Three bidders are in the running for a 拢600m-1.2bn contract to redevelop a 40 ha area of the Elephant & Castle in south London.

Three consortia led by developers European Land; St George and London; and Amsterdam/Countryside have been selected from a longlist of six. The teams omitted were led by Development Securities, Miller Ventures and Schal.

Fred Manson, head of regeneration at Southwark council, said: 鈥淭he council now has to look at what it has and decide what it wants.

Then, on Wednesday, a process and brief for the next stage of the competition will be recommended to the planning committee.鈥

The three consortia will be invited to produce a draft masterplan looking at urban regeneration, transport and infrastructure, housing and social issues.

A 拢25m Single Regeneration Budget grant was awarded to the project in July 1999. Southwark council has earmarked half for social exclusion programmes and the community, and half for remodelling transport infrastructure.

The masterplans will be submitted in April 2000 after a public exhibition and formal consultation.