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contents

contents 05 news

A round-up of all that is regeneration and development-related in Wakefield.

10 culture

Wakefield's past is providing the stepping stones to its creative future.

Two of the Leeds City Region's leading figures explain how partnership working has helped foster a northern powerhouse.

28 map

Positive steps to develop a well-equipped local workforce to match economic demand.

47 relocation

With transport links that are second to none, Wakefield is proving an attractive location for corporates.

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20 point of view

42 skills

52 business

At its Normanton plant, global data company, Acxiom, is working with Wakefield Council to fill some of its vacancies through apprenticeships.

A summary of some of the major regeneration schemes that are taking shape in Wakefield.

3 issue 3 spring 2015

31 projects

From a power station that was formerly home to a chemical works, to a 150-ha logistics park, we look at the schemes that are taking shape in Wakefield.

Editorial director SiobhĂĄn Crozier Deputy editor Maria Shahid Chief reporter James Wood Head of design Rachael Schofield Design Kate Harkus Production assistant Christopher Hazeldine Business development director Paul Gussar Business development manager Shelley Cook Office manager Sue Mapara Subscriptions manager Simon Maxwell Managing director Toby Fox

Cover image Barbara Hepworth at Yorkshire Sculpture Park Images National Coal Mining Museum, DS.Emotion, Wakefield Council, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Jonty Wilde, Shrewdd Marketing, Groundwork Wakefield, Trinity Walk, Halogen, David Lee Photography, Iwan Baan, Unity Works, Ben Hodges, Andy Lord, Jill Jennings, Peter Wells, Harvard Engineering, Burberry, University of Leeds, ESB, Yorkcourt Properties, Waystone, DTZ, Keepmoat, Harworth Estates, Wakefield College, Peel, Acxiom

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The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Ltd.

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Land Rover rides at Sculpture Park Google juice in Wakefield

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Internet giant Google held a free ‘juice bar’ in late January, aimed at helping companies grow by developing e-skills. More than 180 people attended the event at Unity Works in Wakefield.

Organisations were on hand to talk to attendees and included Cognitiv, Wakefield Business Support Programme, the Federation of Small Businesses, Superfast West Yorkshire, Wakefield Bondholders, Inspiring Skills, Unity Works and the council’s Apprenticeship Hub. Since the first Google juice bar took place in March 2012, more than

5 issue 3 spring 2015

250,000 businesses

have been helped through the programme

Gori Yahaya of Google presented on the value for business of Google’s services.

The juice bar aimed to increase understanding of services like Google Trends, Adwords, Google My Business, as well as using YouTube and other social media to the advantage of a growing business.

Wakefield MP Mary Creagh welcomed the opportunity for local businesses to boost their digital opportunities and to promote local economic growth.

Councillor Denise Jeffery, Wakefield Council deputy leader, thanked Google for bringing so many people together to discuss how their businesses could harness SEO, website design, social media – and compete and grow in the digital world.

Land Rover will provide vehicles to Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) in Wakefield to access its open-air sculptures, to install exhibitions at the five indoor galleries and to help maintain the landscape.

The partnership between YSP and Guy Salmon Land Rover Wakefield will see a Land Rover Defender used in the park’s 202.3ha of open space. Discovery Sport and Range Rover models (pictured) will be used at special events.

Andy Carver, director of development

and communications at YSP, said: “There isn’t a day that goes by without us needing to use a Land Rover.

“The nature of the park means that, without the use of these reliable off-road vehicles, we would be unable to access certain parts of the diverse landscape.

“Land Rover is a brand renowned for its quality – we are very happy to be affiliated with them.”

Visitors to the sculpture park will also be able to purchase Land Rover merchandise.

news

New home for Harvard Building work is under way on a new facility for Harvard Engineering, the lighting solutions company based in Wakefield.

Construction began on the 7,430sq m base in November 2014 and is due to be completed in July 2015.

The development is part of the company’s £22 million

expansion project. Harvard Engineering was awarded £2.7 million towards the scheme through the government’s Regional Growth Fund, enabling the business to bring 306 new jobs to Wakefield over a period of four years and helping to safeguard a further 50 jobs.

The Harvard Business Park headquarters will be within a mile of the company’s current premises at the Normanton

Jobs boost connect wakefield

Wakefield Council has teamed up with career support and advice organisations to help young people into work and businesses to benefit from local talent.

Groundwork Wakefield is a partnership between the local authority, Jobcentre Plus, Prospects, CK Careers and LEP Adult Education.

People aged between 18 and 24 can sign up to the scheme to receive free training, a mentor and a guaranteed job interview, which could lead to at least six months paid work. Advisers will support businesses with the recruitment process.

Graham Ratcliffe, operations director at Groundwork Wakefield, said: “This is a great scheme to help all young people to get a job. We can offer support to help them build their skills and confidence to get a step on the ladder of work.

“Local businesses can really benefit from this scheme too, as we can source local talent specifically for them.”

6 issue 3 spring 2015

University business A university business centre is set to open in Wakefield, after the city council’s planning committee unanimously approved proposals in December.

The enterprise hub will be hosted by Wakefield Council and Leeds Beckett University and based at the business lounge on the ground floor of the Wakefield One building, which houses many of the council’s services and the city’s library and museum.

Councillor Peter Box CBE, leader of Wakefield Council, said: “I am pleased the new enterprise centre will be based in Wakefield. It will help businesses build, develop and enhance their skills and experience further, with practical tips from academics in the field, along with support and knowledge from the council.

“We are committed to helping businesses thrive in the district and these plans will help boost our local economy, while ensuring organisations are receiving the best advice.”

The initial agreement is for 18 months.

Wakefield makes housing shortlist Wakefield is on a shortlist of 29 areas to become one of the first housing zones in the country.

The government’s Homes and Communities Agency is selecting 10 areas, each of which has bid to receive funding for building new homes on brownfield land.

Wakefield's bid totals £8 million and has been submitted by developers Castleford Energy Village and the council.

If successful, it could see 1,200 homes built on the former Hickson and Welch chemical plant and Nestlé factory based in Castleford. Plans are subject to approval from the council's planning committee.

Councillor Denise Jeffery, cabinet member for economic growth and skills, said: “Being in the final 10 would bring much needed regeneration to Castleford.”

£8m The total of Wakefield's housing zone bid, by developers Castleford Energy Village and the council

news

Industrial Estate. It will include two separate buildings, one to house the office and laboratory for the research and development team, and the other for the factory and warehouse.

John McDonnell, managing director at Harvard, said: “We are really excited about the construction of our new facility.

It will give us the room that we need to expand the business now and in the future.”

Council in export drive with ABP Wakefield Council has signed an agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP), which will enable the two to work together to develop export opportunities for businesses across Wakefield and the Leeds City Region.

Local business leaders gathered to mark an official signing of the contract by ABP’s director, John Fitzgerald, and the chief executive of Wakefield Council, Joanne Roney OBE. Delegates also attended a workshop held by Colin Russell from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), designed to help businesses understand more about exporting. They were also given a tour of the port estate in Goole.

Roney said: “This partnership will strengthen our ability to develop export opportunities for our local and regional businesses and reinforces Wakefield Council’s

commitment to securing economic growth in our region.

“Our aim is to see the value of exports coming out of our area increase by 1% over the next two years and by working with ABP and UKTI we are confident this can be achieved.”

Fitzgerald spoke about the prospect of working closely with Wakefield Council: “Ninety-five per cent of trade coming in and out of the UK comes by sea and the ports are a fundamental link in the supply chain for international trade,” he said.

“The Humber ports are the region’s biggest natural asset and the largest port complex in the UK. “It makes absolute sense that businesses from across Yorkshire and Humber and the whole of the north should be using them to develop and grow, and we can help them do just that.

“The ports are an enabler, allowing the regions to be internationally competitive.”

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Family-owned women’s fashion retailer, Roman, has returned to Wakefield’s Trinity Walk Shopping Centre on a permanent basis, having taken out a temporary lease last year.

Roman occupied space at the mall’s Teall Way in 2013, but moved out in 2014 to make way for footwear brand, Clarks. Roman is now taking space at the main centre, occupying a unit which was vacated by Canadian fashion brand La Senza when it went into administration in 2014.

