Our Founder and Chairman, Kevin McCabe has been named winner of the Business Enterprise Award at the 37th Yorkshire Awards, held on 27 February 2026 at The Queens Hotel, Leeds.
The award recognises an individual whose leadership, vision and long-term commitment have delivered exceptional economic impact across Yorkshire and beyond. The judges cited Kevin’s six-decade career in property, his role in shaping the region’s urban landscape and his sustained commitment to regeneration across Yorkshire and the wider North.
Kevin founded Scarborough Group International in 1976. Fifty years on, the business remains family-owned and active across the UK, with a development pipeline exceeding £2 billion.
In the early 2000s, Kevin led the Group’s expansion across the UK, supported by teams in Leeds, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Scarborough and Edinburgh. Following the successful development of Amerikalei House in Antwerp, he established a European headquarters in 2006 and based himself in Brussels to oversee growth across Germany, France, Poland, Hungary, Denmark and Sweden.
Demonstrating the disciplined judgement that has defined his career, Kevin led the strategic sale of a significant portion of the Group’s European business shortly before the 2008 global financial crisis, recognising growing instability in the investment market. The decision protected the business ahead of widespread disruption across global banking and real estate sectors.
Under his leadership, Scarborough Group has delivered more than 40 million sq ft of commercial, residential and sporting space across the UK, Europe and parts of Asia.
Kevin has consistently taken a long-term, partnership-led approach to development, prioritising places that support jobs, enterprise and communities for generations.
Thorpe Park Leeds exemplifies that philosophy. Conceived more than three decades ago, the estate continues to evolve into one of the UK’s leading mixed-use destinations for business, education, retail and leisure. When complete, it is expected to support more than 15,000 jobs alongside new homes, public realm and sustainable infrastructure. Development will continue into the next decade, with further phases progressing.
Sport has been a constant thread throughout Kevin’s life. From playing football at school level in Sheffield to competitive amateur squash, he has remained closely involved in grassroots participation. In recent years, he introduced padel tennis to Scarborough and continues to support new facilities in Leeds and Sheffield.
He is also well known for his long association with professional football, having served as owner and chairman of Sheffield United Football Club. His experiences are reflected in his memoir, Mucky Boots, offering a candid account of life in the game.
Family remains central to his life. Married to Sandra for more than five decades, Kevin is a proud father and grandfather. His sons, Simon and Scott, are part of the Group’s leadership team.
Through the Scarborough Group Foundation, established 25 years ago, more than £2 million has been donated to charitable causes across Yorkshire and beyond, with a focus on health, wellbeing, medical research and support for children and young people.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Foundation coordinated the procurement and distribution of vital PPE to hospitals and key workers across Yorkshire and the North of England.
Kevin said:
“To receive the Business Enterprise Award at the Yorkshire Awards is a tremendous honour. I have always believed in backing this region, investing for the long term and working in partnership to create places where people and businesses can thrive. This recognition reflects the efforts of many talented colleagues, my family and partners who share that belief.”
Now in its 37th year, the Yorkshire Awards celebrate individuals and organisations whose work has made a significant contribution to the region’s reputation, prosperity and quality of life.
Photo courtesy of Roth Read Photography.
The Scarborough Group Foundation has announced its latest round of charitable giving, supporting organisations working across healthcare, community wellbeing, disability sport and youth development.
In its most recent funding round, the Foundation has committed £47,500 to charities delivering vital services and support to individuals and families across the UK.
Among the organisations supported are Alzheimer’s Research UK, Breast Cancer Now, Carers Trust, The King’s Trust and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, alongside a number of other charities focused on healthcare, community support and opportunities for disabled athletes.
The Foundation has also continued its support for charities such as The Katie Piper Foundation, which helps people living with burns and scars rebuild their lives, and Limb Power, which enables amputees and people with limb impairments to build confidence and independence through sport.
In addition, funding has been directed to organisations providing specialist healthcare and hospice care, including Saint Catherine’s Hospice and Weston Park Cancer Charity, as well as initiatives supporting members of the armed forces community and inclusive sport programmes.
