Willmott Dixon is the preferred bidder on contracts worth £43 million, which are the first two schemes in the £106 million Middlesbrough Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to transform eight schools.

The company aims to reach financial close in November with Middlesbrough Council to proceed on creating two new schools, one to replace the existing Acklam Grange school and the other to co-locate Ormesby and Priory Woods schools. It was appointed on the BSF programme under the Academies framework and aims to negotiate the rest of the BSF schemes next year.


Working with Aedas Architects, Willmott Dixon plans to start on site with the new Acklam Grange school in November, while work on the new school for Ormesby and Priory Woods will start in January next year. The company aims to agree contracts for the remaining schools under the programme in 2009.

The company saw off significant competition earlier this year to be chosen as Middlesbrough's preferred design and build contractor responsible for its biggest ever transformation of education facilities. The eight schools in the programme will either replaced with new accommodation, refurbished or remodelled to create bright, modern places for 5,200 pupils. Willmott Dixon has assembled a top team to deliver the programme, which as well as Aedas includes Faber Maunsell, structural engineer and M&E designer.

(CD/JM)