拢480m Washwood Heath announcement now expected next spring more than five years after project was first advertised

A decision on the winner of the last major building project yet to be awarded on the first phase of HS2 has slipped into next year.

The 拢480m scheme at Washwood Heath in Birmingham has been hit by a series of hold-ups since it came out nearly five years ago. It was first advertised via a PIN notice in January 2020 and then given a 拢250m price tag.

The job, which will serve as both the railway鈥檚 network control centre and its rolling stock maintenance depot once the line opens, had been due to be awarded this year.

washwood

Designed by local architect Glenn Howells, the centre is expected to employ more than 550 people

Procurement was already delayed by three months last year after bidders were given an 11 week extension with tenders eventually going in last April.

Turkish contractor G眉lermak was the surprise name on the original three-strong shortlist for the job but dropped out of the running last year to leave a pairing of Vinci and Keltbray Infrastructure Services up against a team featuring VolkerFitzpatrick and VolkerRail.

Bidders were expecting a decision earlier this year, later revised to before Christmas, but a HS2 spokesperson confirmed this has now been delayed by several weeks into next year. He said: 鈥淭he procurement process for Washwood Heath is ongoing and we expect to award contracts in the spring.鈥�

Rumours surfaced earlier this month the job was being descoped to reduce costs 鈥� in the face of a new government and particularly in the wake of recent headlines that revealed HS2 has spent 拢100m on a 鈥榮hed鈥� to protect bats on a section of the line.

But one source said: 鈥淗S2 have asked for some value engineering on parts of it but given the technical complexity of it, it will not be significant.鈥�

Designed by local architect Glenn Howells, the centre is expected to employ more than 550 people.

Washwood Heath 2

The Washwood Heath site was formerly home to the Metro-Cammell railway works, which closed in 2004. It was cleared by a Laing O鈥橰ourke team four years ago

The 30ha scheme was given the green light by the city council at the start of last year with the depot including a rolling stock maintenance building, carriage wash, automatic vehicle inspection building and sidings where trains can be stored overnight.

Also on the same site will be the Network Integrated Control Centre, the hub of the network鈥檚 signalling and control systems as well as office buildings for cleaners and drivers.

A team from HS2鈥檚 enabling works contractor LM, a pairing of Laing O鈥橰ourke and Murphy, completed the demolition of the buildings on the site in 2020. The Washwood Heath complex was formerly home to the Metro-Cammell railway works, which closed in 2004.

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