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Roman road to Trinity Walk

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The Wakefield district is developing at a rapid pace, with high quality regeneration creating a unique and successful place to live and work.

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Culturally strong Wakefield is a masterpiece with a thriving leisure and cultural sector – from the multi-award-winning Hepworth Gallery,

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culture

Creative review connect wakefield

Wakefield’s cultural scene is a flourishing creative hothouse. from the big draw of the Hepworth and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, to well-established and diverse arts development organisations, creativity is a key feature of this area’s regeneration words Debbie Ashford

10 issue 3 spring 2015 Yorkshire sculpture park Bronze bowl with lace by New Yorkbased German sculptor, Ursula von Rydingsvard.

culture

connect wakefield

11 issue 3 spring 2015

culture connect wakefield

12 issue 3 spring 2015

orkshire Sculpture Park, where artworks are displayed in 200 hectares of rolling parkland just outside Wakefield, won the accolade of Museum of the Year 2014 in a national competition run by the charity, the Art Fund.

It topped a shortlist that included Tate Britain and the Hayward Gallery in London, and the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth. The award followed the busiest year for Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP), attracting 350,000 visitors to the open-air gallery and its five indoor galleries.

The Hepworth Wakefield contemporary art gallery on the edge of the city has also been a hit with visitors from home and abroad. It far exceeded its initial targets since opening in May 2011: it has welcomed almost 1.5 million visitors and is one of the top three most visited galleries outside London.

They may be the attractions currently grabbing attention but the Wakefield area, once better known as a mining district and industrial power base, is steadily building a reputation as a creative hothouse, with many

venues attracting national and international interest.

Art and culture do more than make an area look good: they have a direct impact on the tourism and service industries, and give a boost to the wellbeing and wider economy of the area.

Encouraging the wealth of talent that exists in the area is playing an important role in transforming the fortunes of Wakefield against the background scenery of economic challenge.

According to an independent research report commissioned by Wakefield Council, there were an estimated 7.4 million day trips to Wakefield in 2013. There were about 1.3 million overnight stays, an increase of five per cent compared to the previous year, and around eight per cent of these were by overseas visitors.

The total value of tourism is now worth ÂŁ359 million to the local economy, an increase of eight per cent compared to 2012 and it is estimated to account for an equivalent 5,000 full-time jobs across the district.

The expansion of studios and workspaces like Unity Works, Westgate Studios and

above left and above Visitors can travel back in time at the National Coal Mining Museum for England. below right British artist Rob Ryan, who specialises in paper cutting and screen printing, at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

The Art House are meeting a real demand from creative businesses. Employment in the digital, creative and cultural sectors has expanded by 28% since 2011.

Recognising its rich, vibrant history, Wakefield Council has been working to realise the area’s full potential in a co-ordinated strategy since 2007. It has achieved success by tapping into the roots of culture and heritage but also by being creative in its approach to regeneration.

The Hepworth Wakefield came to fruition through an investment partnership, bringing together regional, national and international partners led by Wakefield Council, who acted as underwriters. The project has been key in revitalising a wider area of the city and beyond.

It forms part of the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle, which, along with the Henry Moore Institute and Leeds Art Gallery, has some of the best sculpture in Europe.

The galleries have drawn on the cultural legacy of two of the most highly regarded sculptors of the 20th century.

Barbara Hepworth was born and raised in Wakefield and

did you know?

800yrs

This year, Pontefract Castle will celebrate the signing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago.

Since May 2011, the Hepworth Wakefield has welcomed almost 1.5 million visitors and is in the top three most visited galleries outside London.

*Barbara Hepworth, A Pictorial Autobiography, 1971.

13 issue 3 spring 2015

Employment in the digital, creative and cultural sectors in the district has expanded by 28% since 2011.

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Yorkshire Sculpture Park won Museum of the Year 2014 in a national competition run by the charity, The Art Fund.

conversion of the old library in Drury Lane. The 1905 building will house 34 artists’ studios, meeting spaces and offices.

Accessible and central, the building will also be open to businesses and the public, and aims to play an integral role in the district’s growing cultural offer.

Angela Galvin, capital project director of The Art House, believes she is witnessing a revolution that is paying dividends for the area. She says: “Wakefield is unique in that there is a growing culture of partnership between private business and the arts. The council grasps the importance of developing opportunities for those in the creative industries but also understands what that means for the wider population. It's as much about giving people a reason to put down roots in Wakefield as it is about job creation.

“The result is that many of us are singing from the same hymn sheet – something vital for moving forward. Wakefield has something different compared to larger cities; something special that plays to our strengths as a smaller city.”

Arts Council England has acknowledged that Wakefield is ‘a great example of how strong investment and cultural partnerships can help boost tourism, drive economic growth as well as showcase Yorkshire's cultural gems on the global stage.’

Wakefield’s link to the past is proving a lifeline to its future.

The prospects of the area adding to its tally of acclaimed artists are improving all the time.

culture

became one of the last century’s most eminent international sculptors. In her early studies and life she drew inspiration from the surrounding landscapes.

“Moving through and over the West Riding landscape with my father in his car, the hills were sculptures, the roads defined the form,” recalled Barbara Hepworth, whose father was the assistant county surveyor*.

She was a contemporary of Henry Moore from nearby Castleford, also within the district, who became one of the leading British artists of his generation.

Celebrated and commissioned worldwide, his work introduced modern sculpture to a wider public and contributed to a shift in its appreciation.

Arts and education charity, Beam, based at The Orangery near Westgate station, has been promoting and commissioning public art in the region for over 25 years. Project director, Frances Smith, says: “There is a history of contemporary art in the area and a strong performing arts tradition.

It’s inspiring for people to have a close connection to internationally famous artists. Having creatives

in the area makes things happen.

“It is viable for artists to live and work here but there are also good connections to the rest of the country. There are opportunities here.”

Cultural heritage is set to continue shaping the district’s future. This year Pontefract Castle will be the focus of celebrations to mark the signing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago. The castle’s baron, John de Lacey, was one of the 25 who imposed the Magna Carta on the king in an attempt to limit his powers and protect laws.

Around 55,000 visitors already come to explore the ruins of the historic site each year.

Now a £3.5 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund will see work starting to restore and extend the facility. The castle is expected to attract an additional 40,000 visitors each year, with an annual economic boost to the district of around £1 million.

Making a feature of the area’s more recent past is the National Coal Mining Museum for England, which has just marked its 25th anniversary. Visitors can descend 140 metres into one of Britain’s oldest working mines or stay topside to get an insight into the lives of mining communities through the ages.

Around 130,000 visitors a year come to experience the sights and sounds of the once dominant industry. “Coal mining is integral to the area's history from the 18th century until very recently,” says its director, Margaret Faull. “Many people have ancestors who worked in the industry and it’s important for them to see what their lives were like then.”

The museum also offers an unusual venue for conferences, exhibitions and private events that can include a guided mine tour. Last year it hosted its first wedding, with guests travelling to the reception by the mine train, decorated for the occasion.

This spring The Art House, the charity that helps aspiring artists develop their work, brings the past up to date with the opening of its £3 million

culture

art works creatives need space – not simply as showcases for work – but also to think, develop and refine their chosen form of expression.

Wakefield has a wealth of venues, from 20th century greats on display, to facilities to support artists with disabilities, and a scheme to highlight local talent

connect wakefield

14

words Debbie Ashford

issue 3 spring 2015

With its striking design located on a waterfront to the south of the city centre, The Hepworth Wakefield brings together nationally important collections of historical and modern art, along with rarely seen works by the celebrated sculptor Barbara Hepworth.

With over 1,600sq m of light-filled spaces, the gallery is the largest purpose-built exhibition space outside London

left Cool Moon, 1971, is just one of Barbara Hepworth's graphic works at The Hepworth Wakefield.

above One & Other, 2000,

by British sculptor Anthony Gormley, at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

From humble beginnings with a £1,000 fund to display 31 sculptures, the park now contributes around £5 million to the local economy. Its learning programme has played a crucial part in the park’s success, alongside the development of groundbreaking outreach projects that engage new audiences and hard to reach groups.

Located in the city centre, Wakefield Cathedral has been a place of worship for over 1,000 years and still dominates the skyline with its 75-metre high spire, the tallest in Yorkshire. With particularly fine woodcarvings, a medieval nave and stained glass, it draws in pilgrims and tourists alike. The cathedral is a venue for the arts, as well as religious events.

