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Time to stake a claim

Wednesday, 24 February, 2010

Construction companies have been invited to stake their claim for a share of a new £220 million project to transform sports and learning facilities in the Telford area.

Kier Group, which has been given the role of kick-starting the programme, held a special procurement event to build links with more than 100 local businesses.

The event, at the White House Hotel in Wellington, was organised in conjunction with Telford & Wrekin Council, and One Telford, the new economic development unit for the area.

The project involves the revamp, remodelling and rebuilding of secondary schools in the Telford area as part of the Borough Towns Initiative Sports Learning Communities initiative, which is backed by government funding.

Work on the first building – a sports and learning community at Madeley – is due to start in the next few weeks.

“Both Telford & Wrekin Council and Kier Group are committed to ensuring local businesses are used as much as possible to help realise the vision to revamp the borough’s educational estate,” said council cabinet member, Councillor Stephen Burrell.

“This event enabled Kier to make lots of positive links to help them start that process, and also highlighted to local businesses the range of opportunities that are available to them.”

Kier Group spokesman, Chris Doran, said his company was working closely with One Telford, the economic development organisation for the area, to “maximise the regeneration value” of the project.

He said the aim was create local jobs, apprenticeships for young workers, and re-training opportunities for the unemployed.

One Telford has replaced the Transforming Telford brand along with all the services aimed at promoting economic growth and tourism. These are currently in the process of transferring back to Telford & Wrekin Council by the end of March, as part of a new economic development unit.

Pic:    At the Kier Group presentation are, from left, Anne Taylor (One Telford), Wayne Morgan (Elements Europe Limited), Chris Wilson (Kier), and Carl Huntley (BASE Architecture)