Costain bags Manchester waste project

Costain has scooped £300m-plus of work on Europe's largest PFI waste deal.

A joint venture between John Laing and waste contractor Viridor is expected to sign a £3bn, 25-year concession soon to deliver the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority's (GMWDA) waste services and has named Costain as its preferred contractor.

The firm's work will include five mechanical biological treatment plants, two materials recovery facilities, four composting plants, five transfer loading stations and 17 waste recycling centres.

The work will span 28 sites and is due for completion in 2011.

Viridor/Laing and Costain have already signed a £7m advance works contract to allow detailed design work to kick in.

GMWDA deals with more than 1.4 million tonnes of municipal waste every year.