This year more historic gems will go on show with the award of a £1.8 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The funds will pay for the repair of the medieval quire (seating area) and the Edwardian east end of the Grade I-listed building.

New lighting, underfloor heating and glass cases will be installed to improve the display of historic artefacts. A programme of drama and storytelling events also aims to bring the cathedral alive for a new generation of enthusiasts.

A place of worship for over 1,000 years

15 issue 3 spring 2015

Yorkshire Sculpture Park has come of age since founder Peter Murray first proposed it 38 years ago. Named the country’s Museum of the Year last year and attracting record numbers of visitors, it has gained a reputation as a centre of international, national and regional importance for the appreciation of modern and contemporary sculpture.

Wakefield Cathedral

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Yorkshire Sculpture Park

and has become one of the area’s main visitor attractions since it opened in May 2011.

Also offering a dramatic conference and hospitality venue, cafe, shop and learning studios, the attraction is helping revitalise the heart of Wakefield.

It has been a catalyst in securing significant private sector funding to restore the listed mills and warehouses in the surrounding conservation area.

culture

The Hepworth Wakefield

culture

Pontefract Castle

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16 issue 3 spring 2015

With a direct link to the signing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago, 2015 is a big year for this important historical site. The castle will be marking it with a series of free events and a theatre performance in June.

Work will also start to open up parts of the castle not seen

Artwalk Every other month Artwalk gives art lovers the chance to experience visual arts and crafts, live music and performances over an evening in venues across the city.

It offers access to artists’ work and events in a programme that changes every time. The event is an opportunity to see the latest creations at Westgate Studios, which offers workspace for artists and creative businesses.

since 1649, when the building was destroyed after the civil war.

There will be three new viewing platforms, steps down to allow exploration of a key defensive tower, an outdoor bread oven and a restored Arts and Crafts barn, which will feature new learning and exhibition

above Pontefract Castle will be the focus of celebrations this year to mark the signing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago.

facilities, a shop and cafe.

With a new events programme planned over the next three years, including medieval crafts, a community archaeology project, heritage trail and a Victorian funfair, visitor numbers are expected to nearly double.

Nostell Priory Built on the site of a medieval priory, this National Trust property is a Palladian house five miles from Wakefield centre, featuring Chippendale furniture and 121ha of parkland, including lakeside walks, a newly planted orchard and an adventure playground.

It attracts 130,000 visits a

year but work with local schools and community groups, to commemorate the centenary of the start of the first world war last year, revealed a deep interest in its impact on local people. As a result there will be a further series of WW1-themed events and workshops this year.

attracts 130,000 visits a year

in the 700-capacity main hall, most of the 16 furnished offices are let to local creative, digital and IT businesses and the conference rooms are in demand.

In the coming months the opening of a new cafe bar, and hosting a wedding fair, will further widen the venue’s appeal.

left and above The Grade II-listed Unity Works offers entertainment, conference and office space.

A stroll around the city will reveal the community’s shining examples of achievement on a route marked by pavement star plaques, celebrating past and present residents who have reached the pinnacle of success in their field. These include indie band, The Cribs, sculptors Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, and explorer Sir Martin Frobisher.

Representatives from the public, private and community sectors meet annually to select which nominees will be awarded a star.

celebrating past and present residents

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Since opening in September last year as a venue for entertainment, meeting, working and socialising, this Grade II-listed building, opposite the Theatre Royal, is re-establishing its place as a base for the community.

A series of popular events have played every weekend

Wakefield Stars

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Unity Works

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The Art House

issue 3 spring 2015

The inclusive visual arts organisation that offers artists practical support to develop their work and build a viable business is entering a new phase this year.

It has a new chief executive and is expanding into the old library in Drury Lane to support more artists to grow their professional careers.

above and right The Art House provides studios for its members and engages audiences through exhibitions.

The Grade II-listed building has been carefully restored to retain newly discovered Victorian features like pristine parquet flooring and original handpainted Arts and Crafts tiling. It will be linked to the current Art House building by a double-height glazed extension to form a new public entrance on Mulberry Way.

The Art House was started in 1994 by a group of artists, in response to a lack of provision for disabled artists in the region. It also offers support to more than 200 artists through a unique national membership programme.

Artists are based throughout the UK and work in a variety of visual art forms.

culture connect wakefield

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The Orangery

Wakefield Museum

A beautiful, airy, Grade ll*listed building with a 200year history set in extensive gardens, provides a tranquil venue for business, social and cultural events in the heart of Wakefield, within easy reach of the civic and cultural quarters.

It was a hidden asset until the redevelopment around Westgate station, on the east coast main line, made it more visible last year.

Arts, architecture and education charity, Beam, which is based there, is expanding its activities to develop a cultural programme for The Orangery. Events include an annual literature festival, now entering its fourth year, a pop-up cafe and live music.

issue 3 spring 2015

A tranquil venue for business, social and cultural events

The city’s history has a new lease of life since Wakefield Museum moved into the new Wakefield One building at Merchant Gate.

Located on the lower ground floor along with the local studies

clockwise from above Visitors explore Wakefield Museum at Merchant Gate.

library, it puts the history and facts about the city in a new light.

Wakefield is one of three local museums which, along with Castleford and Pontefract, average 100,000 visits a year.

left The Victorian Theatre Royal Wakefield celebrated its 120th anniverary last year.

confirmed the theatre’s place at the heart of the community.

A classic example of Victorian architecture, the district flagship acted as an opera house, cinema and bingo hall before being reopened as the Theatre Royal in 1981.

Acclaimed playwright John Godber returned to his roots to base his company at the theatre in 2011 and co-produces UK tours of his work. As well as delivering an events programme of drama, dance, music and comedy, the theatre offers opportunities to learn about performing and working in a theatre.

Theatre Royal Wakefield

Last year’s celebration of the 120th anniversary of the Theatre Royal Wakefield was as much about

looking to the future as to the past. It marked a record-breaking year for visitor numbers and

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point of view

Future positive Partnership working is a current buzzword but in the Leeds City Region, it means business – £1 billion of it. Two leading players, Joanne Roney and Tom Riordan, discuss what it will deliver to the region Words Siobhán Crozier

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20

collaborative working Wakefield chief executive, Joanne Roney, with Wakefield First board chair and international air traffic control specialist, Paul Reid.

issue 3 sprng 2015

point of view

Joanne Roney OBE, chief executive, Wakefield Council perating in an economy worth over £52 billion a year, with more than 100,000 active businesses, Leeds City Region is one of the country’s most influential local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). Articulating the advantages of this northern industrial powerhouse to investors in the UK and internationally is a LEP priority, in order to stimulate economic growth and help rebalance the UK economy.

There’s plenty to shout about – having put a wellargued case in front of government, this LEP walked off with the biggest Local Growth Deal in the country, totalling £1 billion to support the creation of thousands of jobs and accelerate economic growth across the 11 local authorities of Leeds City Region.

Joanne Roney, the city region’s lead chief executive for skills, views collaboration and shared strategic focus as the basis of the LEP’s strength. “We have seen increased co-dependency and cities playing to their unique strengths.

Wakefield’s travel patterns show lots of children from Leeds come to school here; we have some very high performing schools,” says Roney. “People are comfortable in a place that says, ‘we need to collaborate, we want to see Leeds thrive’. A successful Leeds is good for Wakefield. However, we also want to carve out our own niche as a successful district – a successful Wakefield is good for Leeds too.”

Wakefield’s excellent transport links provide connectivity over road, rail and air networks – five airports are in easy reach. Roney and her LEP colleagues view the sea ports as a major advantage for more export business by the area’s firms. To exploit the opportunities presented by its proximity to the Humber Port at Goole, on behalf of Wakefield Council, Roney signed a Memorandum of Understanding, supported by UK Trade & Investment, with John Fitzgerald, director of leading British ports group, ABP. The partnership between ABP and Wakefield Council aims to stimulate businesses not just in Wakefield but across the city region, developing export trade via the Humber ports (the largest UK port complex) and Liverpool to the west.

Developing international trade would be a natural extension of markets: “Because of our transport links, Wakefield has been able to capitalise on the logistics sector. We have the land and suitable sites, so were able to come forward faster than some of the neighbouring authorities with opportunities for expansion.”

