HOT LINE

Storehouse, the Mothercare and Bhs Group is to invest œ100m in new stores over the coming year. Bhs plans to open eight stores and Mothercare a further seven as well as extending some of its city centre shops.

Tender documents go out this week for a œ15m refurbishment at Claridge's in London. The sixth and seventh floors are to be renovated. Architect is Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo.

The pick of œ13m in new contracts for Amec Building are a œ6.4m contract to provide 479 bedrooms for the University of Essex at Colchester and a œ4.4m design and construct contract for a new Golf Academy at The Belfry in Warwickshire.

Birse has been awarded a œ6.3m contract for sea defence work between Brighton Marina and the borough boundary at Saltdean. It also has a œ4m contract to redevelop the West Stand at Deepdale, home of Preston North End.

GA Construction is to build the new œ5m Tameside Magistrates Court at Ashton Under Lyne and has a œ2.5m contract to build a three-storey office building at Birchwood Point Business Park in Warrington.

Breheny has won three contracts worth œ10m - the œ5m A131 bypass of Great Notley Garden Village at Braintree, Essex for Countryside Properties; the œ3.3m B1013 Northern section, access to Southend-on-Sea for Essex County Council and a œ1m earthworks and lining contract at Masons Landfill site at Claydon, Suffolk.

Bickerton has a œ1.9m design and build housing contract in Goldhawk Road, West London for NHP Homes.