Scape records £200m of enquiries in first month for framework won by Balfour Beatty

Mark Robinson, chief executive officer of Scape Group

A newly-launched civil engineering framework for public sector clients has received a “flood” of interest from councils in its opening month, according to its operator.

Scape Group said the four-year £1.5bn infrastructure and public works framework, which Balfour Beatty is the sole service provider for, had received particularly high interest from councils in northern England and Scotland.

It said £200m worth of enquiries – ranging from solar farms to bridges – had been lodged and 72% of enquiries had come from councils in the North East, North West, and north of the border.

Scape Group chief executive Mark Robinson (pictured) said the creation of the framework had coincided with substantial investment in the UK roads network announced by Chancellor George Osborne in December.

“To see the framework hit the ground running is incredibly exciting to watch and what’s been most encouraging of all is seeing a flood of existing customers get in touch,” he said.

“The interest shown by regions particularly in the north gives further credibility to the emerging concept of a northern powerhouse. Just like it has for London, infrastructure can be the catalyst for growth across the UK.”