黑洞社区

The race for the prized deal to mastermind the 拢250m scheme to redevelop the grade II-listed Whiteleys shopping centre in west London has narrowed to three firms.

黑洞社区 understands Multiplex is now out of the running for the deal leaving Laing O鈥橰ourke, Mace and Sir Robert McAlpine to fight it out for the deal to turn the 1980s shopping centre behind the historic 1911 Queensway fa莽ade in Bayswater into a residential and hotel mixed-use development.

O鈥橰ourke is understood to have brought its team over from Hammerson鈥檚 stalled Brent Cross shopping centre scheme to lead its bid.

The main contract is being bid separately to the concrete frame contract which has Careys, Morrisroe, Byrne Bros and O鈥橰ourke-owned Expanded on the shortlist.

One source said: 鈥淚f Expanded gets the concrete frame, then Laing O鈥橰ourke has to be in pole position for the main contract. O鈥橰ourke is very keen on this.鈥�

A winner is due to be appointed later this summer.

Demolition contractor Erith, which has been carrying out work at the site of Sellar鈥檚 planned Cube scheme in nearby Paddington, has begun tearing down the centre鈥檚 car park and is due to begin later this month on the main shopping centre itself with this part of the job due to be finished in November.

The redevelopment is being headed by a joint venture between a Meyer Bergman-advised fund and Warrior Group with development manager on the scheme, luxury property firm Finchatton.

Designed by Foster + Partners, the Whiteleys scheme will include 129 homes, along with 100,000 sq ft of shops, a cinema and a hotel.

Others working on the 拢1bn development include project manager Gardiner & Theobald, QS Alinea, civil and structural engineer AKT II and WSP as the traffic and waste engineer.