Roney lists successes: “Harvard Engineering is running an aggressive export strategy – an SME that grew through export. Network Brands began exporting in 1999, and has

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21 issue 3 spring 2015

Joanne Roney OBE, Wakefield council

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through humber ports we've a first-class supply chain route into europe

doubled its turnover in the last six months as it now exports to 60 countries.

“Group Rhodes has a Queen’s Award for International Trade, and then there’s Burberry – a massive British brand in demand internationally. Export trade may not yet be fully ingrained in the DNA, but we’re working with neighbouring authorities on signage and support for businesses thinking about it. I want our businesses to succeed globally.”

The infrastructure is in place for companies to profit from it. “Through Humber Ports we’ve a first-class supply chain route into Europe,” says Roney. “And it is attracting global attention – visitors from the USA and China were over here in December. It’s still a challenge, in these early days, but we’re working hard with businesses to help them take full advantage of these fantastic opportunities.

“We see very clearly where it is that we can add value through the city region partnership to growing our economy, including identifying niche businesses that complement activity in Leeds and other cities.” Wakefield’s economy has had the largest growth over the last decade and is now worth around £6.5 billion.

But this northern powerhouse isn’t solely an industrial economy, Roney explains: “In parallel with our economic strategy we also have a strong cultural offer that we’ve worked hard to develop, so we have the Hepworth and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. This has gone a long way to making Wakefield a global brand – and a destination of choice for both visitors and investors.” (See page 10) The existence of the award-winning, breathtaking and hugely successful Hepworth is, says Roney, down to the foresight of Wakefield’s politicians. As council leader, Peter Box CBE, has said: “If we’d listened to the people who said it wouldn’t work, we’d never have built it.”

Roney agrees: “It was the decision of brave, bold and ambitious elected leaders – and it was never a vanity project, it was always about the broader outcomes. Culture is part of the offer to live or relocate business here but it’s also about cultural industries – inspiring young people to become architects, building surveyors – the Hepworth is an educational establishment as well as a cultural one.

“Councillor Box consistently argues that culture isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’,” adds Roney, “It’s a part of the Wakefield

point of view

Wakefield's economy has had the largest growth and is now worth around £6.5bn Joanne Roney OBE, Wakefield council

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wAKEFIELD'S EXPORTERS Harvard Engineering grows through its export trade, and Burberry, cool British brand with global reach.

issue 3 spring 2015

offer and it’s down to the ambition and vision of councillors that we have the Hepworth, complementing the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and expanded Art House facilities.”

Roney and her team have a strong track record in initiatives to support the growth of new and existing businesses. Council budgets are hard-pressed but there are pots of money out there and expertise within the council to secure investment in Wakefield. “We brought in grants of over £700,000 in 2014 to enable SMEs to grow,” she says. “Key sectors for growth are business and professional services, digital, creative and cultural services, environmental technologies, logistics and manufacturing, food and drink.”

Wakefield sustains success in securing funding for business – sharing expertise, maintaining and investing in growth and economic development. And the impact?

“We’ve seen 54% growth in Wakefield’s GVA between 2002 and 2012,” Roney says. “That’s from being very focused on growing the economy – but these are not just any old jobs. We want young people leaving our good schools to follow careers here, so we are working with the universities in Leeds, Huddersfield and Hull to increase the number of residents with critical higher level skills. And we’ve a big ambition to develop a university presence in our district.”

When the council helped Haribo attract £92 million to expand its business, politicians and officers also discussed the ensuing opportunities from investment for developing skills in the workforce and local supply chain.

It was the same with Trinity Walk, Roney adds: “We worked 12 months ahead of the investment going in, developing skills in customer care, building a targeted workforce.” Trinity Walk’s retail and food occupiers benefited from a skilled labour pool, while people embraced the opportunities the retail centre offered them.

“As someone who left school at 16, I have a strong personal commitment to apprenticeships and lifelong learning,” she says. “I’ve seen for myself how it

can change lives and develop careers – including my own.”

In developing the sectors identified by the council, a range of skills are needed for people to gain employment, requiring investment in provision. “Employment in the digital, creative and cultural sector has gone up by 28% over the past three years – a growing sector but a challenge for us,” acknowledges Roney. “We’re working with Leeds Beckett University, to make sure we have relevant skills to build a successful knowledge economy in Wakefield.”

Even logistics needs a wide range of skills. “It’s not all warehousing, there are highly skilled roles. Wakefield employer, Coca-Cola, is investing in its workforce, developing capacity. Public private partnership can deliver – this is about understanding the needs of business. Good firms develop workforce expertise,” Roney says. “We need to ensure training is provided in response to what businesses need. I lead on this for Leeds City Region and we developed the Employer Ownership of Skills model, £70 million worth, designed and articulated by businesses.”

Relationships with employers are a real strength, says Roney: “Wakefield is good at dialogue with business. The leader of the council goes out and talks to businesses regularly; he listens to their concerns and ideas.

I talk to companies and investors as much as community groups or council staff; they’re key to Wakefield’s future plans and growth.”

The city’s track record in regeneration and economic development gives Roney the confidence to be positive about the next set of challenges. “We have all the plans, the commitment and the energy and we’re very open to business, to help businesses locate here and to expand. There is more to do and we’ve got ideas and enthusiasm, land and opportunities.” Roney adds: “The strategy and ambition is clear, partnerships are strong.

With a shared pool of expertise we await a devolution deal from government to complete the jigsaw, for us to attract and grow business, improve transport and skills for residents across Wakefield district and its Five Towns.”

Riverside and Wakefield Council – working together to transform lives Riverside has a strong and successful partnership with Wakefield Council working with them to deliver first class housing services for our tenants and residents.

We will soon be completing 36 homes for affordable rent in Gibson Close, Wakefield. These will be a mix of two and three bedroom houses.

The site has been derelict for a number of years with the prime source of funding from the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA).

RSD_Wakefield_connect_advert_FINAL.indd 1

We have six, three bedroom and fourteen, two bedroom houses available which will be advertised on www.zoopla.co.uk and on Wakefield’s Homesearch website via www.wdhomesearch.co.uk or by calling 0344 9 02 02 02 Offers of accommodation will be subject to pre-­‐tenancy checks which includes affordability and reference checks, a transfer inspection of current home and other appropriate references.

To find out more about Riverside and the work we do, visit: www.riverside.org.uk

09/05/2014 15:15

point of view connect wakefield

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Tom Riordan chief executive of Leeds City Council and member of Leeds City Region LEP

issue 3 spring 2015

t is rare to be invited to interview the chief executive of a neighbouring authority for a magazine such as Connect Wakefield, covering inward investment in a specific metropolitan area. But Wakefield’s chief executive Joanne Roney figures it’s worth sharing and asked Tom Riordan to talk about collaboration in the Leeds City Region. Wakefield is more than a little different: partnership is active, confident and powerful – the Leeds City Region is one of the UK’s most successful local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), having gained the largest amount of government funding to deliver on its priorities.

“We have a very good story to tell, that involves the largest city region outside London and the south-east,” says Riordan. “In the past, we each told that story separately, before reaching the significant conclusion that we need to be working much more closely together.” At the root of this is the pragmatism of leading politicians, bringing together Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York. “We started with a very clear and far-sighted political agreement from Peter Box [leader of Wakefield Council], Keith Wakefield [leader of Leeds City Council] and others, that we need to hunt in a pack,” Riordan says. “Leeds isn’t big enough in itself to compete with Greater Manchester, Greater Birmingham or Greater London. But when we put together the industrial and service strengths of the cities and towns, combined with the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, then we’re able to compete.”

Key to its synergy, he adds, is the diversity of the city region, with Wakefield a centre of logistics and distribution, part of the area’s manufacturing capacity. “Although it’s not perceived as such, we’re the third largest manufacturing area in the region – we don’t have a major end-producer like Nissan or Jaguar Land Rover, but we have a lot of supply chain manufacturers,” Riordan says.

The region also has strengths in financial services,

I

the digital and healthcare sectors. “Our potential is unrealised,” he thinks, but this could very quickly change. “If we had some of the infrastructure investment other parts of the country have had, the investment in skills that makes more young people want to stay here – we will be a net contributor to the tax base of the country in five years time.”

