Major industrial unit planned on Peterborough employment scheme

Hillwood, a developer, has submitted a detailed planning application for a 350,000 sq ft single unit warehouse at its Flagship North scheme in Peterborough. The site, which it is developing with the Church Commissioners for England, has outline planning permission for 1.36m sq ft of industrial and logistics space and is seen as the city’s next major employment scheme. Greg Dalton, vice president for Hillwood, said: “This is another exciting milestone in seeing this important commercial scheme being actively brought forward for development. Significant works continue that will allow us to start development in 2025 and deliver high quality, sustainable, new units to satisfy local occupier demand in Peterborough and wider Eastern region.” The units are expected to be both built as speculative and as pre let/sales to tenants. Bidwells and Savills have been retained as joint letting agents
Separately , Penn Commercial is marketing seven freehold units providing warehousing and office accommodation at Leiston in Suffolk, close to the Sizewell C site. The nuclear facility is set to create up to 70,000 UK jobs, engaging 2,000 suppliers, and driving significant economic and infrastructure investment. The units are at Masterlord Industrial Estate.
Suffolk property put up for sale for conversion to hotel & restaurant for £1.5 million

A former care home near Sudbury in Suffolk which has planning permission to be converted into a hotel and restaurant is up for sale with a guide price of £1.5m. Brookwood Manor Residential Home at Little Waldingfield, near Sudbury, closed in 2021. The Tudor-style former country house sits in a plot of 2.81 acres and won full planning permission last May for a change of use from a care home to a hotel and restaurant. Thomas Higgins, associate at Savills in Chelmsford, which is selling the site, said: “The main property extends to over 11,000 sq ft and there are almost three acres of grounds, offering a wealth of potential either as a commercial venture or alternative development….With a significant history that dates back 400 years, the sale represents an excellent opportunity to bring an important property back into use.”
Cambridge conference and events venues set for ‘outstanding year’

Meet Cambridge, the official conference and events bureau, is expecting events worth an estimated £5.3 million over the next two years around the city, driven by diverse international and domestic clients. Almost half of the enquiries it receives are from the academic sector and a third from corporates. Andrew Bell, head of Meet Cambridge, said: “Cambridge is clearly set for another outstanding year as a top destination for conferences and events.” In a recent survey, Meet Cambridge member venues remained optimistic with 70 per cent expecting an improvement on last year. The survey also showed lead times for Cambridge venues are getting longer as confidence in the sector strengthens whilst venues that offer ‘exceptional’ dining experiences are the top choice for event planners. Andrew Bell added: “Sustainability is the new norm in the events industry, from minimising carbon impact and managing waste, to conserving natural resources and reducing pollution”. Last year, Meet Cambridge handled 3,510 enquiries worth an estimated £4.3 million. Cambridge is ranked in the top 10 UK cities by the International Congress and Convention Association and the city saw the highest number of international enquiries last year from the US, Germany, China, India, and France. Interest from Germany has grown consistently since 2022.
Deal activity in 2025 ‘set to exceed’ last year’s level

A leading deal team in the region has forecast merger & acquisition activity amongst firms in 2025 is set to exceed last year’s level despite the tough trading conditions faced by many regional businesses. Roger Buckley, partner, deal advisory – mergers & acquisitions – at BDO said: “Despite several competing factors, there is a growing sense of optimism for 2025. Despite the negativity arising from the 2024 Budget, we are expecting activity levels to exceed those seen in 2024, which is backed by a strong pipeline of engagements and opportunities.
Vinod Patel, partner, deal advisory – transaction services – added: “ While the Autumn Budget has added an additional layer of pressure for many businesses, what it has done is provided a degree of political and economic certainty, which will only benefit the M&A market in both the Midlands and East of England.” BDO advised on 69 deals across the Midlands and East of England with a combined value of £3.4bn in 2024. Deal activity spanned 10 sectors, with over a third involving international/cross-border activity.
Photo BDO deals advisory partners (l-r) : Dougal Baxter, Roger Buckley, Vinod Patel, John Stephan and Graham Elsworth.
Cambridge-based medical group raises £22 million in fund raising
Cambridge Science Park-based Owlstone Medical, a leader in applications in early disease detection and precision medicine, has closed a c £22 million Series E financing round. The funds will be used to develop Owlstone’s proprietary Breath Biopsy® platform and its novel diagnostic tests and point of care devices. Billy Boyle, co-founder and CEO at Owlstone Medical, said: “Testament to the power of Breath Biopsy is the continued strong support we continue to enjoy from our investors. The funds closed will enable us to progress our business to the next stage, advancing clinical trials and supporting the launch and commercialization of our pipeline of unique breath tests.” The fundraise was led by Ventura Capital, joined by Aviva Ventures, Horizons Ventures, and other existing investors. The close also saw completion of the investment from the Gates Foundation1.
Essex-based deal signals confidence in specialists events sector

True Staging, an Essex-based scenic design and fabricator for the events and entertainment industry, has acquired a majority stake in Box Productions, a scenic and production build company. The deal was supported by FRP Corporate Finance. Working from a 4,500 sq m plant in Billericay, True Staging regularly provides installation for red carpet film premiers in London, including films such as Wicked, Barbie, Wonka, Dune and James Bond. In 2023, it was commissioned to create the first official touring Formula 1 exhibition. Box Productions, also based in Essex, has produced activations for brands including Netflix, TikTok and Apple. True Staging will benefit from Box Productions’ expertise in AV, lighting and sound. Chris Adlam, partner at FRP Corporate Finance, said: “This deal is a signal of strong confidence in the fast-growing specialist events sector.”
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