Contractors left with “token” BSF school builds

Aaron Morby 15 years ago
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Contractors that were named as BSF preferred bidders have gained funding to deliver just two or three projects in their council regions.

Education secretary Michael Gove, released the latest list of approved schools and academies late on Friday.

The latest deal sees most of the BSF schools submitted for further financial review get the go-ahead.

On the Academies side, Willmott Dixon is emerging as the big winner with all of its secured and tendered schemes set for funding. On secured work alone Willmott Dixon has the all-clear for around £140m worth of jobs.

The review decision will see construction start within the next few months on nearly all 33 schools, but still means firms have lost the lion’s share of long term school building work in their local authority areas.

One contractor told the Enquirer: “This looks like schools going ahead. But it is little more than a token for all the hard work we have put in.

“It’s probably just enough work to cover some of the bids and prevent us for claiming for more costs.”

Schools preferred bidders will build

  • Balfour Beatty: Derby, £230m BSF. Three of 14 schools cleared for building. Work to start in November on Derby Moor, Noel-Baker, St Martins schools.
  • BB: Ealing, £300m BSF. Two of 16 schools approved. West London Academy, Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, Dormers Wells High School.
  • BB: Hartlepool, £104m BSF. Two of six schools through. Work due to start in September on Dyke House Sports and Technology College and St Hilds School.
  • BB: Oldham, £230m BSF. Two of 11 schools cleared for building. New RC School, North Cadderton School.
  • Bam Construct: Camden, £250m BSF. Three of 16 school jobs approved. These are UCL Academy, South Camden Community, Swiss Cottage Special school.
  • Bam: Somerset, £600m BSF. Three of six in the initial phase. These are Chilton Trinity, Elmwood, Robert Blake School.
  • Bovis Lend Lease: Wandsworth £300m BSF. Two of 16 schools through. Work starts on Bruntwood and Southfield schools next spring.
  • Interserve: St Helens £150m BSF. Two of nine schools cleared. Works starts this autumn on De La Salle School and Rainford High Technology College.
  • May Gurney: Lambeth, £185m BSF. Three of eight schools pass through review. Dunraven, Lilian Bayliss, Norwood school.
  • Laing O’Rourke: Barking and Dagenham £270m BSF. Two of nine promised schools passed. Work to start in February on Dagenham Park and Sydney Russell.
  • Eric Wright: Blackpool, £180m BSF. Three of eight promised schools funded. First work to start this year on Highfield Humanities College, Mountford Centre and St mary’s Catholic College.

In Poole, the Ashdown Technology College will also go ahead  where Kier and Balfour Beatty are the last two in for the job.

Meanwhile, in Hertfordshire, Balfour Beatty and Sir Robert McAlpine are battling it out for three schools that are due to go-ahead after the review. These are: Lonsdale, Marriotts and the Nobel School.

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