A27 works appear to resume a month after contractor for New Monks …
Photos taken on Thursday (October 19) show works resuming on A27 Shoreham Road, with diggers in operation.
Buckingham Group Contracting – the contractor tasked with completing the A27 project – officially went into administration in September, leaving 446 employees without a job.
This came two weeks after the company filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators – with then forced National Highways to pause the development on land sold by Brighton and Hove Albion.
A spokesperson said in August: “We are aware of the current situation with regards to Buckingham Group Contracting. We are working with the developer to find a solution to complete the works.”
Photos taken on Thursday (October 19) show works resuming on A27 Shoreham Road, with diggers in operation.
A statement on the UK Government agency’s website on August 22 read: “The project to build a new roundabout on the A27 to provide better, safer access to Brighton City Airport and the New Monks Farm development is currently paused.”
National Highways is yet to issue a further update but photos taken on Thursday (October 19) show works resuming on A27 Shoreham Road, with diggers in operation.
National Highways has been approached for comment.
The company previously stated the next phase of work would see all westbound traffic rerouted onto the new A27 westbound carriageway around the roundabout, with ‘improvement works starting on the westbound and eastbound carriageways’.
Photos taken on Thursday (October 19) show works resuming on A27 Shoreham Road, with diggers in operation.
National Highways said work – which was expected to last until November – would be carried out in stages ‘to keep traffic moving and disruption to a minimum’.
Members of Grant Thornton UK LLP were appointed as joint administrators of Buckingham Group Contracting Limited – which has operations ‘throughout the UK’. This ‘safeguarded jobs’ for 180 people.
A statement on Buckingham’s website reads: “Following recent significant cashflow pressures and subsequent losses incurred by the business, the directors and its advisors have been working hard to deliver a successful refinancing and secure the future of the business.
"However, the legacy issues faced by the company and ongoing losses were simply too great to enable the refinance to succeed in an acceptable timescale.”
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Photos taken on Thursday (October 19) show works resuming on A27 Shoreham Road, with diggers in operation.
The joint administrators intended to ‘continue to operate’ part of the company's head office function ‘for a short period’ – in ‘support of the purchaser’.
Joe Incutti, group managing director at Kier Transportation, said: "The Buckingham Group Contracting rail business had built a very strong reputation for assured delivery in the rail sector. I am pleased that we now welcome 180 new colleagues into Kier Transportation.
"The team will further strengthen our capability, and this helps to bring an end to a period of uncertainty for clients and employees by ensuring continued delivery on existing projects, and the retention of hugely important skills and expertise in the rail sector.”
‘Despite the best efforts’ of the directors and the company's advisers, a sale of the company's remaining divisions – building, civil engineering, demolition, major projects and sport & leisure ‘was not possible’.
Rob Parker, director at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said: “As a result, 446 employees from these divisions together with some other central roles at the company have been made redundant following the company entering administration. The Grant Thornton team will work with the employees affected to support them through this process.”Mike Kempley, chairman at Buckingham Group Contracting said: “After 36 years of uninterrupted trading, this is an extremely sad day for all the exceptionally committed and talented people who have made Buckingham Group Contracting the business it is.
"In moving to Kier, we are sure our Rail & HS2 teams are in good hands and will continue to deliver an excellent service, and many other businesses are now engaging with the remaining 500 or so Buckingham employees.”