First Class effort bags Ayrshire schools PFI

The First Class group, comprising Hochtief, Barr and Dawn, has emerged as preferred bidder for North Ayrshire Council’s £80m-plus PFI schools project.

 

The remaining consortium, Comprehensive Estates Services (CES), which includes Edinburgh firm Americium and Singapore-based CPG Facilities Manage–ment, has failed to make the grade on the scheme.

 

The North Ayrshire deal is expected to start on site in October, with construction due for completion in August 2007. The maintain and operate concession will run for 30 years.

 

The original scheme specified that one of the four schools in the project would be refurbished, but now all schools will be new build.

 

The source said: “Both bidders developed a new build solution for the Greenwood Academy in Irvine – a better deal for all

concerned.”

 

The other schools in the scheme are Arran High, St Matthews Academy and the Stanley Primary at Ardrossan.

 

The North Ayshire outcome means newcomer CES has only one throw of the dice left to make its mark on the Scottish PFI schools scene, as it has pulled out of bidding for East Ayrshire Council’s £60m project.

 

East Ayrshire Council will now concentrate on its remaining two bidders – the First Class consortium and HBG – with the preferred group expected to emerge in September.

 

An insider told CJ: “The fact that CES withdrew from East Ayrshire has nothing to do with it losing the contest in North Ayrshire.

 

In fact, the consortium  concentrating its resources on two instead of three schemes was a positive, if anything.” 

 

CES’s last iron in the fire is South Ayrshire’s £70m scheme, where it is yet again up against the First Class group and Carillion/Cyril Sweett. South Ayrshire is expected to make its final choice in August.