Multi-million £ contract stays local

THE main contract for Warrington’s £30 million Orford Park sports village contract has been awarded to a local firm.
Members of the borough council’s executive board chose the successful bidder from a shortlist of four.
Afterwards, leader of the council Ian Marks said: “I am absolutely delighted that the company that has won the contract for Orford Park is a local one.
” We will be trying hard to make sure that as many people as possible who actually work on the project will also be from Warrington.
“This is a flagship project for the town so it is only right that local people should be involved in its construction and share in the success. I hope that many of these will come from the parts of the town that have suffered most from the effects of the recession.”
Preliminary work has already started on site and the main contract – estimated to cost £27 million – is due to start at the end of May.
The project is due to be completed by the end of next year.
Funding contributions have come from Sport England, the Department for Children Schools and Families, the Football Foundation, North West Development Agency, NHS Warrington, Warrington Collegiate, the borough council and others.
Widespread consultation has taken place with the local community over a number of years and the council approved the business case for the project in 2008.