Developer Land Securities has lined up HBG, Skanska and Wates to bid for the refurbishment of the 15-storey Dashwood House in the City of London.

The three will battle it out to re-clad the tower, which has 14 usable floors, and extend it by two storeys under plans drawn up by architect Fletcher Priest.

Land Securities wants to refurbish rather than rebuild in a bid to get the block on the market by 2009.

Whoever wins will strip the building back to its structure and expand its usable space from 10,700 m2 to 14,600 m2. The value of the contract is not known.

Land Securities is also expected this week to announce the winner of a £50m contract to build phase three of its Almondvale shopping centre in Livingston, Scotland.

Bovis Lend Lease, Miller and Sir Robert McAlpine are in the running for the scheme.