Contractor is preferred bidder for three Church of England academy buildings in Northumberland and two Cambridgeshire schools

Kier announced two new major educational project wins today, bringing the total value of its work for the academies framework to £710m.

The group is preferred bidder for three new Church of England academy buildings by Northumberland council and two new schools in Cambridgeshire. The two projects have a combined value of £90m.

Kier was awarded the contract in Cambridgeshire as part of the Equitix Consortium. The two new schools there are the first wave of the Fenland Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme for Cambridgeshire council. Further waves of this BSF programme have a potential value of £600m.

The Cambridgeshire project is due to start in summer 2010 and the Northumberland project is aiming to be completed by summer 2011.

John Dodds, Kier Group's chief executive, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen to take these projects forward, cementing our position as one of the country's major builders of education infrastructure. In both cases we look forward to working closely with all parties to deliver a series of exemplary places of learning."