Contracts boon for Forrest

Herbert T Forrest, the Preston-based construction company that operates across the North West, is planning to expand across the country after winning around £50m in social housing contracts.

The company has secured a number of new partnering agreements, totalling £50m over four years, to refurbish social housing and build new homes for social landlords and local authorities across the North.

It has been selected onto a four-year framework agreement to build new housing in Wigan, a four-year project to refurbish homes in Salford, and a one-year programme of investment for homes in St Helens.

The company has also won contracts to carry out works for a number of registered social landlords in the North East over the next four years, as well as ten-year agreement to provide a responsive repair and maintenance service to homes in Leeds. 

Tim Forrest, chief executive of Herbert T Forrest, said: “Being selected onto these latest framework agreements is a significant step in our next phase of growth and is in recognition of the excellent work we have carried out within the housing sector over the last 12-months.

“Our opening of a new office in Leeds has already secured over £4m of new work and we aim to continue our expansion in the Yorkshire region as well as other geographic areas including the North East and Midlands.”

The company’s 2008 turnover stood at £45.3m, up 20% from £37.8m a year earlier. Operating profit for the year to the end of August stood at £4.5m.