News in brief: Contract Journal 15 August 2007, p 3

Lovell, Morgan Sindall's affordable housing division, has won a £36m deal in north London. The Islington scheme, dubbed Mildmay@N1, involves the development of 136 flats. The 21-month project is due to start later this year, with the first homes expected to be delivered early in 2009.

HBG and ITC Concepts have picked up a total of £30m-worth of work for Buckinghamshire Chilterns University in High Wycombe. In a £24.5m deal, HBG will design and construct a 10,000m2 mixed-use building on the town-centre campus. And Croydon-based ITC will revamp two existing buildings - the North Block and Owen Harris - under a £5.5m contract.

Gleeson Building has been awarded an £18.5m design and build contract for a new Oasis Academy at Immingham in north-east Lincolnshire (as tipped in CJ, 30 May). The project was awarded by Oasis Community Learning.

A shortlist of seven bidders has been chosen by English Partnerships for the development of England's first eco-village - a 150-home site in Bristol. They are Artisan H, Barratt Homes, Edward Ware Homes, Gleeson Homes, Places for People, Taylor Wimpey and Urban Splash (South West). A preferred developer will be announced in December.

Morris & Spottiswood enjoyed a 25% jump in turnover to £125m during 2006, well up on the figure of £101m in the previous year. Latest results (12 months to 31 December 2006) show a pre-tax profit of £2.9m (£2m). The highest-paid director received £181,000.

Network Rail Infrastructure has advertised a £500m five-year framework deal for the installation of modular railway signalling systems across the UK. The full programme will last for 10 years.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council is inviting firms to bid for its Building Schools for the Future programme, which is worth between £123m and £425m.

Manchester City Council is seeking firms to pitch for a £300m HRA housing PFI contract known as the Brunswick Neighbourhood Regeneration Project. Both refurb and new build work is required.

(Contract Journal, 15 August 2007, p 3)