Lottery contracts in final straight

Two lottery funded contracts - Manchester City Art Gallery and Somerset House in London - are down to a final shortlist of two firms.

On the œ21 million Manchester City Art Gallery project, Bovis and Schal are slugging it out for the construction management contract. A decision is expected fairly shortly.

Bids by Amec, Mowlem and Mace appear to have fallen by the wayside.

Bovis is also in the running for the œ20 million Somerset House construction management project, where it is squaring up to Heery International. The project involves altering and refurbishing the terrace and south wings of the Grade I listed building to house the Gilbert Collection of silver and gold. Schal is now out of the running for the scheme.

The first part of the Manchester project involves the refurbishment of the existing Grade I listed art gallery and the adjacent Grade II listed Athenaeum building.

The second part of the contract comprises the construction of a three-storey extension on the site of the present car park.