A spokesperson for the Trustees of the Scarborough Group Foundation said:
“The organisations we support carry out remarkable work in their communities, often helping people through some of the most challenging moments in their lives. We are proud to play a small part in strengthening that work and enabling these charities to continue providing vital support.
“Our aim has always been to invest in initiatives that deliver meaningful, lasting impact – whether through healthcare, community support or opportunities for people to rebuild confidence and independence.”
The latest donations build on the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to charitable giving. In recent years, the Foundation has supported a wide range of organisations working across health, education and community initiatives, including programmes supporting young amputees, unpaid carers, disabled athletes, bereaved military families and children with serious medical conditions.
Since its inception, the Scarborough Group Foundation has donated more than £2.4 million to charitable causes in the UK and internationally.
Scarborough Group reaches its fiftieth anniversary in 2026. In an industry shaped by economic cycles, longevity on that scale reflects an ability to adapt as conditions change, rather than any single moment of success.
1976 marked the point at which Kevin McCabe stepped into business ownership, quickly laying the foundations of what would become Scarborough Group. By then, he had already spent more than a decade in the construction and property industries, beginning his career as a quantity surveyor in Sheffield before moving to Scotland in the early 1970’s and joining Teesland Development Company, where he became a Director within a short period of time.
He chose to ‘go it alone’ just as the optimism of the early seventies was fading. Inflation was rising, interest rates were climbing, credit was tightening and confidence had become fragile. Projects that had appeared viable only months earlier were coming under pressure, often before completion.
That context shaped the business from the outset. Scarborough Group did not grow up in a market where fundamentals could be learned gradually or mistakes absorbed quietly. Early decisions mattered, and their consequences were often felt quickly. The discipline required in those years – around cost, structure and judgement – became embedded in how development was approached.
As the business evolved through the late 1970’s and 1980’s, growth was accompanied by McCabe’s willingness to work closely with financiers and institutional partners, adjusting structures where appropriate. A strong relationship was built with the Bank of Scotland, which saw McCabe work with them on the reorganisation of two previously listed companies, restructuring management and divisions before returning them to the market.
As the workload expanded, McCabe increased his involvement with Teesland Development Company, eventually leading it through a successful stock market listing. In a similar vein, the housebuilder Fairbriar Homes, then in difficulty, was acquired, reorganised and expanded ahead of its own return to the market.
These were not transactional arrangements, but partnerships carried through multiple market cycles and changing conditions.
Expansion across the UK and internationally followed. Teesland developed into a substantial fund and asset management business, with assets under management exceeding £5 billion at its peak. The acquisition of Property Fund Management plc added a platform of offices across ten European countries. Throughout this period, durability was never about preserving a single structure, but about maintaining coherence and control as conditions evolved.
Clarity around how the business was organised geographically was central to that approach. Scarborough Group remained close to the places where it was working and developing, making decisions with a direct understanding of local conditions rather than from a distance.
When McCabe decided to expand the Group internationally into Europe and the Far East, he chose to lead that growth directly, basing himself in the European capital, Belgium. From there, the business developed an on-the-ground presence across markets including the Netherlands, Germany, France, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Denmark and Sweden, with more than ten regional offices established over time. The Group’s success across its international operations is well documented.
Operating in this way brought practical advantages. Proximity made it easier to distinguish between confidence driven by sentiment and strength grounded in fundamentals. The decision to sell the European business to Valad Property Group ahead of the 2008 global financial crisis reflected that approach. It was a deliberate exit, taken while scale and confidence were still intact and informed by close observation rather than by an assumption that conditions would persist.
Across five decades, relationships have been as important as assets. Partnerships with local authorities, advisors, funders and occupiers have been built gradually and sustained through more than one cycle. That continuity brings realism into decision-making. How a business behaves when schemes are under pressure tends to be remembered long after favourable conditions have passed, and reputation in development is earned through consistency and judgement exercised when outcomes are uncertain.
The same long-term perspective underpins Scarborough Group’s approach to regeneration. Legacy is understood as a responsibility to the communities that developments become part of, measured by whether places continue to function and support local life over time. Schemes are assessed not only on delivery, but on their ability to remain relevant as markets shift and expectations change.
