Housing services provider Forrest has bagged a £70m deal to refurbish 18,000 homes across the Bolton area

The firm, formerly known as Herbert T Forrest, was awarded the contract by housing provider Bolton at Home.

The job involves capital improvement works to 18,000 homes across Bolton, including refurbishment and repair and maintenance.

Forrest is understood to have beaten off competition from contractors Keepmoat and Mears to the contract, which is worth up to £70m over six years, with an option of extending the contract to ten years.

Forrest held Bolton at Home’s previous contract for the services, which ran from 2008 until last year, when the work was retendered.