Leeds City Region has a lot going for it but in drawing investors, it has to compete against the attractions of large conurbations like Greater Manchester on its doorstep.

Location is the key differentiator, says Riordan: “We’re at the crossroads of the UK, we’re not peripheral – we access a much larger labour market – and we’re the natural alternative to London because of that.”

This may sound like a big claim but Riordan cites evidence to justify the region’s position: “We have a strong service sector, talent base and skills, with the greatest concentration of universities of anywhere in Europe – three in Leeds, two in York, one in Huddersfield and one in Bradford – one in seven people in Leeds is a student. The capability and diversity of sectors, and what that brings in terms of differentiation; we have the most health data analysts in Europe, the largest legal sector outside London, and that very strong base in supply chain manufacturing.”

In terms of dealing with the challenges of working across political boundaries to deliver successful outcomes for the region, Riordan just doesn’t see it as an issue: “The politicians are elected, we officers do our jobs to support them, our immediate loyalty won’t change but there is strength in working collaboratively,” he says. Riordan thinks that success delivered by the LEP is characterised by a sense of co-focus between the public and private sectors: “It’s cross-party, set up to sustain itself throughout changes in political balance, as we got the opposition groups involved from the start.”

we're at the crossroads of the uk ... the natural alternative to London tom riordan, leeds city council

Above Shopping in Leeds – the strengths of each of the region's cities complement one another.

Right Tom Riordan, chief executive of Leeds City Council.

point of view

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point of view connect wakefield

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we got the biggest share of the regional growth fund tom riordan, leeds city council

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Looking elsewhere at successful examples of intervention by the public sector to support economic development, Riordan believes more can be done with higher education. “We’ve got good relationships with our universities but they could be at another level: they could be great relationships,” he says. “The advanced manufacturing partnership in Sheffield and the health partnerships in London – this is the sort of ambition we should be striving for and we’ve now got the capability to execute it.”

The benefits Wakefield, specifically, will see from the Local Growth Deal will include transport investments. “This will improve connectivity, not just for Wakefield city centre but in time for the other parts of the metropolitan area, like the Five Towns” says Riordan. [The towns are Castleford, Featherstone, Normanton, Pontefract and Knottingley.]

Within the city region, Riordan sees Wakefield as an important link in terms of the work on skills: “Wakefield has no university base but has aspirations to do that. The partnership is being built and is led very ably by Joanne Roney – Wakefield is one of our strongest performers in terms of the skills agenda.”

Two years into the city region’s export campaign, Riordan sees some early success and a strong foundation on which to build further, for those businesses that decide to run with it. “We’ve made a good start, there are examples of the export impact, and it’s fertile ground for us

we've been told by ministers, ours was the strongest bid tom riordan, leeds city council

above The University of Leeds, one of the largest in the UK and a Russell Group member, is one of seven universities in the city region.

to work on,” he says. “It is an area of real challenge across Yorkshire; people tend to focus more on domestic markets but there are huge opportunities.”

Riordan thinks there is more to be done, to fully exploit the opportunities for international trade. “Wakefield has shown leadership in developing a Memorandum of Understanding with ABP for the Humber ports,” he says.

“That’s our gateway to the world for logistics and trade and there is great potential for development relating to wind farms. We want to work with companies like Siemens in developing the supply chain for those wind farm developments – it would cost less for them not to have to transport components from Germany.”

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) came into being in April 2014 to steer economic growth, overseeing functions such as investment and transport, across the districts of Wakefield, Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, and the City of York Council area.

Like the LEP, Riordan sees WYCA as a natural progression for the local authorities to “hunt as a pack” and combine their strengths strategically to deliver regional improvements. “We’ve already seen that when we work together and put forward the compelling case, we get results – we got the biggest share of the Regional Growth Fund of anywhere in the country,” says Riordan. “We’ve been told by ministers ours was the strongest bid. That would never have happened in the past.”

It is significant that LEP chair Roger Marsh is a full member: “This demonstrates the strength of our partnership – we’re not paying lip service to the private sector, we’re actually involving them in the central decision making.

This will be looked back on as being very far-sighted on the part of politicians. Others are asking us about it now and coming to see us – and that’s always a good sign.”

In the three years since it opened, Wakefield shoppers have made more than 30 million visits to Trinity Walk Shopping Centre.

It’s not hard to see why.

The project has transformed shopping in Wakefield and returned the city to its rightful place as a regional retail destination.

What makes it so good?

• city centre location • direct access from the inner ring road • easy to get to parking for 1,000 cars • next to the bus station • contemporary design, light & airy with wide malls aNd most imPoRtaNtLY • great shopping • Wakefield’s only modern department store • one of the largest in the area • 50+ top fashion & other retail brands • a range of restaurants & cafés including

www.trinitywalk.com

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newmarket lane

key projects

M62 paragon business village link 62

M1

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knottingley

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Doncaster

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Hemsworth

Brookfields - Rotherham 85 acre industrial, warehouse & offices

Knottingley East - Wakefield 100 acre mixed-use development Cortonwood - Rotherham 700 residential homes

Smithy Wood - Sheffield Business & office park

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projects connect wakefield

project update

31 issue 3 spring 2015

major developments and new business parks – projects under way in wakefield words Maria Shahid

Knottingley The first quarter of 2015 will see the outcome of an application by Knottingley Power to develop a £750 million generating station on the eastern side of St Paul’s Developments’ 40.47-ha site in Knottingley, which was formerly the home of Oxiris Chemical Works.

Knottingley Power, whose parent company is the Irishbased international energy company ESB, submitted its development consent order application in October 2013.

A decision from the secretary

of state for energy and climate change has to be made by March 2015.

The efficient, low-emission, combined cycle gas turbine power station is expected to generate up to 1,500MW of electricity for two million homes and create around 1,000 construction jobs as well as permanent jobs on completion.

The company aims to commence operations in 2020.

In order to prepare the site for handover, St Paul’s Developments was awarded £2.45 million of funding from the Leeds City Region Local

power house Knottingley Power Station is expected to supply two million homes with up to 1,500mw of electricity.

Enterprise Partnership to carry out major remediation and infrastructure works, which are presently under way.

Following discussions with Wakefield Council, special policy designation was granted in September 2012, allowing flexibility in the way the site is used. There are proposals to develop more than 300 homes west of the special policy area.

Green areas, wetland and employment space will separate the energy and residential schemes. A detailed masterplan sets out the the mix of uses at the site.

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leisure business Paragon Business Village includes commercial and leisure use.

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Link 62 Link 62 is a strategically located distribution park with outline planning consent for B1, B2 and B8 uses.

The site is located at Junction 31 of the M62, and provides immediate access to the national motorway network via the M62, M1 and A1.

Link 62 consists of three plots, the largest of which is Plot 5000, which extends to a 1.7-ha site. Plot 5000 can accommodate a building of up to 6,503sq m, and owners Catalyst Capital are currently putting a speculative scheme together with the Harris Partnership on-site.

XL is a 121.4-ha logistics

Paragon Business village

issue 3 spring 2015

Paragon Business Village is located on the A650 Wakefield-Bradford Road, only one mile from Junction 41 of the M1.

The 52.6-ha site has been masterplanned around a range of commercial and leisure uses, which include landscaped areas and provision for extensive parking.

Office development of 32,516sq m is already in place and current occupiers include City & Guilds and Nationwide, as well as government bodies.

Amenities on-site include a 150-bedroom Premier Inn, Brewers Fayre Restaurant and bar, and Bannatyne Health and Fitness complex.

The second quarter of 2015 will see a major housebuilder start construction on the initial phase of the 1,100 homes planned over the next five years.

Approximately 18,580sq m of potential office space is still available.

Glasshoughton Business Park

current occupiers include City & Guilds and Nationwide

Glasshoughton in Castleford, West Yorkshire was once home to a colliery and coke works, which closed in 1986 and 1978 respectively. The history of uses left a legacy of environmental problems including instability and contaminated land compounded by pollution of the

connect wakefield

development in a landscaped, business park environment. An 11,148sq m building on the site is already occupied by Fyffes Bananas and Speedy Hire signed a lease at the end of 2014 to take a 3,530sq m building.

