Leighton wins AU$ 1.1 billion schools PPP project

The Aspire Schools consortium, which includes Leighton Contractors, Leighton Services, the Commonwealth Bank, and the Broad Group has won the AU$ 1.1 billion (US$ 781 million) design, build and maintenance contract for seven new state schools in South East Queensland.

The contract was awarded under the Queensland Government's landmark SEQ Public Private Partnership (PPP) Schools project.

Private finance for the project will be provided by Leightons, the Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank.

Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development, Andrew Fraser said the successful Aspire Schools consortium would design, build and maintain six new primary schools and one new high school in the rapidly-growing Sunshine Coast, Western Corridor, the Gold Coast and Redlands regions.

"This PPP project will benefit families and taxpayers by helping to fast-track the building of these schools, while locking in maintenance funding for 30 years," Mr Fraser said.

"It will generate 2150 new jobs over the four and half year construction period and many more during the 30-year ongoing maintenance period delivered by the consortium.