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Six eye asylum jobs
00:00 21 Jun 2000
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by Glenda Thisdell
The Immigration Service is lining up contractors to build detention centres worth in the region of £20-30m at three sites in south-east England.
At Heathrow, Thurleigh in Bedfordshire and Aldington, near Ashford in Kent, plans are being pushed through using special procedures to speed up the application process. The detention centres are needed quickly to cope with the increase in asylum seekers entering the country, according to the Immigration Service.
Firms including Gleeson, Costain, Kvaerner, Tilbury Douglas and UK Detention Services have expressed an interest in the project. They will find out this week whether they have made it to the short list of six invited to bid. A preferred bidder will be selected in August.
The Immigration Service hopes that buildings will be completed within nine months. Firms may bid for more than one of the projects.
The requirement was, in the first instance, to construct centres together with offices and ancillary capable of holding 1,800 people. Bids are expected to include the provision of development, design, procurement of related services and supplies, demolition and construction or refurbishment of existing buildings together with maintenance and support services. Periods of operation are likely to be between five and 10 years. However, a further notice for an additional 1,200 places will be issued.
At Heathrow, two detention centres and associated office space already exists but the government wants to make better use of the site. The aim at this site is to provide 500 places for men, women and families by next spring.
At Thurleigh, a centre designed to hold 900 detainees is wanted. At Aldington, the plan is to make better use of a former prison services facility and create 350 places by 2001.
The Immigration Service is lining up contractors to build detention centres worth in the region of £20-30m at three sites in south-east England.
At Heathrow, Thurleigh in Bedfordshire and Aldington, near Ashford in Kent, plans are being pushed through using special procedures to speed up the application process. The detention centres are needed quickly to cope with the increase in asylum seekers entering the country, according to the Immigration Service.
Firms including Gleeson, Costain, Kvaerner, Tilbury Douglas and UK Detention Services have expressed an interest in the project. They will find out this week whether they have made it to the short list of six invited to bid. A preferred bidder will be selected in August.
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The Immigration Service hopes that buildings will be completed within nine months. Firms may bid for more than one of the projects.
The requirement was, in the first instance, to construct centres together with offices and ancillary capable of holding 1,800 people. Bids are expected to include the provision of development, design, procurement of related services and supplies, demolition and construction or refurbishment of existing buildings together with maintenance and support services. Periods of operation are likely to be between five and 10 years. However, a further notice for an additional 1,200 places will be issued.
At Heathrow, two detention centres and associated office space already exists but the government wants to make better use of the site. The aim at this site is to provide 500 places for men, women and families by next spring.
At Thurleigh, a centre designed to hold 900 detainees is wanted. At Aldington, the plan is to make better use of a former prison services facility and create 350 places by 2001.
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