31/10/2012
NEWS STORY
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The Heads of the Valleys Development Company has named the construction team that will deliver the £250m 3.5 mile Circuit of Wales motor sport development near Ebbw Vale.
FCC Construccion will build the £250m facility ina joint venture with local construction firm Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd of Abergavenny.
As well as the main circuit which is being built to FIA and FIM standards, and has a unique location on a mountain top, with plans for a motor sport academy, the Circuit of Wales will be designed to host international events such as MotoGP, World Superbikes, World Motocross and World Touring Cars.
The development will include a technology park adjacent to the circuit to cater for higher specification research, development and support services in the automotive and motor sports sectors. A leading motor sport race academy will also be created to develop young Welsh, British and European elite riders and drivers.
Michael Carrick, chief executive of the Heads of the Valleys Development Company, hailed the selection a "perfect complement of international expertise and local knowledge."
FCC Construccion is focused in the UK infrastructure market - its £276m state-of-the-art South West Acute Hospital in Northern Ireland opened last June. The company is also widely respected for its innovative work on such diverse projects as the Madrid-Barajas Airport - one of the busiest airports in the world - and the Jerez circuit in Spain.
"The people of Wales, and Blaenau Gwent in particular, should be really excited about what will be built," said Carrick. "Having seen the work that our construction partners have done in the past, I've no doubt that the Circuit of Wales will be a diamond in the British sporting landscape."
"We chose these companies because of their vast experience, global renown and because of the superb team they can put in place. They fully grasp the Circuit of Wales concept and how to deliver it and share our vision and passion for making it happen."
There is a contractual agreement between the Heads of the Valleys Development Company and the construction partners that a significant number of the building jobs will go to local workers. This could prove to be a much-needed boost in south Wales where unemployment levels are high.
In accordance with the Heads of the Valleys Development Company's low carbon prioritisation for the Circuit of Wales, along with its commitment to a local workforce, one of FCC Construccion's main tenets is 'responsible construction'. Like Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd, it emphasises sustainability through taking care of the community and the environment - something the Heads of the Valleys Development Company has placed at the top of its agenda since the Circuit of Wales' inception.
An application for planning will be delivered in November.