Thorpe Park in Leeds reflects that approach clearly. Conceived more than three decades ago, the scheme has evolved through successive phases, transforming former agricultural land into a major business, residential, retail and leisure destination. Its longevity reflects a commitment to regeneration grounded in long-term adaptability rather than response to a single moment in the market.
Today, Scarborough Group is a private business with more than 3,000 acres of land owned or controlled and over £2 billion of projects in the pipeline across the UK. It remains a family-owned business, with continuity of ownership supporting long-term decision-making. While the current cycle is defined by its pace, with decisions scrutinised earlier and margins pressured sooner, this is familiar territory. Experience across cycles has reinforced a preference for selectivity, clarity and structures designed to absorb change.
As the business marks its fiftieth year, this piece opens a wider conversation about what adapting well in property actually requires. Through its upcoming Pull, Push, Shove podcast series, Scarborough Group will explore how cycles are experienced and navigated by those who have built through them.
Fifty years on, the story is not one of avoiding change, but of being built to adapt – staying close to decisions, acting with judgement, and continuing to create places and communities designed to endure.
‘Pull, Push and Shove’.
National Apprenticeship Week recognises apprenticeships across all industries as an alternative route into skilled professions alongside traditional academic pathways. Within property and regeneration, this includes degree apprenticeships that combine university study with sustained experience on live projects.
This year, National Apprenticeship Week coincides with Jake Hall completing a degree apprenticeship in Building Surveying with us, delivered through the University of Salford, while working full time.
Jake joined us in 2021 and has completed a five-year undergraduate degree apprenticeship, achieving a 2:1 honours classification alongside his role within the business.
During the programme, Jake gained experience across our national development and investment portfolio, working on live regeneration and mixed-use schemes. His project experience included Middlewood Locks in Salford, Thorpe Park in Leeds, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, Base in Edinburgh, and Station Quarter in Newport.
Working across these developments allowed Jake to build technical and commercial capability alongside his academic studies, applying theory directly to practice and gaining exposure to the realities of project delivery within the property sector.
In May 2023, Jake was shortlisted for UKREiiF’s Top Apprentice of the Year, recognising his performance during the programme.
Following completion of his degree, Jake has been appointed to a full-time permanent role as Graduate Building Surveyor. He will now work towards his Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), with the aim of becoming a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)-qualified Building Surveyor, and will formally graduate in summer 2026.
Simon McCabe, Chief Executive, said:
“National Apprenticeship Week is an important moment to spotlight what modern apprenticeships can achieve, and Jake’s progression from apprentice to a permanent role within the business demonstrates the value of combining academic study with real project experience. Throughout his apprenticeship, he worked on live schemes across our portfolio, developing the technical and commercial skills needed to succeed in the real estate industry.
“His journey highlights why modern apprenticeships, alongside university study and other early-career pathways, must be higher on the Government’s agenda. Creating clear, well-supported routes into real estate, and other industries, is essential if we are to ensure young people have genuine opportunities to build long-term, sustainable careers.”
Reflecting on the milestone, Jake added:
“Completing my degree has been a huge achievement. Being able to combine studying Building Surveying with real project experience at SGI has given me a strong foundation for my career. I’m grateful for the support I’ve received throughout the programme and excited to continue developing as a Graduate Project Manager while working towards becoming RICS qualified.”
Over the last few years, Steel City Stadium at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park has been steadily evolving. What began as a major investment in sporting infrastructure has grown into something much broader – a place to work, meet, train, collaborate and spend time. Now, we’re taking that evolution one step further.
We’ve submitted a planning application to introduce three new Padel tennis courts at Steel City Stadium, as part of our continued long-term investment in both the Stadium and Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. The proposed courts will sit on the same level as the main Stadium concourse, giving players direct access to the existing 3G pitch, café, changing facilities and toilets, as well as the Stadium’s growing flexible workspace community. Subject to planning approval, we’re aiming for the courts to be open and in use by summer 2026.
