Campbell closes in on contracts

Jul 3 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

FIFTEEN staff from North East civil engineering group Henderson Campbell have headed off to Gloucestershire to help build a new accommodation block at a female closed prison as the firm closes in on a raft of new contracts.

It is the third time in 10 years that the Guisborough-based company has been involved with developments at Eastwood Park jail in Wotton-under-Edge, with the latest £1.5m contract involving the creation of an 80-bed accommodation unit and increasing the car park by 145 spaces.

Three years ago the firm prepared the groundwork for a 64-bed unit and, previous to that, constructed a houseblock to hold 120 women.

The work, which will increase the capacity of the prison by 20%, is carried out in partnership with building systems company, Caledonian, which secures modular buildings in the UK.

Managing director Antony Henderson said the project, which was awarded as a result of the company being a preferred Home Office supplier, is expected to be complete by March 2010 and was the first of several lined up for this year.

He said: “The winter months are always quieter in our business but things are really picking up now. This is our first big contract of the new financial year, but there are others in the pipeline that I am confident will follow quickly on the heals of Eastwood Park.”

Henderson Campbell is also currently working on seven other prison sites in the UK including Castington in Northumberland; Barnard Castle; and Kirklevington, near Yarm.