Bouygues set for BSF victory

French heavyweight Bouygues looks set to chalk up its first victory on a Building Schools for the Future (BSF) deal.

CJ understands that the contractor, pitching as part of the Partnership for Education and Community group, has now emerged as preferred bidder for the £190m Waltham Forest scheme in east London after seeing off a challenge from Skanska, its only remaining rival for the project.

Three firms originally pitched for the scheme, but a bid from Kier was expelled earlier this year.

Financial close is due early in 2007, with construction work expected to kick off halfway through next year.

The deal involves a total of seven schools, all in Walthamstow. The first three off the blocks will be the redevelopment of the Walthamstow School for Girls – 50% new build, with listed buildings on the site retained and the school due for completion by autumn 2009.

The Kelmscott school will involve 20% new build and is due to open by summer 2009. And a new school for 900 pupils will be built on the Hawker Siddeley site and is expected to open in 2008.

The next four schools will be Whitefield, William Morris, the Holy Family School and the Willowfield School – but the latter project hinges on the acquisition of a new site.

Waltham Forest Council is also planning two further phases of redevelopment work under the BSF programme. These will centre on Leyton, Leytonstone and Chingford.

BSF is the government’s plan to bring all secondary schools in England up to the mark.

[Contract Journal, 8 November 2006, p12]