Bouygues secures £68m Peterbrough schools PFI

French giant Bouygues has registered its second PFI schools triumph so far this year by graduating to preferred bidder status on Peterborough city council’s £68m project.

Pitching as IIC Bouygues, in concert with Ecovert FM and the Mill Group, the consortium saw off its only remaining rival in the best and final offer tussle - Land Securities Trillium (Kier/One Complete Solution FM/LSI Architects). Two months ago, the council expelled a bid from a third contender – QED Wates (Wates Group/HBS FM).

The aim is to get Bouygues’ contract formally signed and sealed next February, with work on site kicking off in March 2006.

Three schools feature in the project, which involves constructing one new secondary school in the north-west of the city and revamping two others. The Voyager School will be new build, while the Jack Hunt School and the Ken Stimpson Community School will be upgraded to provide 175 extra places at the former and 250 more at the latter. All three schools are due to open in September 2007.

IIC Bouygues are responsible for the design and construction work and will also provide facilities management services for a 30-year period.