East Midlands Lincolnshire’s defence capabilities William Wall
William Wall, Director, Eddisons Lincoln has his sights set on the economic opportunities for growth following June’s Strategic Defence Review announcement. Lincolnshire’s offer sits naturally with the sophistication of modern defence indus- tries. The area has already been actively promoted as a centre of excellence in defence for many years through initiatives backed by public and private sectors. In 2023, The Greater Lincolnshire Regional Defence & Security Cluster was launched. An industry-led forum, it gives a status to
the area that opens doors to public and commercial funding and development streams, and an international profile backed by central government recognition and endorsement. Its aim is ‘… to establish Greater Lincolnshire as a national defence and security innovation, production and service hub… ’.
The presence of modern operators in the defence sector in Lincolnshire is no accident. It builds on the legacy of airfields, with RAF Waddington - home of the Red Arrows - now housing the UK’s Intelligence, Surveillance Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (ISTAR), and it’s the main site for the UK’s airborne intelligence aircraft and systems operations. Cutting edge defence companies are here and educational institutions and policy makers here have been, increas- ingly, gearing-up to deliver the skill-set these innovative businesses need. Lincolnshire has already attracted a range of major interna- tional and national defence & aerospace businesses such as BAE Systems, Boeing and Lockheed Martin that have long established offices and R&D facilities. Our office has been instrumental in a range of transactions in the sector over recent years with firms either taking
self-contained premises or leasing purpose built accommodation at the highly successful Lincoln Science & Innovation Park.
LSIP is a joint venture between Lincolnshire Co-operative and the University of Lincoln. Its aim is to create a collaborative environment for technology, science and academia in a commercial setting. Its next phase of development is expected to commence soon. This academic year sees the second tranche of students enrol at the Air & Space Institute Newark which opened in September 2024. It’s £15. 4 million campus is an international centre of excellence to provide technology led-learning further & higher education level programmes in partnership with the RAF and air & space industry commercial operators. With a focus on 16+ year old students, it’s an award winning facility which Eddisons played a part to deliver.
Since Russia’s 2022 attack on Ukraine, the proliferation of drone and satellite-linked technology have characterised the conflict. For Ukraine, this has developed organically through young troops for whom smartphone and gaming controls have been default technol- ogies and tools of their childhood. It’s a sobering thought that the SDR’s emphasis on technology and skills is preparing the UK for the ‘now generation’ of warfare, not the next generation.
With pressure on the UK from NATO to increase its proportion of GDP on defence spending sooner rather than later, Lincolnshire, as a location in the business vanguard of the modern defence indus- tries, is in a prime position to contribute to, and benefit from, the economic growth that any defence dividend brings.
For more details please visit
www.eddisons.com North Kesteven is the Place to Be
It’s in the heart of Lincolnshire and known for engineering, manufacturing and agriculture, and its transport links. Look closer though and you’ll find much more. There’s a clear plan to ensure North Kesteven flourishes into the future, including investment in business space. It has quality homes and schools, and safe communities which encourage families and skilled people to stay. There’s a rich her- itage studded across its countryside and river corridor. Its high streets buck national trends, and it has renowned space for creativity and culture. There are modern leisure facilities, invested in for better health, and it makes a great place to work and invest in. There is new space to do so, including at North Kesteven District Council’s eco-conscious Sleaford Moor Enterprise Park. It’s a 37-acre (14 hectare) employment site brought forward by the Council to unlock premier strategic employ- ment space servicing Sleaford’s ambition for economic and employment growth. All units are built with sustainability and adaptability in mind. Features include solar panels, ener- gy-saving insulation and EV charging points, and a landscaping scheme to maintain biodi- versity. Phase One has been completed with all units now let. Plot 2 has recently been sold to Clean Planet Energy which subject to
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planning, could bring an innovative clean-tech company and resource recycler to the town as well as investment upwards of £35 million for the plant’s construction. To enquire about the park, contact Eddisons on 01522 544515.
Prior to the development of this employment park, the latest scheme delivered by the Council included a £2. 2 million site consist- ing of 15 grow-on business units at Discovery Court in North Hykeham, close to Lincoln and the A46, supporting new businesses with its venture. In fact, North Kesteven District Council has over 100 properties designed to encourage the growth of start-up, small and medium businesses. Visit
www.businessnk.
co.uk to see more or contact Eddisons. It also offers independent business support, grants, and more - on hand through its Economic Development Team.
Most recently, the Council delivered its first round of projects through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with an allocation of £3. 2 million from 2022 to 2025. Now working to deliver a new allocation of just under £1 mil- lion, the fund continues to bring new invest- ment and opportunity to Sleaford town centre and the rest of the District. .
Spalding
For Spalding and the immediate sur- rounding area (PE11 and PE12), the Commercial property market has had more actively in 2025 than we had pre- dicted, given the state of the UK econ- omy, and the market is still holding good at the moment. We have seen an increase in demand for industrial over the last 4 or 5 years, consequently rents and capital values have risen. There is generally more demand for owner occupation than letting, very often from existing operators in the area who are expanding rather than necessarily new entrants. However new development on a speculative basis is starting to resume on some recently sold sites on the Industrial estates off Enterprise Way. The majority of the vacant land North of Spalding in the area off Wardentree Lane has now been taken up and we are seeing a new release of zoned industrial land in this area coming forward. This is complimentary to other land availa- ble in the area to the south of Spalding, where recent openings of Wendy’s, KFC and TacoBell have taken place over the last 2 years adjacent to the zoned indus- trial areas.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2025
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