Catalyst Capital, which now owns the site, is currently in discussions with two occupiers in relation to two units of around 3,716sq m each, as well as a third in relation to a building of around 4,645sq m.

Also currently at Trident Park is a speculative development of around 2,912sq m at Devilliers Way, which is expected to be ready by April 2015, and is being funded by St Bride’s White Rose Partnership.

Linked-in Strategically placed, Link 62 provides easy motorway access.

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park situated at Link 62, an established distribution hub capable of accommodating a 44,593sq m unit. Ian Greenwood of letting agents, Carter Towler, said: “We are encouraged by the levels of interest in XL and the resurgence in demand. We are ideally looking for a single occupier for this site.”

The infrastructure works have been completed at XL, and funding is in place to ensure that the site is deliverable within the quickest timeframe possible. Services and estate roads are in place and the site is already levelled out ready for construction.

Also at Link 62 is Trident Park, a 20.2-ha, mixed-use

33 issue 3 spring 2015

ground and surface water.

In 1991 Wakefield Council designated the site as a special policy area, and this was adopted in the 1994 Unitary Development Plan.

Waystone’s proposals for the site gave a total engineering and environmental solution for the complete reclamation and redevelopment of the 136-hectare site.

special policy Over 121.4ha of land has been reclaimed and around 3,500 jobs created.

To date over 121.4ha has been reclaimed and 52.6ha developed for various uses.

In total, around 3,500 jobs have been created.

Completed projects include a new distribution warehouse and headquarters being developed

by ProLogis on Summit Park, a Skills Exchange for Wakefield College, and an Asda store and car park.

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projects connect wakefield

35 issue 3 spring 2015

Wakefield Waterfront Wakefield Council owns a significant amount of land at Wakefield Waterfront (Rutland Mills complex). To progress the next phase of regeneration, the council has commissioned selective demolition which will be completed in spring 2015. This will help with the restoration of other parts of the mill complex with a view to improving the overall offer, while creating additional opportunities for the creative and leisure sectors.

The site is located next to the internationally respected Hepworth Wakefield gallery.

With close proximity to the restored Kirkgate station and the city, and access to five airports, the site is well connected.

Northpoint has developed phase one – the office, residential and leisure scheme called Calder and Hebble Navigation.

Current occupiers include HH Global Marketing Services, La Redoute home shopping and Norfolk Property Services (a property design and management company).

waterside regeneration The next phase of Wakefield Waterfront, which is beside the Hepworth Wakefield gallery.

Four miles to the northeast of Wakefield, is an 80.9-ha site owned by Yorkcourt Properties.

The site is located just off Junction 30 of the M62, close to Westgate bus and train station.

The M62 links Wakefield to five ports: Liverpool to the west, and Goole, Hull, Immingham and Grimsby to the east. The area is also served by five airports – Leeds-Bradford, Robin Hood at Doncaster Sheffield, Newcastle,

Manchester and East Midands.

NewCold, a cold storage facility firm, has already started construction on a 14.6-ha development at the site, which will be its first in the UK. The development will incorporate a fully automated cold storage warehouse and two automated unloading docks. When operational, it is expected to bring more than 150 jobs, plus up to 80 construction jobs while it is being developed.

An access road and improvements to road junctions

are being built as part of the facility, which is expected to open in summer 2015. Other on-site infrastructure is under way and is due to complete in April 2015.

Planning consent for Newmarket Lane incorporates B8 manufacturing and distribution, and Yorkcourt Properties is in discussions with three parties over 6.5ha of the site.

When complete, Newmarket Lane is expected to create in the region of 2,000 jobs.

“It’s proving to be one of the most popular sites in the north-east of Wakefield for manufacturing and distribution.

“The level of interest has been remarkable,” said Yorkcourt’s managing director, Colin Mackie.

connect wakefield

It’s proving to be one of the most popular sites in the north-east of wakefield

fast lane The 80.9-ha Newmarket Lane site has close links to road, rail, sea and air.

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Newmarket Lane

37 issue 3 spring 2015

The Realm

connect wakefield

A groundbreaking ceremony in September 2014 marked the start of building work on The Realm, Keepmoat’s development of 159 homes on the site of the former City Estate in Fitzwilliam, Pontefract.

The £16 million scheme will see 159 homes built for private sale, including 79 two-bedroom homes, 78 three-bedroom homes, six two-bedroom bungalows and two flats, also with two bedrooms.

Wakefield Council has invested a share of the £8 million awarded to the authority through the government’s Regional Growth Fund.

The City Estate, where Yorkshire and England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott grew up, had suffered decline following the closure of local coal mines in the 1980s. But more than 10 years ago Wakefield Council bought and demolished 215 former pit homes on the estate, many of which had become unsafe.

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Urban realm Keepmoat's £16 million development of the former City Estate in Fitzwilliam.

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Prince of Wales Colliery The regeneration of this former 31-ha colliery in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, is now well under way.

The mixed-use development, which was granted planning consent at the end of 2013, will comprise 917 homes and 21,853sq m of employment space, along with retail units, cafes, a medical centre, community centre, nursery and parkland.

Owner, Harworth Estates, completed its first residential sale at the site to Ben Bailey Homes in January 2015. The purchase of the 4.45-ha parcel of land

will allow the housebuilder to construct 131 three and fourbedroom homes on-site.

Construction started in January 2015, with a view to the first residents moving in in the autumn.

Prior to the sale, Harworth had carried out extensive remediation work at the former colliery, including the removal of all mining and colliery buildings and related infrastructure, and the installation of new highways and drainage systems.

The former spoil heap next to the pit yard is due to become a country park, and, together with Pontefract Park and Pontefract Racecourse, will provide a gateway into the town.

royal park A country park will be created as part of the regeneration of the Prince of Wales Colliery.

Completion of the entire development is expected to take between eight and 10 years.

The project forms an important part of Wakefield Council’s wider regeneration plans for Pontefract.

Councillor Peter Box CBE, leader of Wakefield Council, said: “The scheme will make a huge difference not just to Pontefract but the entire Wakefield district.

It will bring significant inward investment to the area with the creation of homes, facilities and opportunities for the residents of Pontefract.

“The site also forms an important part of the Northern Link Road, which will improve connectivity between Pontefract and the rest of the region.”

30,000 acres across 200+ sites

Harworth Estates is the region’s largest regeneration company.

With over forty prime sites across Yorkshire, we deliver sustainable developments that create new jobs, homes and places to be.

www.harworthestates.co.uk

skills

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skills

Fully loaded connect wakefield

words Suruchi Sharma

43

usiness investors initially want to know about connectivity when looking for a new location – then they ask about the labour force. “It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill,” as US aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright once said. Most job-hunters have, at some point, stared blankly at their CV as they wonder how to fill the skills column, yet skills are the foundation underpinning any successful work environment.

With the fortunes of its future workforce in mind, a range of positive steps are being taken in Wakefield, where enterprises, employers and education providers are introducing greater work knowledge to several generations of employees. Small and medium-sized business enterprises (SMEs) are the target with many projects assessing the requirements to tailor a programme of appropriate skills.

The Response Project is a European Social Fund initiative led by Leeds City College. It is aimed at supporting workers in the Leeds City Region, which includes Wakefield, as well neighbouring cities such as Bradford and Harrogate.

The project has a three-pronged approach to training provision, with the first strand being its £11.8 million Response Project Skills Support to the Workforce (SSW).

The scheme began in July 2013 with funding for two years and an aim to support more than 8,000 learners working in SMEs or in voluntary roles for not-for-profit organisations.

To participate in this scheme, learners need to be aged 19 or above, and working a minimum of eight hours a week

issue 3 spring 2015

tailored skills Wakefield College has introduced a new course in conjunction with Wakefield industry group, Cognitiv.

training fuels career growth, well-equipped employees perform – and business grows, creating more wealth and employment. projects in the wakefield and Leeds City Region are rooted in what employers need

skills connect wakefield

44 issue 3 spring 2015

in an SME with fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than £34 million.

Tamsin Candeland, SSW project manager, hopes that providing training to workers will not only increase their knowledge and understanding of the job, but will produce an upturn in profits, especially beneficial for companies in the current financial climate, essential for growth and further job creation.

