QED Wates wins £270m Luton BSF

QED Wates has pipped rival Bouygues at the post to become preferred bidder on Luton Borough Council’s £270m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme.

The two consortia were neck and neck, according to a council statement, with QED “narrowly” beating Bouygues to the prize.

Luton’s BSF progrmme will see all of Luton’s 13 secondary schools rebuilt or refurbished in the first four year phase.

The scheme will also deliver a community library, community theatre, adult education and youth facilities. The second phase plans to include leisure, community, health, office and housing projects.

As part of the deal QED Wates has committed to using local labour, suppliers and sub contractors and to creating 138 apprenticeships over the next four years.

Wates’s consortium QED includes Wates Construction and Borras Construction, Civica, Operon fm and VT Education and Skills.

Bouygues consortium included Bouygues UK, Ecovert FM, Barclays Private Equity Cambridge Education and Ramesys.