David McLean's debts could reach £100m

Administrators have predicted the debts of troubled contracting and house building group David McLean could run up to £100m.

The Deeside-based firm, which employs 320 people, went into administration yesterday after suffering losses due to market conditions.

Administrators at Deloitte hope to sell the group’s house building arm as a going concern to minimise job losses and will also close its’ contracting business.

Asked about the level of debt the company had run up, administrator Nick Edwards told the BBC: “It will run into many millions, I would say, getting towards £100m.

“The group in the previous 12 months until the end of June sold just under 600 units – homes and apartments – and there are about 30 sites around the UK – primarily the north west, midlands and south Wales and the south west – which are at different stages of development.

“There will be a number of job losses, there already have been a number of job losses.

“A lot of it comes down to if we have the ability to sell the homes business as a going concern to preserve jobs.

“The contracting business is a matter we’re going to have to deal with.”