Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, investment and services group, has announced that it has been selected as preferred bidder for the £120 million West Sussex National Academies Framework for West Sussex County Council.

The framework comprises four academy schools being redeveloped across the South Coast with a mixture of both new-build and refurbishment schemes at Littlehampton, Lancing, Shoreham and Midhurst Rother.

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Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian Tyler, said: "We are delighted to have been selected as preferred bidder for this contract and look forward to delivering West Sussex County Council’s vision to provide a place where all children and young people have the opportunity to enjoy healthy and safe lives as confident, high-achieving learners."

The sample scheme for preferred bidder selection was the £28 million Sir Robert Woodard Academy at Lancing, which will provide a co-educational facility for 1,400 students, aged between 11 and 18 years. Contract award and commencement of the works are expected to be in early 2010.

Subject to successful negotiation and acceptance of final business cases, design and build contracts for the other three academies will be entered into in 2010.

(CD/KMcA)