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Three firms are in the running for the first phase of the massive £450m Paradise Circus mixed-use scheme in Birmingham city centre, ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø can reveal.

Developer Argent confirmed this week that it has invited Bam Construction, Carillion and Kier to tender for the preparatory works contract for the scheme, which is thought to be worth around £30m.

The winning contractor will be well-placed to win further work on the huge 1.8 million ft2 project, which includes offices, shops, a four-star hotel, a concert hall and further leisure and culture facilities.

Paradise Circus will be built across 10 new buildings and 17 acres in a prime site in the heart of Birmingham between the city’s Centenary Square and Chamberlain Square.

Bam, Carillion and Kier all have long-standing relationships with Argent, with all working on significant parts of the developer’s £2bn Kings Cross redevelopment in north London.

Argent declined to say if it will be taking the same partnering approach with the contractors on Paradise Circus that it took on the King’s Cross scheme.

But the developer said more than one of the three contractors could win roles on first phase Paradise Circus contract, which is for site-wide infrastructure and preparation works.

The works include site clearance, demolition, service diversions, highways, public realm, new service supplies and basement construction, including the podium and foundations for the first two commercial buildings.

The winner, or winners, will be announced in August or September this year, with a start on site expected in January 2015.

Argent also announced this week that four landscape architects have been shortlisted to design public space at Paradise Circus. The shortlisted firms are Gillespies, Grant Associates, Gustafson Porter and Gross Max.

A clutch of consultants are working on the overall scheme, including architect Glenn Howells, engineer Arup and quantity surveyor Faithful + Gould.

The others are Altitude Real Estate, Deloitte, Peter Brett Associates, Alan Baxter Associates, The Environmental Dimension Partnership, Townshend Landscape Architects and Core Marketing.

Paradise Circus is being carried out by Argent, with Birmingham council and the British Telecom Pension Scheme.