She explains: “An increase in skill levels has been identified as a key driver of economic growth. Skills Support for the Workforce is a superb opportunity for SMEs to access training in a range of skills that are important for their particular business. For example, in the care sector, SSW is funding training in dementia care and end-of-life care, both of which are of increasing importance with our ageing population.”

Apart from practical abilities, workers are being encouraged to learn social skills that will help motivate them in their careers, Candeland adds: “Increased confidence in carrying out their role is a benefit frequently cited by learners, many of whom have not benefited from formal training for a long time. This encourages many employees to seek further training at the end of their SSW programme, which will bring even more benefit to the business.

“Skills training is usually embedded into the workforce development strategy of large companies. SSW brings the benefits to smaller firms as well, including sole traders.”

More than 1,000 employers across the region have been helped through this scheme, including businesses in Wakefield such as residential care services, Just Homes Care, and building contractors, SCS Building Solutions.

Rob McFarland manages the second strand of the project running the Local Response Fund, which sits under the umbrella of Skills Support for the Workforce, but with a separate responsibility. Its purpose is to respond to emerging skills needs in the Leeds City Region, says McFarland: “It is quite flexible and unique in this way because it has the capacity to really make a difference to a business, by identifying new emerging needs and providing training or support to address them.”

The training varies from accredited training needs to bespoke packages that address the specific requirements of the business. This part of the project, devised in early 2013, has an interesting history. Members of Response consulted with the Leeds Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and employers to build a solid structure to the scheme.

McFarland adds: “We commissioned pieces of research based around areas we thought needed intervention or further investigation, from finding out what the barriers are to training and development in certain sectors, through to assessing what skills or intervention a small rural business needs to maximise its income. How do we prepare businesses for infrastructure changes? What skills are required and how do we go about catering for these?

The aim was to identify emerging need.”

The research phase was due to draw to an end in February and the focus will shift to providing the training, although some elements – such as addressing the emerging needs of the region’s small businesses – have already been commissioned.

The final strand of the Response Project is the

did you know?

28%

Employment in the digital, creative and cultural sector in Wakefield has expanded by 28% since 2011.

£32 million has been allocated for skills funding in the Wakefield region.

Advanced cold logistics company NewCold decided to base its first UK site in Wakefield, due to the region’s skilled workforce.

Flexible Fund for Unemployed Individuals (FFFUI), with the objective of increasing participation of the unemployed in education, employment or training, particularly apprenticeships. Skills acquired include retail knowledge, first aid, horticulture, health and social care, and warehouse and storage training, working with institutions such as Age UK, Groundwork Wakefield and the Royal Mencap Society.

Wakefield SMEs are thriving, with excellent schemes run by such organisations as Response, but others are also joining the charge, including high-speed broadband providers the Superfast West Yorkshire Scheme, which runs free IT masterclasses on subjects such as social media, online networking and search engine optimisation in Wakefield and across its neighbouring cities. This is a fantastic way to pick up modern, digital skills for those already in work, but what about younger people considering their options in an already competitive jobs market?

Wakefield College has created a new course for school-leavers centred on gaining skills for a career in the creative, digital and IT industries (CDIT). The course, a Level 3 Creative and Digital Industries diploma, was developed in conjunction with Wakefield-based industry group Cognitiv, which brainstormed with local employers on how to create a skills-based course.

Cognitiv chair, Dan Conboy, is very enthusiastic about the diploma and says he wanted “to shout about the district’s vibrant CDIT communities” and is aware how vital it is to have “work-ready individuals”.

“Having access to a pool of candidates who are equipped with the right skills and experience is integral to

The private sector has an invaluable role dan conboy, chair, cognitiv

the success of CDIT businesses, and as this sector looks set for major growth it’s critical that we address this.

“We believe that the private sector has an invaluable role to play in dealing with the skills shortage, and our partnership with Wakefield College in creating the course is just one of the many ways in which we are helping to tackle this important issue,” says Conboy.

Wakefield College's assistant principal, Ian Wainwright, is equally sanguine about the arrival of the course, which will run from September and include topics such as graphic design, web development, digital marketing and business studies.

Wainwright explains: “Cognitiv was really keen that learners get a broad understanding of the different elements of the industry, including the business side of things, creative process and technical elements, rather than forcing them to specialise too early.

“This breadth of learning supported by live projects and experience, or learning by doing, through collaboration with local businesses, gives the students a great skills base. These days almost all businesses have a website, social media presence or are involved in e-commerce.

“Our younger learners are native users of digital media and we are keen to support them to build skills in this area to support their future career path.”

skills connect wakefield

45 issue 3 spring 2015

left Learning by doing in partnership with local businesses gives students a strong skills base.

Bridging online and offline worlds, delivering true 1-to-1 marketing across all channels and devices.

Acxiom is transforming marketing – giving brands the power to successfully manage audiences, personalize customer experiences and create profitable customer relationships.

Want to knoW more?

To find out how Acxiom can accelerate your business, visit acxiom.co.uk or call us at 020 7526 5265 Acxiom 17 Hatfields, London SE1 8DJ acxiom.co.uk

Relocation

Office moves connectivity, quality offices and a skilled workforce attract employment into Wakefield. With public sector investment continuing during the recession, the city is taking advantage of the upturn

connect wakefield

words David Blackman

47 issue 3 spring 2015

Relocation connect wakefield

48

itting near the junction of two motorways with a main railway running through the middle of the town, and served by four airports, Wakefield ticks all the boxes in terms of transport connections.

Lee Carnley, founder of local property agency Vickers Carnley, has been working in the town for a quarter of a century. The local commercial property veteran says: “Wherever you are in Wakefield, you are a few minutes from a motorway and two hours from London on the train.”

Elizabeth Ridler, head office agency partner at Knight Frank in Leeds, agrees. “What better place to be than in the triangle of the M62 and M1?”

The city is the last but one stop on the main rail line from London to Leeds – only 15 minutes away – while frequent trains run to the capital in just two hours from Wakefield.

The town’s rail facilities received a boost following a recent revamp of its main Westgate station. The project, which involved shifting the entire station 50 metres along

right Refurbished mill buildings form part of the Wakefield Waterfront scheme, along with the Hepworth Wakefield gallery.

the platform, has led to more passengers using the town’s rail service.

Added to that, Wakefield benefits from excellent motorway links, sitting just a few miles from where the M62 trans-Pennine route intersects with the M1.

The three motorway junctions serving the town are all within a couple of miles of the city centre, points out Carnley. And while the town’s road connections are good, he adds, traffic is relatively light. “Wakefield is not a congested place; you can get around the city and park fairly easy.”

As England’s regional economies recover from the recent downturn, these connectivity plus points are likely to prove increasingly attractive for companies seeking refuge from the overheated rents of the south-east.

Iain Mulvey, a business development executive at Carter Jonas, points to Deutsche Bank’s recent decision to transfer trading functions to Birmingham as an illustration of how firms are locating increasingly

issue 3 spring 2015

Relocation

left Calder Business Park is located four miles from Wakefield city centre, off Junction 39 on the M1.

connect wakefield

49 The project, which was designed by architects Cartwright Pickard, offers Wakefield town centre’s only grade A office space.

Wakefield Council has relocated its headquarters into the main, five-storey building at the development – Wakefield One. The scheme comprises a further 8,361sq m of space in three blocks, arranged around a public square, one of which has been let out to HM Revenue and Customs.

Richard Thornton is a director in the Leeds office of Merchant Gate’s letting agent JLL. He believes the

What better place to be than in the triangle of the M62 and M1?

Elizabeth Ridler, Knight Frank

slow take-up of space at the scheme so far reflects the depressed state of regional property markets during the recent downturn, rather than its intrinsic quality.

He says: “It offers a cheaper option than the centre of Leeds and it’s only 15 minutes away by train. There have been a number of successful office parks between junctions 39 and 41 of the M1, which have continued to let well and this represents the only decent city centre offering.”

Thornton is referring to the Calder and Paragon office parks located at junctions 39 and 41 of the M1 respectively.

issue 3 spring 2015

sophisticated operations outside of London.

Mulvey, whose firm is on a shortlist of two to provide Wakefield Council’s property outsourcing contract, believes the West Yorkshire town should become an attractive location for shared service and back office type functions, similar to those which have flocked to Derby in recent years.

