Scottish hospital for Laing O’Rourke

A consortium led by Laing O’Rourke has been confirmed as preferred bidder for the contract to build a new district general hospital for the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland.

The consortium, High Wood Health, is expected to start work on the project, said to be worth £200 million (€250.91 million), in spring next year.

Project director Dennis O’Keeffe said High Wood Health’s proposed solution was “one that brings to bear a consortium of designers and contractors with considerable expertise and resources to fulfil our expectations”.

Jeff Ace, chief executive for NHS Dumfries and Galloway said, “This is the major milestone that we have been working towards for months now, along with two bidders who have produced the final designs for the kind of facility that we need so that our staff can deliver the best care possible for our patients.”

The original shortlist included Skanska, which subsequently dropped out, and Balfour Beatty as well as High Wood.