This submission builds on a sustained programme of investment across the Park. To date, we’ve invested more than £10 million in delivering Steel City Stadium, including the grandstand, supporting amenities and core infrastructure. Earlier this year, we completed a further £500,000 enhancement to the ground floor, introducing a new coworking lounge alongside a performance nutrition café operated by Sheffield-based Food Fusion. Together, these additions have helped establish Steel City Stadium as the informal front door to Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park; a place where founders, SMEs, researchers, athletes and students naturally come together to work, meet and collaborate.
Introducing Padel builds directly on that momentum. One of the fastest-growing sports in the UK and Europe, Padel combines elements of tennis and squash to create a fast-paced, sociable and highly accessible game for players of all ages and abilities. Despite its rapid growth, high-quality Padel facilities in South Yorkshire remain limited, and demand continues to rise.
The proposed courts have been designed to full international standards, with high-quality lighting and supporting infrastructure to ensure a consistently strong playing experience throughout the year. Just as importantly, they’ve been carefully designed to sit comfortably within the existing Stadium environment, feeling like a natural extension of everything that already happens here.
Steel City Stadium sits at the heart of an 80-acre innovation campus that brings together elite sport, applied research, clinical expertise and education. The Park is already home to more than 30 organisations, and our wider vision includes delivering up to one million square feet of workspace, research facilities and supporting amenities. The aim is to reinforce Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park’s position as one of the UK’s most important destinations for health, sport and wellbeing innovation, while ensuring it remains an active, welcoming place for the wider community.
Submitting this planning application marks another milestone in the Stadium’s ongoing evolution. We’ve invested significantly over recent years, from delivering the grandstand to opening the café and coworking lounge, and we remain committed to creating a vibrant, inclusive and active destination. If planning consent is granted, we’re ready to move quickly and bring a much-needed new opportunity for participation, wellbeing and community connection to the Park.
As Scott McCabe, Director at Scarborough Group International, explains:
“This planning submission is another important step in the continued evolution of Steel City Stadium. We’ve invested considerably in the Stadium over recent years, from delivering the grandstand to opening the café and coworking lounge, and we’re committed to ensuring it continues to grow as a vibrant, inclusive and active place for the whole community.
“Padel is a sport growing at remarkable pace across the UK, and if consent is granted, we’re ready to deliver these courts quickly, bringing a much-needed new opportunity for participation, wellbeing and community connection to Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.”
Our CEO, Simon McCabe, recently took part in a webinar hosted by OakNorth Bank looking at what’s ahead for commercial real estate in 2026.
Hosted by Greg Manson, Director of Debt Finance, the session also featured Oliver du Sautoy, Head of Research at Lambert Smith Hampton. Together, they discussed the practical realities shaping offices, retail and mixed-use, and what that means for those making decisions over the next year.
You can watch the full session below:
Our CEO, Simon McCabe, recently joined Ezra Nahome on the LSH Talks: Property People podcast for a conversation on leadership, legacy and the role relationships play in property.
The discussion covers Simon’s leadership approach, shaped by a competitive sporting background, the story of Scarborough Group International, and the long-standing relationship with Lambert Smith Hampton. Together, they reflect on why property remains a people business, and the responsibility developers have to create places that stand the test of time.
Public art is a key part of how we create places with identity and at Base, we’re putting that into practice. We’ve launched a sculpture design competition with Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), inviting students to design a permanent public artwork for Base, our landmark Grade A office redevelopment in West Edinburgh.
Base is our transformation of the former Younger Building on Redheughs Avenue into a c.90,000 sq ft modern workplace, designed around flexibility, sustainability and people. The sculpture commission forms part of our wider placemaking strategy, with the artwork intended to act as a distinctive focal point at the building’s main arrival point, contributing to the character and identity of West Edinburgh’s evolving business district.
We marked the launch of the competition with a site visit on 8 January 2026, bringing participating students together with the professional design team behind Base. The visit gave students the opportunity to experience the building and its public realm first-hand, to understand the context for the proposed sculpture, and to discuss the brief directly with the architects and engineers delivering the project.
