Hyder pays £2.6m for Bettridge

Hyder Consulting, the design and management consultancy, has paid £2.6m for Livic, the owner of Bettridge Turner & Partners.

There will be a further top-up of £920,000 if the specialist firm performs well over the next three years.

Bettridge employs 75 staff including land development and structural engineers, traffic and town planners. Latest financial information shows turnover of £4.1m in the 12 months to 30 November 2005 and profit (before interest and tax) of £300,000. Bettridge has assets worth £1m.

The move was made to extend Hyder’s capabilities in development planning services and strengthen its private sector client base in the South East.

Tim Wade, chief executive of Hyder, said: "It’s a good fit with our acquisition strategy, has good people and we expect it to do well."