing a day-visitor levy rather than an overnight tax, the former first minister said: “I didn’t want to see the search for the perfect driving out the possible.” Prof Drakeford rejected suggestions that families could upend their holiday plans over the proposed £1.25-a-night levy, arguing it will have a marginal impact. He said: “There are so many other factors that will have an impact both on costs and people’s decision-making which will loom far larger than the visitor levy. “On the whole, what we hear from the continent where this is commonplace is that visitor levies are broadly invisible to the end user.” Prof Drakeford explained the bill would require councils to consult on whether to adopt a levy then report annually on the use of the revenue raised. He told committee members: “The idea that you could easily slide a bit of that money away towards something else, I don’t think will be easy.”