Nicola Bulley, Group Marketing & Business Development Director at SGI, said:
“This competition reflects our wider Responsible Business commitment as a group, combining social value with placemaking in a very tangible way. By commissioning a permanent piece of public art, we’re using creativity to shape the sense of arrival and identity at Base, while working in collaboration with Edinburgh College of Art to support emerging talent and contribute to the cultural life of the city.”
The competition is supported by the professional team delivering Base, including lead architect AHR and engineering consultancy Buro Happold, both of whom are on hand to provide advice to the students throughout the process.
Manisa Mistry, Associate Director at AHR, commented:
“We’re proud to be supporting the students as they bring their ideas to life through a project that reflects our commitment to thoughtful placemaking and the reuse of existing buildings. Base shows how careful redevelopment can retain the value of what’s already there while creating a healthier, people-focused place for the future. Working with Scarborough Group International and Edinburgh College of Art, it’s been a pleasure to connect young people with a real project that will have a lasting presence in West Edinburgh.”
Erlend Scott, Associate Director at Buro Happold, added:
“Public art has the power to transform spaces and create a sense of identity, which is why we’re excited to support this competition. Collaborating with Edinburgh College of Art gives students a unique opportunity to engage with real-world design challenges, while ensuring the sculpture complements the engineering and architectural vision for Base. It’s a great example of how creativity and technical expertise can come together to shape inspiring places.”
Dr Marcus Jack, Director of Outreach and Lecturer in Contemporary Art Theory at Edinburgh College of Art, said:
“Scarborough Group has extended a wonderful offer to the students at Edinburgh College of Art to realise a large-scale public artwork in our city. This commission is a fantastic springboard for an artist at the very start of their career and we can’t wait to see how their ideas will take form.”
The competition will progress through shortlisting and further design development, with one final proposal selected for installation in summer 2026 and a public unveiling planned later in the year.
Bailey Hardy is a 16-year-old winger who started playing rugby league at Lock Lane and now forms part of the Leeds Rhinos academy setup, having progressed through the club’s scholarship programme.
During the 2025 season, Bailey was part of the Under-16s Scholarship side that recorded six wins from eight matches. He delivered several standout performances, including a hat-trick against Wakefield, and was later named among a record group of players offered academy terms ahead of the 2026 season.
Rugby league runs in the Hardy family. Bailey’s older brother, Jacob Hardy, is also part of the Leeds Rhinos academy pathway, while their father, Ryan Hardy, previously played professionally for Dewsbury Rams and Castleford Tigers, alongside spells at Lock Lane.
We’re sponsoring Bailey for the 2025/26 season as he continues his development within the academy.
Bailey said:
“I started playing rugby at Lock Lane when I was young and have worked my way through the Rhinos system, so having support like this means a lot. It allows me to stay focused on my development as I continue my time in the academy.”
Lucy Hetherington, Business Development Manager at Leeds Rhinos, added:
“We would like to thank Scarborough Group International for their player sponsorship of Bailey Hardy for the 2026 season.”
Supporting young people and community-based initiatives is part of how we contribute in places where we have a long-term presence. Leeds is one of those locations. We are the developer of Thorpe Park Leeds, one of the city’s largest mixed-use business parks, and we are currently working on a revised masterplan for the next phase of the scheme. We are also progressing plans for the redevelopment of the Old Medical School site.
Nicola Bulley, Group Marketing & Business Development Director, concluded:
“As part of our responsible business commitment, we focus on creating clear development pathways for young people, particularly through sport. Starting at community level is key to encouraging participation and long-term commitment. Bailey’s progression reflects the value of that approach, and we’re supporting him as he continues through the academy.”
Alongside our direct support, our charitable arm, The Scarborough Group Foundation, has provided close to £100,000 this year to charities and community groups working across health, education and wellbeing. This includes support for Leeds Hospital Charity and work linked to the Rob Burrow Centre for MND, as well as organisations supporting young amputees, unpaid carers, bereaved military families, vision-impaired veterans, children with disabilities and families receiving end-of-life care. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated £2.4m.