Wakefield’s proximity to Leeds, combined with its own catchment area taking in towns like Castleford and Pontefract, gives employers a good workforce to draw on, he adds. “If you are a big occupier, you will have the workforce, location, office space and connectivity. You’ve got all of the right ingredients and it’s got the product.”

Added to these selling points, the town is highly competitive in terms of rents.

Carnley says good quality office space can be secured in Wakefield town centre for less than £10 per sq ft. Floorspace is currently available in Castleview House at the Peel Group’s Calder Business Park for £12.50 per sq ft, less than what prospective occupiers will be paying in nearby Leeds.

The town centre’s showpiece development is Merchant Gate, which has been built on a speculative basis by Muse Developments with backing from English Cities Fund, the Homes and Communities Agency’s regeneration joint venture with insurer Legal & General.

Over the last few years, the scheme has helped to bring back into use 6.9 hectares of largely derelict land and railway sidings next to Westgate station.

Relocation connect wakefield

clockwise from top Origin Point at Paragon Business Village; Wakefield Waterfront; Wakefield One.

50 issue 3 spring 2015

The biggest recent deal in the Wakefield out-of-town office market has been Paragon Business Village’s recent success in letting out 1,460sq m of office space.

Freedom, which is part of utility sector infrastructure services provider EnServe, took space in the 53-ha mixed-use business park at the end of last year. Following this letting, a building opposite was let to Interserve, adding to a list of existing tenants that includes City & Guilds, Nationwide Building Society and Securitas.

Ridler, who acted for Freedom, says: “It’s a well thought out development. It’s very well managed, which you can tell as soon as you enter, and it’s very well served, you can be in the middle of Wakefield in 10 minutes.”

“The park attracts some good names and it doesn’t have a lot of vacancies. When a requirement is out there, it ticks all the boxes. The buildings are well designed and have stood the test of time,” says Ridler, who is now seeking a tenant for the 1,672sq ft Origin Point building at Paragon. Available at £15 per sq ft, tenants will be able to fit-out the building to their own specification.

Ridler adds that Paragon’s other big advantage is that it is located on the Leeds side of Wakefield. “You can be in Leeds city centre in 10 minutes.”

The out-of-town market is set to benefit from a fresh injection of space as private developer Rushbond works up plans for a new office park near junction 37 of the M1 at Bretton Park, better known as the home of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

A hotel has recently received planning permission as part of the first phase of the scheme, with proposals for

did you know?

Growing faster than many other city regions, Wakefield has the 27th largest economy in the UK. Wakefield town centre offers good quality office space for less than £10 per square foot.

Merchant Gate in Wakefield provides the town’s only grade A office space, and is 15 minutes by train from Leeds.

Calder and Paragon business parks offer out-of-town office space next to the M1.

office space next in the pipeline for consent.

Between the town centre and these out-of-town parks, the other development that has recently put Wakefield on the map has been the Waterfront scheme, which is anchored by the David Chipperfield-designed Hepworth Wakefield gallery.

The development, which was designed to regenerate the town’s historic waterfront area, suffered as a result of coming on to the market at the turn of the decade.

But Carnley says there is now “significantly more interest” in the space, pointing to a 418sq m plate in one of the scheme’s refurbished mill buildings that he expected

It’s a well thought out development. It’s very well managed Elizabeth Ridler, Knight Frank

to be let out very soon. “Deals are now happening,” Carnley concludes.

The property experts share an upbeat outlook on Wakefield’s commercial market, as this well-connected city is seeing a return on the council’s investment in public realm, infrastructure improvements, and facilitating businesses to relocate. All these factors contribute to Wakefield’s position as the 27th largest economy in the UK, growing faster than many other city regions, providing the conditions for businesses to create jobs.

partners group joining together to support wakefield

Peter Duffy Emma Bird e.bird@peterduffyltd.com

Burberry uk.burberry.com

Coca-Cola Enterprises Serena Taylor seltaylor@cokecce.com

Haribo Emma Lupton emma.lupton@opencomms.co.uk

NewCold Harvard Engineering Ray Perry Russell Fletcher russellfletcher@harvardeng.com ray.perry@newcold.com

Waystone Yorkcourt Properties Helen McLoughlin Scott Mackie helen.mcloughlin@waystone.co.uk scott@yorkcourt-properties.co.uk

business

connect wakefield

52

issue 3 spring 2015

business

APOCALYPSE: NO!

f the zombie apocalypse comes, where's the best place to swerve it? Normanton Industrial Estate, just off junction 31 of the M62, may not be the first destination that springs to mind. But Andrew Pinnington wants you to hear him out.

The head of European IT sales for data company Acxiom explained why the White Rose Technology Centre in Normanton could be the best place to survive a cataclysmic event.

“We chose Normanton because of the good connections and the road infrastructure,” he says. “We wanted to be away from the confines of the south-east. It is a safe option for clients who are nervous about security.

“We need to make sure our data centre can take power from two different power stations, in case one fails.

We have a lot of resilience, with backup generators, so even if both fail we can carry on for four months.

“We invested £20 million in the site and we have continued to grow and invest in it. If the zombie apocalypse ever happened we are the place to be. We have got everything.”

Acxiom selected Normanton for its UK data centre in

we chose normanton because of the good connections andrew pinnington, Acxiom

employer-led apprenticeships. As part of this scheme Pinnington recently attended a careers event at Wakefield Civic Centre, called Inspiring Skills, to give a presentation to young people.

“It was good to see people from the Wakefield community at that event. You could see the hunger in their eyes,” he said. “Anyone interested in IT was invited, there were about 50 students there. We want to get the right skills in the region and retain those skills in the area.

53 issue 3 spring 2015

words James Cracknell

2005 and the White Rose Technology Centre now hosts the company's Yorkshire cloud computing service.

The firm provides marketing data and technology services to some of the biggest brands on the planet, plus public sector bodies.

Operating in 50 countries worldwide, with 300 UK employees and 5,300 globally, Acxiom is “one of the biggest companies you've never heard of” – but that modest profile is something Pinnington wants to change.

“When people haven't heard of us, we are trying to find ways to remedy that,” he says. “I think we have a great story to tell.”

Having made the decision to locate here a decade ago, renewed efforts are being made to engage with the Wakefield community. Step one to becoming well known is showing your face in the local area.

Acxiom has been working with Wakefield Council on the Employer Ownership of Skills pilot which promotes

connect wakefield

Protecting the data of international companies is a business rooted in reputation, trust and risk avoidance. Global data stronghold Acxiom chose Normanton, with excellent connectivity and security, for its UK technology base. Now in search of loyal staff, Acxiom is filling vacancies through apprenticeships

business connect wakefield

54

“We are dipping our toe into the water in 2015 and we have got two or three vacancies we are going to fill through apprenticeships.

“We are looking at students with BTECs from college, but about 50% of what we are looking for is in body language, confidence and engagement.

“I think if we invest in an individual they are more likely to stay with us. We value loyalty and in London it is more common to go from one job to another. In Normanton or Wakefield you are there for a reason and there is often greater loyalty because of that.

“We want people with the same kind of mindset as us. The things that are core to us are passion, accountability, creativity and teamwork. But loyalty underpins all of that.”

Pinnington says most of the Acxiom staff working at Normanton come from across Yorkshire, although some travel from places such as Tyne and Wear, an hour and 40 minutes drive away. “For those who prefer not to travel into central Wakefield, this is an easier place to get to.”

Acxiom also has an office in London, where about 180 people work in a range of roles. Its global headquarters is in Little Rock, Arkansas, with offices also in New York and California.

But Normanton is the company's European technology hub, a “world-class” facility packed with internet servers and hi-tech equipment. All of it is geared towards the storage and application of ‘big data’.

“There are few, if any, business terms today so widely heard of or abused as big data,” Pinnington explains. “It's a term some people now hate to hear but whatever the misuse of the term, big data is real. The biggest issue is, what do you do with it?

“Most companies have had a database of sorts but the game has moved on markedly and the change is still evolving at pace.

“Here in the largest county in Britain, Acxiom is helping the world's biggest brands deliver a better experience to consumers through the ethical use of big data and technology, that tames its massive potential.”

clockwise from below Andrew Pinnington, Acxiom's head of European sales; the company's technology hub at its UK base in Normanton.

issue 3 spring 2015