CONSTRUCTION group Willmott Dixon's Oldham hub for the north has got off to a flying start, with orders worth £90m already secured for the next two years.

The public spending boom has enabled the company to land school and leisure projects across the north west and Yorkshire.

Willmott Dixon's northern operation, run from Hollinwood, was launched at the start of January and became the privately-owned group's sixth regional office. Previously, its business in the region was conducted from Birmingham.

Headed by Anthony Dillon, 42, it employs 87 people across the north west and Yorkshire, including planners, surveyors, project managers and support staff. Around 30 staff are expected to be recruited this year.

The bulging order book includes a £22m secondary school in St Helens and a school on the site of Manchester City FC's former Maine Road stadium. Other school schemes include ones in Wigan and Cheshire. Last year, it completed the £5m Rolls Crescent Primary in Hulme.

The main thrust of Willmott Dixon's business in Yorkshire remains health and fitness centres, pools and other leisure schemes.

Willmott Dixon is based in Letchworth, Leicestershire, and turned over £359m in 2006 with profits of £8.7m. Results for 2007 are expected to show revenues of £400m and the figure is forecast to grow to £850m this year.

Mr Dillon said the northern operation already has orders for £55m this year and £35m for 2009.

He added: "While other sections of the market are tightening up because of the credit crunch, such as commercial and residential development, we cannot see any reduction in public sector spending on areas such as education for the next three to five years."

Willmott Dixon chief operating officer John Frankiewicz said: "Establishing our new hub for operations in the north is a key step in our growth plans.

"Thanks to our ongoing long-term frameworks and our ability to attract high quality people living in the region, we have the platform for a strong business in Manchester and the north west and are excited by its potential over the coming years." Tweet