Concrete formwork user Balfour Beatty has won a contract to build new schools and upgrade existing educational buildings in Oldham.

The district's council announced today (June 29th) that the construction firm had been appointed preferred bidder for the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, which will improve and create eight schools for the area.

A new institution will be developed in Chadderton, the firm stated, on which the initial phase of work will begin in January 2011.

The other schools will be upgraded and expanded between 2012 and 2014, while all construction is scheduled to be complete by 2015.

Balfour Beatty chief executive Ian Tyler commented: "We look forward to developing a Local Education Partnership with the council and Partnerships for Schools to deliver excellent design and value for all schools in the programme."

Recently, the company was also selected to work on the BSF scheme in Derby, where £231 is being invested in educational buildings.

Written by Ryan Gilbert