Laing O'Rourke tipped for £96m North Devon College scheme

Laing O'Rourke is emerging as the firm most likely to clinch an £86m college deal in the West Country.

Insiders say the contractor has edged ahead of a field of national and regional players for the Barnstaple-based North Devon College redevelopment scheme.

The others in the hunt were Bovis Lend Lease, Sir Robert McAlpine, Cowlin and Pearce.

An insider said: "This was a pretty fierce contest - all five contenders have impressive track records in this sector and are more than capable of carrying out this work."

As usual for education-sector deals, the Devon job is being procured under the design and build, two-stage tender process.

A start on site is expected around May 2009, with the new college due to open its doors in time for the beginning of the September 2011 term.

The scheme involves a new college campus, with a four-storey building as its centrepiece.

Sports facilities, a business innovation centre and a theatre are also in the mix.

The college will relocate from its present Old Sticklepath Hill campus, to a nearby site, which will be known as the Seven Brethren campus.

The intention is to sell the current site to a developer. The most likely outcome of the sale is for houses to be built on the land.